this post was submitted on 18 May 2026
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My utility power isn't on the chopping block (yet?) but skyrocketing rates have finally pushed me to install a real PV system.
Currently sitting on 2.4 KW of PV and 32 KWh of battery storage. Still in the process of installing as the specific mounts I need have been out of stock, but should have those hopefully by June and can finally begin the install in earnest. Once I have the mounts, I'm going to get a few more panels and will have about 3.5 KW of PV on the roof. Would like to do more, but that's all the south-facing roof real estate I have to work with. Planning on a ground mount setup for another 3 KW or so but need to get the base system going first.
I'm tempted to go ahead and buy some more battery capacity because I have a sinking feeling the demand (and price/availability) for those is going to increase dramatically in the next few years.
North (and east/west) facing panels are still worth having, don't discount them.
On my system in the north of England (not traditionally great for solar), I have 10 north and 10 south facing panels, all the same kind of panel.
On a bright, sunny day the north panels produce about 30% of my overall output, which is much less than the south facing panels but given on a good day I can produce 60kWh+, that's still ~20kWh of energy I'd otherwise lose.
However, it's on the crappy, overcast days that it really matters because both sets of panels generate about the same amount as each other (clouds reflect light). Sure, it's less then half the total output of a "good" day, but we're still talking a good 20kWh of output. Without the north panels, it would be half that.
Panels themselves are cheap, so don't skimp on them.