Ground-mounted solar panels can be a good way for homes, farms, and businesses which don’t have the roof space for solar panels to use solar power.

While the majority of homes and businesses will get solar panels installed on their rooftops for ease and convenience, they can also be installed free-standing on the ground.

Here we’re going to talk about the main characteristics of a ground-mounted solar panel system and how they differ from roof-mounted solar panels.

Ground-mounted solar panels are erected on a frame in an area of open ground rather than attached to a structure such as a building’s roof.

Most commonly used in solar farms, which cover vast areas, ground-mounted panels can also be used for private homeowners or businesses with roof space restrictions, or just very large energy needs.

These modules typically consist of one or more panels attached to a metal frame or mounted on a pole.

When ground-mounted and rooftop solar panels are exposed to the exact same weather in the same conditions, they should produce the same amount of power.

However, when solar panels are on a fixed structure, they are limited in the direction they face and their angle. Ground-mounted panels, on the other hand, can optimise both of those conditions to get the greatest power output.

One area where they may be worse affected is with shading. Being placed at a lower height means that there is a greater risk of shade from trees or buildings affecting ground-mounted solar panels.

This can be mitigated by placing them in a clear area away from any obstacles which could create shade.

Solar panels in Ireland perform best when facing south and placed at an angle of 30° – 45° in order to catch the most sunlight throughout the day.

Ground-mounted solar panels have the advantage that the installer can place them at an angle of their choosing and facing whichever direction they please.

The only thing which might affect this choice is the shape of the landscape, and if there is any concern about creating a light hazard for nearby roads.

Most mounting systems for solar panels on the ground are fixed in place when set, but may also be manually adjustable.

This can allow the owner to make small adjustments in direction throughout the year to best track the sun.

Some solar panels can be fitted with tracking systems and mobile pole-mounted systems, which allow them to follow the passage of the sun across the sky.

This increases their power output, but will also raise the price of the system considerably. It would require additional electrical infrastructure to power the mounting system and connect all of the panels to the tracking array.

These motorised mounting systems are also more expensive than their fixed counterparts with no electrical or motorised components

Ground-mounted solar panels must be connected to the electrical system of your home, the same as with rooftop solar panels/

In some ways, this can be simpler, as there is no need to involve a roofer to run the wiring through your roof

However, the distance between the solar panels and the building they’re supplying power to will require a significant amount of wiring. This can raise both the time, difficulty, and cost of ground-mounted solar panels.

The further the panels are being installed away from the house or business, the higher this cost will rise.

Free-standing solar panels require more elaborate mounting systems in order to ensure stability compared with rooftop panels.

They are typically installed on a concrete basis, and in some cases may also require pilings for support. This is especially true for pole-mounting systems

A single domestic 440W solar panel is typically in the region of 1.75m x 1.1m in size. You will also need to leave a space between each mounting rack.

The gap space this requires will depend on how many panels are installed on each frame.

This means that a house getting 10 solar panels installed free-standing will need approximately 20sqm worth of space.

The average domestic solar PV system size in Ireland is larger than this according to SEAI data, but households may want to get in under the planning exemption to make things easier for themselves.

Whether you will need to get planning permission for ground-mounted solar panels depends entirely on the size of the solar power installation and the type of building they are being connected to.

• Houses: Exempt from planning permission up to 25sqm in total area, and with enough private open space being retained for the occupants.
• Non-Domestic: Exempt from planning permission up to an area of 75sqm.

These exemptions are subject to standard restrictions in relation to protected structures and architectural conservation areas.

The overall height of the solar PV modules, from the ground to the top of the panels, must not exceed two metres.

Where you do need to get planning permission, this is likely to be a more complicated process.

Construction reports will likely be needed for the support bases being built, and for any wiring running across the property. This will add to the time and expense of the planning process.