Solar PV array

Native DC output; can feed a DC bus directly or via inverter to AC.

Cost

Medium

Upkeep

Occasional

Skill to build

Intermediate

Lifespan

25-35 years; manufacturers commonly warrant 80% output retention at 25 years

Embodied carbon

Medium

Space / material use

Low

Output timing

Weather/time-dependent

Skill to repair

Intermediate

Regulation (FR example)

Roof-mounted panels on an existing building require a prior declaration (declaration prealable) at the mairie; stricter rules apply within a protected or heritage perimeter. Grid connection additionally requires an Enedis agreement and Consuel certification.

Note: Cost, carbon and footprint are rated against the other options for this same need, not in absolute terms.

What your site needs

Unobstructed south-facing roof or ground-mount area

Inputs

• Solar Radiation

Outputs

• DC Electricity

Sources

• NREL PV Lifetime Project; DOE End-of-Life Management for Solar Photovoltaics

Tutorials

• https://wiki.lowtechlab.org/wiki/Dimensionner_une_installation_photovolta%C3%AFque_autonome/en
• https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/2023/12/how-to-build-a-small-solar-power-system/

What this page does not tell you

No sizing or quantities: how much a technique yields, and how much a household needs, both depend on the build and the people, so the catalogue compares options rather than dimensioning them. It carries no bill of materials and no build sequence, and it is written for an oceanic, clay-soil climate (Normandy, France). Regulatory notes are indicative and need confirming locally.