Palheiro Village External Change Request (solar)

Presented to Palheiro Village to gain permission to add solar panels to our property in the least visually obtrusive manner. And without impinging on communal property.

mounting panels on the top of our terrace wall
mounting panels on the top of our terrace beams as part of a glass roof / automated shade arrangement
mounting panels vertically on the retaining wall behind our villa
use of communal property

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1. Angled Mount on TerraceWall

Wind

An attachment to the terrace wall would require a fairly acute angle in the frame which is less strong in the high winds we get here on Madeira sometimes. If the frame is sufficiently strong, I see no problem using the back of the terrace wall as an attachment point.

Heat

The panels' mounting angle must not reflect heat onto the terrace.

Negative

Less strongly mounted. Possibly hotter. May degrade panels faster. Can not use beams for mounting.

Conduit

No difference here.

Permission

Permission is required. It is our wall but the frames and panels protrude over the pathway between properties. Painting the retaining wall would not be impinged upon. Visibility from the street is almost exactly the same as for vertical mounting on the retaining wall. A precedent has been set by our neighbor who mounted a pool heater on the outside of his retaining wall at the end of our street, (in full view of the street).

2. Flat mount on top of our terrace beams as part of a glass roof / automated shade arrangement

add photos and descriptions here

3. Vertical Mount on Retaining Wall

Wind

For wind and durability reasons, it's better to mount solar panels flat onto the retaining wall. Wind will have more purchase (do more damage) on panels mounted on frames at acute angles. Also, the contractor wants to mount the frames on the beams above our terrace. I won't approve attachment to the beams not only because it is unattractive, but also because the beams will not outlast the aluminum frames. This would mean having to remount the solar panels again at a later date when the beams rot as they are prone to do.

Heat

Heat is a second reason to mount vertically. Panels that are mounted vertically tend to heat up less than panels mounted perpendicular to the sun. Less heating helps them to last longer (deteriorate more slowly). Hot panels are less efficient because of higher resistance. (I can't say if the heating of the wall itself contributes to panel heating more than being perpendicular to the sun)

Negative

Will vertical panels reflect heat from the sun onto the terrace making it hotter in the summer?

Painting the retaining wall will be impossible behind the solar panels. But that's just less painting to buy, maybe a bonus.?

Conduit

There are existing electrical boxes on the terrace that I'm hopeful can be used to bring the wiring from the panels and converter down to the main house panel. This would eliminate the need to apply conduit on the front facade.

Permission

Permission must be granted by the Condo Association Property Management to use the retaining wall to mount our solar panels. Other private equipment has been mounted on the same wall for pool heaters. At the end of the street.