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Jul 10 2018
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can golf balls damage your solar panels

Can a Golf Ball Damage My Solar Panels?

By Solar Panel Maintenance : Everything You Need to Know No Comments

 

In California and many of the other states where solar is prevalent, there is no shortage of golf courses and homes that surround them. For people that own or live in homes on golf courses, one of the biggest concerns is whether or not a golf ball will fly into your yard and damage your property.

Although instances, where a golf ball may strike your solar panel, are rare, it is still valid to focus on this possible event. The material of your solar panels and how they are mounted has a direct impact on whether or not your solar panels can withstand a strike from a golf ball or other projectile, so it is important to consider the strategies that will help improve the longevity of your solar panels.

Solar Panel Material

Solar panels are made up of individual units called photovoltaic cells. These cells are molded from silicon in a process that may differ depending on the type of solar panel module being manufactured.

Typically, the cells are attached together to form a panel which is fit into a rectangular, aluminum frame and covered with durable tempered glass. This glass is designed so that when it shatters or cracks it still can hold its form and not break apart. Most solar panels have glass that can withstand the weight of an adult standing on the center of it.

If the glass that covers your solar panel does get damaged and cracked, it will still function, but not at its maximum capacity.

Solar Panel Durability

The individual photovoltaic cells that make up a solar panel are very fragile, but the tempered glass that covers them is sturdy. Although solar panels are not tested for whether or not they can withstand a strike from a golf ball, they are tested for hail damage.

Most solar panels are tested using an impact from the hail of 1 inch in diameter striking at a speed of 50 mph. This helps to simulate some of the worst environmental conditions that your solar panels may be exposed to. Outside of hail and other similar projectiles, solar panels also hold up quite well in hurricanes.

All of this should give you some confidence that your solar panels would survive most golf ball strikes, but each ball that is hit in your solar panel’s direction will have a unique angle and speed, which ultimately contributes to the force of the ball’s impact.

Your Home’s Position on the Golf Course

The way in which a golf ball will strike your solar panels depends on where your home is positioned relative to the tee-off at a given hole. If you are closer to the tee-off point, it is more likely that if a golf ball did hit your panel, it would not be at a perpendicular angle and would do little if no damage at all.

On the other hand, if your home is at the 200-yard point of a hole, the golf balls flying in this direction will strike your panels at a more perpendicular angle while traveling down, increasing the likelihood of them cracking your panels.

When you install your solar panels, you want to ensure that the installer you are working with will account for these details. They can select specific parts of the rooftop to install the panels or angle them in a certain way to minimize serious impacts. You can also add a net above the panels, but the shade caused by this net will impact the productivity of your panels.

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Mitigating Your Risk

At the end of the day, it is possible for your solar panels to crack from the impact of a golf ball. This, however, is highly dependent on the way in which the golf ball strikes the panel. Because of this, it is important to plan your solar panel system so that it is exposed to possible golf ball hits as little as possible.

For most homes on a golf course, the amount of damage that your solar panels will receive from a golf ball strike will be largely unnoticeable. Alternatively, if your home’s location makes it more prone to be in the direction of a landing golf ball, then you can start thinking of ways to mitigate the possible damage.

Your installer should be able to take into account these possibilities during the planning stage of your solar project.

Jul 03 2018
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UCC Lien Filing’s Effect on Solar Leasing

By Solar PPA: The Simple Guide to Power Purchase Agreements in 2026 No Comments


Although the price of a solar panel system is going down consistently year after year, it can still cost a homeowner well over $10,000 to own and install one in most cases. Fortunately, there are various kinds of financing options available to enable your residence with solar power.

Power purchase agreements (PPAs) and other solar leasing models give these individuals a way to use a solar panel system at their home without having to take responsibility for the ownership of the system. A PPA allows a homeowner to purchase energy from the third-party owner (TPO) at a rate per kWh.

This is different than traditional leasing agreements that have a fixed sum that the consumer pays each month, with periodic increases in those payments over time.

A UCC-1 Lien or Fixture Filing is present in all leased and PPA agreements. A lien is a type of security interest that is granted over a piece of property to give the lender protection in case any problems arise from the borrower. In solar leasing and PPA agreements the lender almost always files a UCC-1 financing statement so that they can protect their solar property in the case of a borrower defaulting on the contract.

UCC-1 Fixture Filing for Home Solar Panel Systems

Some people call the UCC-1 a lien, but it can also be referred to as a financing statement and commonly goes by the name “fixture filing”.

Fixtures are defined in section 9-102 of the UCC as, “goods that have become so related to particular real property that an interest in them arises under real property law.” It goes further to include solar energy systems as a category of fixtures.

When a homeowner leases a solar panel system from a TPO or goes through a PPA, the owner of that solar panel system files a UCC-1 financing statement to show that they are the true owners of the property that is the system. This makes it so other debtors cannot claim the property in case of a breach of contract or default on their payments.

Once the UCC-1 fixture filing is complete, it gives the owner of the system protection in case of, for example, a home foreclosure. This would prevent the bank from claiming the solar system as part of the homeowner’s property.

UCC-1 for Solar is Not a Typical Lien

For solar leases and PPAs, liens are only over the solar property. They are not a lien over your home. If you want to refinance your solar panel system, the UCC-1 lien can be removed, the system can be refinanced, and the lien can be put back on. Overall, the UCC-1 fixture filing, or lien, is not something that you should be worried about or prevent you from taking on a solar lease or PPA.

On the contrary, for people who do not want to own a solar panel system, a solar lease or PPA is a more attractive option than for example, some of the available PACE financing programs. One such PACE initiative, the HERO program, utilizes a property lien rather than a lien over the solar panel system. This is why it is recommended for many consumers to look into leasing options before PACE financing programs.

Fixture Filing as Part of a Solar Lease

If you decide to lease a solar panel system or partake in a PPA, do not be surprised when you find yourself with a lien on the solar array. The UCC-1 lien or fixture filing is filed for practically every consumer who leases a solar system and is only there to protect the owner of the system if you default on your payments or your home is foreclosed.

As long as you are aware of the financial obligations that you are signing up for and can manage them, then there is nothing to be concerned over.

Whether you want to lease a solar panel system or own one, you can go over all of these details and more with one of our experienced Energy Advisors. They know everything from what hardware you should use to what policies and incentives there are that you should be aware of. Get started today!