Domestic solar installations remain the core of the UK solar sector. As the most publicly visible of all installations completed, the importance of well designed and installed systems cannot be underestimated.
The two entries shortlisted by the Solar Power Portal Award judges exhibited exemplary design and implementation to form truly special arrays for their owners.
Mr Davis' House, Phoenix Works/Enphase
Allan Davis, an electrical engineer living in Leeds, UK, recognised that installing solar PV on his house would be an excellent way to take control of his energy bills, whilst doing his bit for the planet. However, with limited roof space and shading issues his house presented a challenge.
In order to avoid the use of two distinct string inverters and long direct current cable runs, Phoenix Works decided to split the array across two roofs using microinverters to help negate the effects of shading.
Treleigh House, GB-Sol Ltd
Treleigh House is an impressive architect-designed eco-home that incorporates the latest in green technology. Designed to sit on an elevated and exposed coastal location above St. Ives, Cornwall, the aesthetics of the install were paramount.
Incorporating a roof integrated 9.9kWp solar array, allowed the home to meet its renewable generation targets whilst adding to the beauty of the property.
As the property has been designed as an eco-home it is insulated to a very high level, triple-glazed and includes a host of other technologies to maximise the ecological benefits of the house. It was important that the solar PV roof could be manufactured to the architect’s standards and accommodate the two triple glazed roof lights designed to flood the property with natural light. The final cost of the roof PV system was less than the cost of the slate roof that it replaced.
