Learn how we support you in installing Solar Panels (FAQ)

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Why Sunview
Sunview is one of the leading Malaysia solar energy service providers and has deployed over 300KW of solar systems nationwide. Since 2013, our experience and large business scale have allowed us to offer one of the most cost-competitive prices along with nationwide of service and support by our local technicians and business development managers.

Design and Innovation
Sunview’s in-house mounting system (BIPV), namely Sunroof that allows the panels to replace your traditional rooftop with enhanced water leakage protection system. We designed our solar PV systems to blend in with your rooftop using all-black panels and integrated side skirts that conceal edges and protect your system from debris and water leakage.

Outstanding Warranty
Because the holistic design and installation are done in-house, Sunview provides one of the most comprehensive warranties of any solar provider. We provide warranty coverage on the workmanship and performance of our solar panels. Learn more about our service and warranty.

Integrated Ecosystem
To help you better monitor your solar energy production, we connect the monitoring system of your solar panel to the monitoring app, so you would integrate and power your home or business, or even call us to schedule for a complimentary maintenance service for the first three years.

About Solar Photovoltaic energy facilities

Solar PV facilities are power generating facilities that operate by using solar cells to convert sunlight directly into electricity. At the core of a solar PV facility are several connected solar PV modules, where each module comprises multiple connected solar cells that are responsible for the generation of electricity. These solar PV modules are then connected into large arrays to provide the required power generating capacity of the facility.

In addition to the core solar PV modules, there are other equipment and structures required to complete the whole facility, which we refer it to as a balance of system.

For solar PV facilities with lower installed capacity such as rooftop solar PV facilities, the balance of system includes the following, among others, but not limited to:

• mounting systems
• cabling and wiring
• junction/combiner boxes with switches, fuses, and circuit breaker
• distribution boards
• inverters
• solar logger
• electricity metering devices
• electrical and lightning protection devices
• battery banks and chargers (optional); and
• monitoring system

For solar PV facilities with higher installed capacity such as ground mounted utility scale solar PV facilities, the balance of system includes the above and the following, among others, but not limited to:

• transformers
• switch gears/switch boards
• AC and DC isolators
• sensors including irradiance and wind speed
• SCADA systems
• monitoring and control centre; and
• interconnection to the nearest substation

Wonder how do solar panels work?

When Sunlight reaches one spot on the Earth, Solar technologies capture this radiation and turn it into useful forms of energy. Mainly, there are two types of solar energy technologies—photovoltaics (PV) and concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP).

PV is utilized in solar panels, and solar panels are made up of many solar cells. Solar cells are made of silicon, like semiconductors. They are constructed with a positive layer and a negative layer, which together create an electric field, just like in a battery. When the sun shines onto solar cells of the panel, energy from the sunlight is absorbed by the solar cells in the panel. This energy creates electrical charges that move in response to an internal electrical field in the cell, causing electricity to flow and generate electricity.

Therefore, multiple cells make up a solar panel, and multiple panels (modules) can be wired together to form a solar array. The more panels you can deploy, the more energy you can expect to generate.

How will I know how much solar energy is being produced?
A monitoring meter will be installed where the energy output generated from the solar system will be injected into your electrical system. You can easily access the solar performance from our monitoring app.

How long will my Solar Energy System last?
Generally, we will design a Solar Energy System that will last for more than 25 years, subject to the suitability of your roof top and your individual goals.

How do clouds and other shades affect Solar Panel Performance?
Clouds and shades reduce the intensity of irradiance falling on the solar panels. When analysing the energy yield of solar panel system, we take cloud and shades cover into account. As there is multiple peak sun hour also known as the irradiance data in Malaysia, Sunview analyse the irradiance data from credible sources such as Meteonorm, Solargis and Meteodology.

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What do I need to know about Solar financially?

Do I need to pay the full amount upfront?
Sunview offers a variety of payment options. In addition to paying the full amount upfront via Cash or Credit Card, we also offer solar financing solution where we partner with multiple financial partners to support the installation of solar panels your rooftop for no money down.

In return, the homeowner will only pay a fee for the utility bills based on for the electricity the panels produce for a set period, usually between 15 and 25 years. Once this financing period is over, the arrangement ends, and the homeowner or the business owner has no further financial liability.

Here’s a summary of the variety payment method that we offer.

Can I get paid for excess electricity exported to the grid?
Nope, all customers whether residential or commercial and industry will not get paid for excess electricity exported to the grid. However, you can enjoy the off set or credits rollover under the existing Government incentive programmes.  To learn more on the incentives, visit here.

What happens if I decide to sell my building?
In the event where you sell your building, the system can be novated. That means your agreement can be transferred over to the new owner, subject to authority approval. In the rare occasion where the new tenant does not want to keep the system.

What happens to our agreement if the grid price fluctuate?According to our in-house research, electricity bill has been increasing by 3-4% on average per year. Therefore, it is recommended to install a solar energy system with a fixed solar tariff rate that is mutually agreed. This acts as a hedge to grid price fluctuation.

For example, Utility bills under Tariff C2 has shown an increasing trend of 4% per year.

What is the simple payback period for a Solar PV system?
Depending on the size of the system and rooftop, the payback period can be different, ranging from 3-5 years including the Government incentive programs. Check out our impact calculator to find out your estimated payback period.

What is the type of warranty for Solar Energy System?
Every part in a Solar panels system carries a different period of warranty. Here’s an overview of the product warranty list.

If you would like to find out more about solar financially, do talk to our business development managers and we will be more than happy to answer any clarifications that you have.

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About Solar Photovoltaic energy facilities

Solar PV facilities are power generating facilities that operate by using solar cells to convert sunlight directly into electricity. At the core of a solar PV facility are several connected solar PV modules, where each module comprises multiple connected solar cells that are responsible for the generation of electricity. These solar PV modules are then connected into large arrays to provide the required power generating capacity of the facility.

In addition to the core solar PV modules, there are other equipment and structures required to complete the whole facility, which we refer it to as a balance of system.

For solar PV facilities with lower installed capacity such as rooftop solar PV facilities, the balance of system includes the following, among others, but not limited to:

• mounting systems
• cabling and wiring
• junction/combiner boxes with switches, fuses, and circuit breaker
• distribution boards
• inverters
• solar logger
• electricity metering devices
• electrical and lightning protection devices
• battery banks and chargers (optional); and
• monitoring system

For solar PV facilities with higher installed capacity such as ground mounted utility scale solar PV facilities, the balance of system includes the above and the following, among others, but not limited to:

• transformers
• switch gears/switch boards
• AC and DC isolators
• sensors including irradiance and wind speed
• SCADA systems
• monitoring and control centre; and
• interconnection to the nearest substation

Riding the innovation wave with SunRoof
Sunview’s proprietary BIPV mountable solar panels, also known as SunRoof is a framed solar panel evolved to be used as a roofing material, complete with a gutter system that drains water efficiently. We also give this building-integrated photovoltaics exceptional protection against leakage and an advanced locking system that ensures that every panel can be easily installed and securely fastened to the roof.

What makes SunRoof different from a normal solar rooftop?

Scope of work
For normal rooftop solar PV facility, the solar PV modules are mounted on the existing roof while for BIPV solar PV facility the solar PV modules also serve as the roof and/or wall of the building.

Timeline
For similar capacity, the timeline for EPCC of normal rooftop solar PV facility is commonly shorter compared to BIPV solar PV facility.

Price
For similar capacity, normal rooftop solar PV facility is commonly lower cost and price compared to BIPV solar PV facility. This is because the BIPV solar facility must serve an additional function of being part of the structure of the building such as roof and/or wall of the building, which require additional technical works.

This type of solar PV facilities offers building owners with benefits including potential time and cost saving in installation as the roofing and solar modules are installed simultaneously compared to classic roofing materials, as well as improved aesthetics as the modules are homogenously coloured.

A Holistic Solar Installation Services

EPCC stands for Engineering design, Planning and procurement, Construction and installation and Commissioning and testing. Sunview as the main contractor for Solar energy system service provider, we take pride in our full in-house capabilities to undertake the end-to-end solar energy solution services. We also engage subcontractors to carry out the construction and installation works for the solar PV facilities under our supervision.

Engineering
This refers to the planning and design of the entire solar PV facility. Planning includes establishing all the steps necessary to commence and complete the entire project including timeline for each activity, liaison with authorities to obtain the necessary permits and approvals, human resources planning, logistics as well as project costing and budgeting. Design covers initial conceptualisation up to detailed design of the solar PV arrays and balance of system including system configuration, specifications and layout, and construction related works such as civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical.

Procurement
Solar energy solution provider like us is responsible on the sourcing of all construction materials and equipment including solar modules and balance of systems, and services. Procurement of services include subcontractors and contract workers for the construction, installation and integration of the solar PV facility, consultants to carry out assessment on the project site, logistics service providers for the delivery of materials and equipment to the project site and rental of equipment. We help clients to identify potential suppliers and subcontractors and request for quotation. Once we receive the quotation from the suppliers and subcontractors, we will review the proposed quotation before engaging them as our supplier or subcontractor.

Construction
At this stage, the procurement work is done, and it is about to kick start the construction works, which covers structural construction as well as mechanical and electrical installation. This includes reinforcement of roof structure, erection of mounting system, installation of solar modules, cabling works, installation, and integration of equipment. For ground mounted solar PV plants, construction would also include civil works as well as interconnection to the power grid or the nearest substation, where required.

At Sunview, what we do during the construction phase includes:

• Project management and site supervision
• Quality and safety assurance
• Monitoring the construction, installation and integration process
• Ensuring all works follow project specification and design, and that they meet regulatory compliances; and
• Liaising with authorities and other external parties.

Not only that, but we also engage external parties who are mainly subcontractors to carry out all the construction and installation works using equipment and material procured by our in-house personnel. All the construction and installation works are carried out under our supervision.

Commissioning
Here comes that last stage of the Solar system installation process – Commissioning which includes the testing of individual equipment, subsystems, and the total installed solar PV facility to ensure that:

• The equipment and materials are functioning according to specifications
• The solar PV facility is performing as a complete system and is according to specifications and meets the parameters based on the detailed engineering design; and
• The solar PV facility meets regulatory requirements such as the power grid technical requirements of TNB
• Any identified problems and defects will be rectified before the commissioning of the solar PV facility.

Is your solar panel system still under warranty?
Like buying a car, you might ask whether your new vehicle is still protected under the original manufacturer’s warranty. Not only that, but it can also be a challenge for keeping track of the various terms of the warranty.

Sunview service crew are available and located in Malaysia so that any problem you may have can be resolved in a timely manner. We want you to have the confidence that you’re installing the right solar panel system. With that, Sunview uses high quality equipment, and we are always your trusted partner in resolving any challenges that may arise with your solar PV system.

Check out what are the solar warranty that’s available for your solar energy system.

Solar Warranty for Purchased Systems

25-Year Panel Performance Warranty
Solar panels are guaranteed by their manufacturer to at least 80% of solar power capacity for at least 25 years.

12-Year Panel Product Warranty
Solar Panel is covered by a 10-year comprehensive warranty. For a period of at least 12 years, at your request, we will process your claim and perform any related labour at our cost.

10-Year Inverter Product Warranty
Solar inverter is covered by a 10-year comprehensive warranty. For a period of at least 10 years, at your request, we will process your claim and perform any related labour at our cost.

10-Year Mounting Structure Warranty
Solar inverter is covered by a 10-year comprehensive warranty. For a period of at least 10 years, at your request, we will process your claim and perform any related labour at our cost.

1-Year Water Leakage Warranty
Water Leakage system is covered by a 1-year comprehensive warranty. For a period of 1 year, at your request, we will process your claim and perform any related labour at our cost.

Talk to our business development team if you would like to learn more on the warranty for your solar panel system.

Do I need to clean my solar panels?

As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. Although each solar panel system is designed and installed carefully designed to avoid as many shades and obstruction as possible, leaves, twigs, and even dust can reduce the efficiency of your solar panels.

With our tropical climate in Malaysia, our solar panels require a good rinse. Whenever there is a material between the sun energy and the glass of a solar panel, the solar cells output performance may be less effective.

Therefore, it is important for you to run a consistent operation and maintenance to maximize the solar panel system performance that you’ve installed at your building. This helps to improve the lifespan of solar panel system and minimizes failures and defects as well.

• Accurate data predictions of symptoms for possible breakdown so that the technician team could help reduce the possibility of breakdown.
• Immediate replacement can be arranged if it involves Defect Liability Period (DLP) to ensure system operation is normal.

Here’s an illustration on the comparison of the solar panel performance with and without operation and maintenance.