Off-Grid Solar Energy for Mountain Houses and Villas in Kemer

For solar panels in Kemer, the first decision is whether you will connect to the grid. For highland houses, mountain houses and orchard houses far from the grid, running a pole line is often not sensible. In such places, a battery-backed off-grid system can run the lighting, the refrigerator and the water pump. For villas close to town, a grid-connected or hybrid solution is generally more suitable.

In this article we explain step by step the logic of off-grid design, battery calculation and the points to watch for mountain houses and villas in and around Kemer. The figures are example calculations; real sizing requires an on-site survey and load measurement.

Solar energy in Kemer: when is off-grid the right choice?

Although Kemer's coastal strip is heavily built up, there are buildings far from the grid on the highlands stretching towards the Beydağları mountains and on mountain slopes. For these buildings, a solar energy solution in Kemer follows one of two paths: investing in a transformer and line for a grid connection, or putting that budget into panels, an inverter and a battery.

An off-grid system stands out in the following cases:

• If the grid line is hundreds of metres from the building.
• If the building is used only in certain seasons (highland house, orchard house).
• If there is a small unit for which a power outage is unacceptable (pump, refrigerator, communications equipment).

To see how the system works, you can look at the diagram below.

The basic parts of the system are: solar panels, an inverter that handles charge control, a LiFePO4 battery and a protected distribution panel. For a detailed explanation, take a look at our article on what an off-grid solar energy system is.

The load list: everything starts here

In off-grid design, you start not with the number of panels but by calculating your daily energy need. Multiply each appliance's power (W) by its daily running hours and add them up. Appliances with a high starting and surge current, namely the refrigerator, water hydrophore and deep freezer, determine the inverter power.

An example daily list for a mountain house might look like this:

When electric heating, air conditioning or a pool pump is added, this total grows quickly. Using wood, pellets or another fuel instead of electricity for heating shrinks the size of an off-grid system considerably.

Battery sizing: autonomy and depth of discharge

The battery bridges the hours without sun and cloudy days. Two concepts apply in the calculation: days of autonomy (how many days the system will last without sun) and usable depth of discharge. For LiFePO4 batteries, manufacturers declare a high depth of discharge, but the value varies by product; the datasheet should be checked.

For the 6 kWh/day load above, assume 2 days of autonomy and about 90% usable capacity:

• 6 kWh × 2 days = 12 kWh of usable energy
• 12 / 0.9 = about 13.3 kWh of nominal capacity
• Adding about 8-10% for inverter and cable losses, the target is 14.5-15 kWh

This approach is of a similar scale to the Döşemealtı off-grid installation Solar Nexo shared on Instagram: 10 TommaTech 605 W panels, an 11 kW off-grid inverter and a 15 kWh LiFePO4 battery. For a broader cost framework, you can look at our article on off-grid system cost.

Panel power and winter production

An off-grid system is sized for its weakest month, because even if the battery overflows in summer, the system is useless if it falls short in winter. According to PVGIS 5.3 data, production in central Antalya in December is 99 kWh/kWp, that is, about 3.2 kWh/kWp per day. In July this value is 168 kWh/kWp (about 5.4 kWh/kWp per day). We do not give a separate PVGIS value for Kemer; the central Antalya value is a reasonable reference for areas near the coast. On highlands and mountain slopes, shade, cloud and altitude effects can change this value.

For a winter day, with a 6 kWh load and about 90% battery round-trip efficiency, the calculation is:

• 6 / 0.9 = 6.7 kWh of production needed
• 6.7 / 3.2 = about 2.1 kWp

With 605 W panels, this is 4 panels (2.42 kWp). In reality, 5-6 panels are preferred to leave a safety margin; this makes it easier for the battery to fill during cloudy winter weeks. Every project is different: shading, orientation and tilt calculations are made at the survey.

Inverter, cable and mounting

The inverter must be able to handle both the total load and the starting current of motor loads. Motor appliances such as the hydrophore and refrigerator can momentarily draw several times their nominal power. For this reason, inverter power is chosen higher than the sum of appliance power.

The main points to watch in mounting:

• Ventilation: Air circulation must be left behind the panel; the TommaTech datasheet requires the panel to be mounted on a fire-resistant surface with adequate ventilation.
• Wind and snow load: The datasheet resistance of a 605 W TOPCon panel is 2400 Pa for wind and 5400 Pa for snow. At high altitude the snow load may be greater than in central Antalya, and the mounting structure should be chosen accordingly.
• Battery location: The battery should be kept in a ventilated area without extreme heat or freezing risk.
• Cable cross-section: As the distance between panels and inverter grows, voltage drop increases; the cross-section is calculated accordingly.

Regulation and permits: what else should you ask about?

The regulation exempts generation facilities that have no connection to the transmission or distribution system from the obligation to obtain a licence and set up a company. That is, for an off-grid system you do not need to make a connection approval letter (çağrı mektubu) application to the distribution company. However, this does not mean "not subject to any permit": matters such as zoning, structure and fire safety are assessed separately. You need to find out in advance your building's land type, permit status and the requirements of the municipality or the relevant authority.

Storage and equipment rules are also separate for grid-connected systems. Before deciding on off-grid, also compare the cost of connecting your building to the grid and the hybrid option; the process and application areas are summarised on our off-grid systems service page.

Common mistakes in off-grid installations

In systems without a grid, most problems come not from equipment but from design assumptions. The most common mistakes are:

• Sizing for summer: Seeing 168 kWh/kWp production in July and choosing the number of panels accordingly leaves the battery empty in December.
• Forgetting the starting current: If the inverter goes into protection while the hydrophore or deep freezer is running, the system shuts down.
• Discharging the battery completely: Regular very deep discharge shortens battery life; set the BMS (battery management system) according to the manufacturer's recommendation.
• Underestimating shade: Slope or tree shade has a much longer effect when the winter sun is low.
• Not planning a backup source: Planning a backup such as a generator for long cloudy periods can be more economical than oversizing the battery unnecessarily.

All of these mistakes are prevented when the load and usage calendar are drawn up correctly at the survey. Calculating the winter scenario and the cloudy-week scenario separately at the design stage shows in advance whether the system will meet your expectations through the year.

What is measured at the survey?

At a survey for a mountain house, the following data are collected: roof or land orientation, tilt, shade sources (trees, slope, neighbouring structures), cable distance, the existing appliance list and the usage calendar through the year. The system design for a highland house used only in summer and for a house lived in year-round are very different. You can request our free site survey process and next steps through our contact page.

Conclusion

For buildings far from the grid in Kemer, off-grid solar energy is a reliable solution when correctly sized. Draw up the load list, choose the days of autonomy, set the panel power for winter and choose the inverter for the motor loads. Do not guess the figures; settle them with an on-site survey and an engineering calculation. You can also use our solar energy calculator page as a calculation tool.

#Antalya Guide#Kemer#Off Grid#Mountain House#Battery#Antalya Solar