How to convert your pergola into a power saving device

Pergolas are very popular in southern Europe on terraces, flat rooftops or gardens. They are also an excellent place to install your plug & play solar kit onto, and generate good amounts of solar power for self consumption at home. This makes you save on your power bills, as during sunshine hours your power consumption from the grid will be lowered or eliminated. With the new bifacial, full black solar panels of our Robinsun Performance 800 your pergola will even get an optical upgrade.

How to install solar panels on your pergola

A pergola is usually a stable construction on solid ground that can hold quite some weight. Since its purpose is to provide shade, it likely already has some covering, like an awning or canvas. Solar panels can be easily fixed to such a structure, putting the panels on top of the pergola and fixing them to its beams. You can pick the Basic version of our solar kits that comes without any mount if you have the tools and accessories to securely fix panels and microinverter to your pergola. Alternatively you can get the kit with a vertical mount at 90 degrees and use it horizontally on your pergola.

If you want to increase the production of your solar kit, try giving the panels a 20 degree angle. We offer a mount that is originally meant for ground installation, but have seen many customers using it on pergolas successfully. As you can see in the infographic below, an angle increases the production of your kit significantly, and consequently your savings.

Why is an installation on a pergola so productive?

Installing a plug & play solar kit on a pergola is a very safe, stable and good looking way to install it. The main advantage though is that installing the kit higher up, and ideally with an angle, increases its production. It is also less likely to be affected by shade on the solar panel, compared to for example an installation on the ground or on a balcony railing. Shade reduces the kit’s production.

Conclusions

A pergola is an excellent place to install your plug & play solar kit. Safe and stable installation and highest production levels make the pergola an attractive choice. Usually there is also an outdoors socket available, that allows for an easy connection of the kit. With high production levels, the already low price of a plug & play solar kit (starting at €499 incl. VAT & delivery) can be earned back in under 3 years in Southern Europe. This leaves the rest of the 30 years production warranty of the solar panels to take advantage of free, 100% renewable energy, and saving big on your power bills.