Solar panels are a great way for homeowners to cut down on their electricity bills. You may be able power your home entirely on solar energy, depending on the number of solar panels you have and where you live. Some homeowners might even have surplus energy that they can sell to utilities companies.
It’s crucial to determine how many solar panels you actually need before you decide to invest. To determine how many solar panels you will need, ask yourself these questions.
What is the purpose of solar panels?
First, you need to understand why solar panels are important for your home. There are many options:
- Minimizing your carbon footprint
- Save Money
- Maximize your ROI
The only thing that you should consider is how much you are willing to spend to get the panels. It’s up to you to determine your budget and the number of panels that you can get. You will need to determine how many panels you need to power your entire house with solar panels.
How do you calculate how many solar panels you need?
To calculate the number of solar panels needed to power your home, here are some key facts:
Current energy consumption (in watts).
Energy needs average
Climate in your area
Your area gets an average amount of sunlight
How efficient are solar panels?
The size of the panels
Your roof’s size
Tree coverage
HOW MUCH ENERGY DO USE YOU?
Check out your past utility bills to determine how much energy is required to power your home. These bills should show you how much power your home used in watts during the month. If your utility bill does not give you an average of how many kilowatt hours your home uses, you might need to use the readings from the meter. Simply subtract the most recent reading from the first meter reading.
To calculate the average daily or hourly energy consumption, you will need to know how many days or hours have passed. American homes consume an average of 900 kWh each month. To calculate the number of solar panels needed to meet this need, you will need to know how many days or hours you used that amount.
HOW MUCH SUNRISE DO YOU GET?
The amount of sunlight your home receives will also affect how many solar panels you require. Any solar panels that you get if you live in Florida will be more efficient than those in Seattle. Because each solar panel can absorb more sunlight, you may be able get less total solar panels.
HOW MANY TREES DO YOU HAVE?
Shade from trees can be a great thing, especially in the summer. The more trees you have the better, but the less sunlight that can reach your solar panels, It all depends on the number of trees and their location. You may have a shaded yard, but your roof receives plenty of sunlight. Before you decide how many solar panels you want, you will need to consider the location of your trees.
WHAT ENERGY CAN A SOLAR PANEL PRODUCE?
The solar panel’s capacity to produce energy depends on how much sunlight it receives. You can determine how much solar energy you will need for your house by knowing how much sunlight you have and the amount of energy each panel can produce.
In terms of how much energy a solar panel can produce, the quality of the panel is important. A solar panel producing 150 watts could be produced at the lowest end, while a higher-end panel can produce up to 370 watts.
How many solar panels do you need?
You can determine how many solar panels you will need once you have an idea of how much electricity you require to power your home and how much sun your area receives. To determine how many solar panels you will need, it is best to speak to the contractor. However, you can do some research ahead of time to start budgeting.
The hourly energy consumption of your home X peak sunlight hours/wattage = the number of solar panels that you require
What Weight Can Your Roof Support?
You need to know how heavy your roof can support if you plan on installing solar panels. You may be limited in the amount of solar panels you can place on your roof. You won’t have enough solar panels to power your whole home if your roof isn’t large enough.
This article was written by a solar expert at Solar Tech Elec. Solar Tech Elec is one of the premier solar power companies in Florida with expanded services in North Charleston, and South Carolina. They work with homeowners to install photovoltaic systems and provide them with a way to save money on their energy bills, protect themselves against rising electricity prices and be part of the solution for clean renewable energy.
