Ground-mounted solar panels: If you have the space, go for it

With rooftop solar panel systems, the characteristics of your roof directly impact the production of your system. If your roof isn't at the right angle, doesn't face south, or has obstructions like chimneys or skylights, your solar panels won't generate maximum electricity.

With a ground-mounted system, you can choose the orientation of your solar panels to increase energy production. Ground-mounted systems also tend to operate more efficiently because they have more air circulation beneath the panels, allowing them to stay cool.

Gound-mounted solar panels are easily accessible for cleaning and maintenance. If you live in an area that receives a lot of snow in the winter, being able to sweep it off your solar panels quickly is a major convenience. The same goes for high dust or debris areas.

Electrifying your home with heat pumps, electric vehicles, and other upgrades can shrink your carbon footprint and energy costs, but your electricity consumption will increase. If your home uses a lot of electricity, you'll need a big roof to accommodate a big solar panel system.

With most ground-mounted solar panels, you can more easily size your system to match your electricity consumption without the same space restrictions as a rooftop system. 

Compared to rooftop solar panel systems, ground-mounted solar panels are more expensive. Rooftop solar systems use an existing structure for mounting, which eliminates the need to create mounts like pole structures or cement foundations. But if you need a lot of roof renovations for solar, the costs could be pretty similar.

Home solar panel systems—including rooftop and ground-mounted ones—cost an average of about $21,000 after the federal tax credit based on an average system size of 10.8 kW. That's about $2.75/W before incentives, or around 20% lower than ground-mounted systems.

Free-standing solar panels are also more prone to damage due to wildlife or people tampering with the equipment. This damage can lead to some expenses over time that you wouldn't get with rooftop panels.

Ground-mounted systems are a great choice if your roof isn't suitable for solar. They don't require drilling into your roof and you can set your solar panels at the perfect angle and orientation to optimize energy production. Over time, ground-mount solar will usually generate more electricity (and save you more on your electric bill) than a similarly sized rooftop system.

To get the most out of your ground-mounted solar panels, you can also install trackers that follow the sun throughout the day. Trackers come with additional costs, but the additional electricity production can make them worth it.

One of the first factors to consider about ground-mounted solar panels is the physical space on your property. Unlike a rooftop solar system, a ground-mounted installation will need additional square feet on your property that get plenty of sunlight and space for trenching and running wires to whatever structure will use the solar electricity. Ideally, you'll want to find space you wouldn't otherwise use for gardening, recreation, or farming. In some instances, though, you can effectively combine agriculture and ground-mounted systems through agrivoltatics.

You'll also want to check your property line to ensure your ground-mounted solar panels won't infringe on your neighbors. Depending on where you live, your city or town will have unique setback requirements that dictate how close to a property border or road you can build a structure. You can contact the planning department of your local government for more information about setback laws.

In addition to space for the solar array, your solar company will need a clear area to bring in heavy equipment to install a new foundation and racking system.

You must install ground-mounted solar arrays on sturdy ground for a solid foundation. Like not all roofs are suitable for rooftop solar, not all land is suitable for ground mounts. Large rocks in your soil or wet, unstable ground can make it difficult or impossible to install the proper foundation. To be sure your land can support ground-mounted solar, you should work with a soil or structural engineer to help survey your property.

Between the equipment cost and the intensive installation work, ground-mounted solar panels usually have a higher upfront cost than rooftop panels. Unfortunately, some providers only offer loan products for solar projects within a specific price range, and the higher cost of ground-mounted solar can price an installation out of that range. Check with your installer about financing options before moving forward with your ground-mounted system.

It's also important to consider that certain aspects of a ground-mounted installation (such as trenching) may be ineligible for rebates or incentives. We recommend discussing with your installer or Energy Advisor and researching online to determine which local incentives may or may not apply to your new solar array.