Solar and Battery Integration Guidelines
PV and battery systems are now mainstream features. Successful integration requires early coordination with roof design, structural loads, and electrical infrastructure to avoid clashes and performance issues.
1. PV Layout Fundamentals
- Shading control: small shading can disproportionately reduce output; consider nearby trees, parapets, and future construction.
- Orientation and tilt: optimise for site and roof form; don’t force arrays into poor layouts that complicate waterproofing.
- Maintenance access: provide safe access and consider cleaning in dusty regions.
2. Electrical Integration
Allow switchboard space and a clear single-line diagram early. Late electrical redesign is expensive and delays certification.
3. Battery Considerations
- Location: consider temperature, ventilation, flood risk, and physical protection.
- Clearances: follow manufacturer requirements for heat dissipation and service access.
- Fire safety: treat as an essential safety consideration—design the installation to minimise risk and allow safe isolation.
4. Commissioning
Commissioning is not optional. Verify system performance, monitoring setup, and user handover instructions.
5. Coordinate with Roof, Waterproofing, and Structure
- Penetrations and fixings: PV mounting must be compatible with the roof system and flashing sequence. Most long-term leaks are detail failures, not product failures.
- Loads and wind: arrays can introduce local wind loads and point loads—confirm the mounting system and fixing pattern are suitable for the roof structure.
- Access and fall protection: design safe access for maintenance and emergency isolation.
6. Design for the Use Case (Not Just “Max kW”)
What the client wants matters: bill reduction, backup power, EV charging, or whole-home resilience. Each use case changes design decisions:
- Bill reduction: PV sizing and export control; focus on daytime loads and smart scheduling.
- Backup power: define essential circuits, changeover arrangements, and commissioning tests.
- EV charging: allow switchboard capacity and consider load management early.
7. Handover and Ongoing Performance
- Monitoring access: ensure the owner can see system performance and faults.
- Documentation: single-line diagrams, manuals, warranties, and shutdown procedures.
- Maintenance reality: plan for inverter access, cleaning (where relevant), and battery service requirements.
Practical tip: Treat PV/battery as a coordinated package (roof + electrical + commissioning). It’s much cheaper to coordinate at design than to retrofit on site.