How To Size Solar System For Home

How many solar panels do i need as most people want to produce enough energy to completely eliminate their electricity bill the first step is determining what size solar system will produce enough power to meet your household consumption levels.

How to size solar system for home.

This works out to 15 sixty cell 275 285 watt solar panels or 12 seventy two cell 350 watt solar panels. Although solar panels do get cheaper on a per watt basis as the system size gets bigger the overall cost of the system increases as well. Before you begin to size a solar system you ll want to figure out the main constraints on the project and use those restrictions as the starting point for the design. Getting started with solar system sizing.

Total number of solar panels. The type of solar panels and inverter you buy there is a significant difference in cost between the top rated solar panels and brands that are perceived to be of lesser quality. For the most accurate and personalized off grid system size calculation call our solar experts at 1 800 472 1142. Solar panels for households typically come in the standard dimensions of 1 70m x 1 00m that s around 1 7m2 for every panel installed however the wattage output w of the panels will likely vary between 250w and 360w for a more efficient module.

Build a system within your target budget. The first way to achieve your energy goal is to conserve electric power by reducing appliance use and using efficient appliances. 6 minutes determining the size of your solar energy system starts with a simple question. To determine how many solar panels you needed for your household first you need to know the home s energy load and set your energy goals.

To calculate the size of your solar photovoltaic system take your daily kwh energy requirement and divide by your peak sun hours to get the kw output you need. A 2 000 square foot home in california may need 23 sixty cell panels or 18 larger seventy two cell solar panels to be energy efficient. To help you better estimate the potential size solar array your home will need the below chart can provide a little more clarity. Other factors such as peak load shade location available panel space and seasonal use need to be taken into account.

The solar system size your home needs will depend on your electricity consumption and the climate of your region. 3 x 1 3 3 9in this example you would need a 3 9 kw solar pv system to satisfy your home s energy needs. Whereas if you install 350 watt panels you ll only need 28 panels to reach 10kw in size. This is a very general system size estimation.

To match that energy requirement a 4 23kw system solar system is required. How much roof space do you need for a 10kw solar system. In other words you will calculate the solar energy system s inputs. A 10kw solar installation will usually require between 600 and 700 square feet of roof.

We want to help you get the system that s right for you. You can find out how many solar panels your home needs by using our solar calculator. A 5kw solar system may produce enough energy to power your home but you may not have enough roof space for a system of that size.