How Much Is The Average Solar Panel

How Many Hours Of Sunlight Can You Expect In Your Area

The peak sunlight hours for your particular location will have a direct impact on the energy you can expect your home solar system to produce. For example, if you live in Phoenix you can expect to have a greater number of peak sunlight hours than if you lived in Seattle. That doesnt mean a Seattle homeowner cant go solar it just means the homeowner would need more panels.

The Renewable Resource Data Center provides sunlight information by state and for major cities.

Now multiply your hourly usage by 1,000 to convert your hourly power generation need to watts. Divide your average hourly wattage requirement by the number of daily peak sunlight hours for your area. This gives you the amount of energy your panels need to produce every hour. So the average U.S. home in an area that gets five peak sunlight hours per day would need 6,000 watts.

Start Your Solar Journey On Energysage

The best way to get the most competitive prices for solar is to compare multiple quotes. EnergySage is the nations online Solar Marketplace: when you sign up for a free account, we connect you with solar companies in your area, who compete for your business with custom solar quotes tailored to fit your needs. Over 10 million people come to EnergySage each year to learn about, shop for, and invest in solar. .

Solar Prices Are Predictable Electric Rates Are Not

The EIAs Annual Energy Outlook for 2018 predicted an average national increase in electric rates from 12.57¢ per kilowatt hour in 2018 to 14¢ per kilowatt hour in 2028. Heres an example of how this increase impacts some households.

In 2018, typical Arizona electric rates were a negative 3% below the national average. Yet in 2028, the states electric rates are projected to increase 9% above their 2018 cost for similar usage.

Sure, energy prices go up and down. But, over the long-term, they pretty much always go up. And, electric rate increases are typically beyond your control.

So, step off this stair master of endless rate increasesyoure not getting anywhere. Go with a home solar system. Take control of your household budget with predictable electric bills. And, rest assured youre doing your part for a sustainable community.

Solar panels protect your wallet from rate increases and lock in lower costs. Imagine clean, affordable, reliable energytoday and for years to come. Together, we you can make it happen.

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What Is The Roi On Solar Panels

You can calculate the return on investment for installing solar panels by calculating your total payback. Calculate the amount you spent to install a solar panel system and then figure out the amount you will save on energy bills monthly. These two numbers show how quickly your savings will cover your initial costs. Electricity rates will vary by region, being higher in the Northeast than in the Northwest. Solar tends to be more cost effective where electricity prices are high and sunshine is abundant.

40 percent of homeowners

Is Solar Getting Cheaper And Should I Wait

Solar is getting cheaper as every year passes due to the large spike in Chinese production, and market hyper-consumption. This along with the Australian governments Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme has meant that installers have struggled to keep up with the demand of the last few years, and for good reason.

Should you wait? Not really. With the cost of power steadily on the rise in Australia and the interest-free finance available specifically for solar installs, there is no reason why you should not get a solar system installed taking advantage now of this far cheaper form of energy production.

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Solar Panel Size Dimensions

If you refer to the physical solar panel size dimensions, we can start off by saying that each manufacturer has its own optimal dimensions. This largely depends on their own technology.

As you might already know, solar panels are comprised of an arrangement of cells. Depending on the number of cells in the panel they are larger or smaller.

Traditionally, solar panels come in two different configurations: 60-cell and 72-cell. However, if you go to Panasonic or SunPower, they offer 96-cell panels.

But solar energy does not stop in large rigid solar panels.

You can also find small solar panels, and they are ideal to mount on motorhomes, boats, and caravans. Check out our guide on the best boat solar panels.

Solar panels also come in flexible and foldable configurations, making them more practical and easy to carry in case youd like to take them on your hiking or camping trips.

What Is Solar Power For The Home

Homeowners who install photovoltaic power systems receive numerous benefits: lower electric bills, lower carbon footprints, and potentially higher home values. But these benefits typically come with significant installation and maintenance costs, and the magnitude of the gains can vary widely from one house to another. This article will help homeowners make the financial calculations required to determine the viability of solar power in their homes.

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Do Solar Batteries Affect The Installation Costs

Adding a solar battery storage system will inevitably increase the overall costs of your solar panel investment, but it can also mean that you get even more out of your solar panels by using stored electricity when the sun has gone down.

The average prices for batteries can range between £1,200 and £6,000, depending on the battery type, lifespan, and quality. So, if you want to include a storage solution be prepared to pay more up-front.

How Much For One Solar Panel

For some, it might make more sense to install one solar panel at a time rather than purchasing an entire set. The average cost of one solar panel lands anywhere between $200 to $300, depending on how many watts the solar panel has. However, this does not take into account any equipment that will need to install or labor costs.

It’s also important to keep in mind that purchasing one solar panel at a time can actually be more expensive than purchasing an entire array. Professional installers have established relationships with their suppliers and can purchase panels in bulk, making them significantly cheaper. However, if you can identify a reliable supplier for solar panels or want to build your array slowly over time, buying one solar panel at a time may be a more cost-effective decision.

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Tesla Solar Installation Cost

Tesla solar panels cost $2.74 a watt. This translates to $14,940 to $17,940 for a 6kW system fully installed. Several factors impact the installation costs. These include your location, how much shade your property gets, roof pitch, and the panel and inverter types. Tesla makes a wide range of different panels and, in recent years, has aggressively pushed the market to make panels more widely accessible. They also carry a full line of batteries for those wanting to go off-grid.

What Size Solar Panel System Do You Need

The average home uses 905 kWh per month, or around 10,850 kWh per year, in electricity. The average size home with a decent amount of sunshine could install a 5 kW to 6 kW solar panel system to help reduce utility bills. You may want to learn about your sun number score for solar based on your homes location and average sunlight exposure discussed below. Also explore the different solar panels dimensions and sizes for more context.

With solar panels, the money you save on your electricity bills can more than earn back your initial installation costs in 7 to 20 years. There are plenty of solar rebates and incentives available from both the government and local energy providers, which can significantly speed up your return on investment.

You may also be able to participate in selling excess electricity from your solar panels by net metering in your area.

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How Many Solar Panels Will You Need

To know how many solar panels you will need, you will want to determine how much electricity you use in your home and the solar panel types installed.

The average house in the United States uses about 900 kilowatt hours a monthroughly 11,000 kWh a year. You can easily calculate your actual usage by looking back at your electricity bills. As a general rule of thumb

• A 3-kWh solar panel system will generate about 3,600 kWh 4,800 kWh per year.
• A 5-kWh system produces about 6,000 8,000 kWh per year.
• A 10-kWh system can produce about 12,000 kWh 16,000 kWh per year.

Depending on the size of the system, the solar panels cost would be between $4,000 and $16,000. Add in another $3,000 to $10,000 for other necessary components, such as racks for the panels, wiring, solar inverter costs, and the total solar panel installation cost would now be closer to $20,000.

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Solar Panel Installation Cost Breakdown

Many components go into installing a solar panel system. This includes calculating your power needs and surveying your home to make sure your roof can handle the load. Then the site is , and the panels are mounted onto a frame on your roof. They are then connected to the inverters, which are installed on the outside of your home on the other side of your electrical panel.

Most installers quote a single price for the materials and labor for this project. However, the labor generally breaks down to between $3,000 and $5,000 for the average 6kW system, or between $0.50 and $1.20 a watt for installation costs out of the total $2.50 to $3.50 a watt costs for the total system. Your labor costs are influenced by various factors, including the roof pitch, roofing materials, inverter type, and panel type. Thin-film panels with micro inverters are faster and easier to install than monocrystalline panels with string inverters. So, labor for the first example would be lower than for the second.

The following is the percentage breakdown of the total cost:

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What Are The Upfront Costs Of Getting Solar Installed And Is Finance Worth It

These days there are loads of companies that offer no deposit and zero-interest for the first couple of years on solar installation. That means you can walk right into a solar system with nothing down. The payments will be very similar or less than your current electricity bill, so there really is no reason not to get a system installed.

Type Of Panels And Other Components

There are three basic types of solar panels, two of which are commonly used residentially: monocrystalline and polycrystalline panels. Monocrystalline panels tend to be more energy-efficient, which can lead to greater savings in the long run, but they’re also a bit pricier on the front end. With that said, homeowners with a smaller roof surface area may benefit from getting the most efficient solar panels, even if the initial cost is a bit steeper.

Other components you may need to purchase include inverters, wiring, charge controllers, mounts, solar batteries and more.

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Estimate Residential Solar Panel Cost

The brunt of the expense with solar panels is in installation and the purchase of the actual panels.

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Minimal long-term expenses can make up for the upfront costs. Most systems dont require much maintenance and are designed to last for 20 years or more with little change to the amount of electricity produced, Nilsen says.

When calculating the total price, consider how much energy you regularly consume your usage is listed on your monthly utility bill and what size system will generate the amount needed. Some tools, like the SolarReviews calculator, estimate the system size for you.

With installation, an average residential 5kW size system costs between $3 and $5 per watt, according to the CSE, which results in the $15,000 to $25,000 range. That cost is before any tax credits and incentives.

If you know your current energy usage, you can calculate how much youll need to pay for solar panels.

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Then comparison shop for solar panels as you would other big-ticket items, such as a car or TV, says Vikram Aggarwal, CEO of the solar marketplace EnergySage. Some companies lower installation costs through rebates and other programs.

Aggarwal recommends getting quotes from three to five contractors. EnergySage compiles solar companies customer reviews, certifications, Better Business Bureau profiles and other information to help you find reputable providers.

How Do You Pay For A Solar Panel Installation

Once you know the cost of solar for your unique project, its time to decide how youll pay for solar. There are three primary ways to finance a solar panel installation: a cash purchase, a solar loan, or a solar lease/power purchase agreement.

Generally, a cash purchase is right for you if youre looking to maximize your savings from solar, you have enough tax liability to take advantage of the solar tax credit, or you have the funds available to pay for a solar panel system upfront.

A solar loan is right for you if you dont want to shell out the amount of cash required to pay for a solar panel system upfront, you still want the most savings on your electricity bills as possible, and you would like to be eligible for all incentives and rebates.

A solar lease or PPA is right for you if you would prefer someone else to monitor and maintain the system, if you arent eligible for tax incentives, or if youd just like to reduce and/or lock-in your monthly electricity bill.

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How Much Power Output Does Your Home Need

This all depends on two things: how much electricity you use, and how much of your home you want your solar panels to power.

If your household has a particularly high energy usage, or you want to solely rely on solar panels to power your home, wed recommend getting solar panels with a high output around 300 watts or more.

However, if you dont use much electricity day-to-day, or only want solar panels to subsidise some of your homes energy usage, you can choose solar panels with a lower output around 225 to 275 watts.

Most homes will install several solar panels, known as a solar panel system. A typical 3-4 bedroom house will require a 3-4kWp solar panel system, typically composed of 12-16 solar panels.

The output of a solar panel system can be calculated by multiplying the wattage of each solar panel by the total number of solar panels. For example, a home in Reading with four 250-watt solar panels would have a 1 kilowatt solar system .

Most domestic properties have between a 1kW and 4kW solar panel system, depending on how much power they need and the size of their roof. The table below shows you how much electricity different sized solar systems normally generate over a year, as well as how many solar panels theyre typically made up of:

How Much Does The Efficiency Of The Solar Cells Inside The Panel Affect The Power Production Of The Panel

The meaning and importance of solar panel efficiency are often misunderstood by consumers evaluating solar and it is a misunderstanding that is sometimes exploited by makers of premium panels.

The take-home point to remember is that solar panel efficiency is taken into account when rating the wattage and output of a panel and so, theoretically, if all other solar panel characteristics are the same, a 280-watt panel with a less efficient cell will produce the same amount of power in the same conditions as another 280 watt panel with more efficient panels. Some manufacturers of high-efficiency panels make outlandish claims about their panels producing far more power than standard panels of the same wattage but such claims are usually exaggerated in an attempt to justify very high module prices. Some manufacturers that claim very high efficiencies have clauses in their warranties that say that their panels can be 3% less efficient than what they claim to be before a warrantable event occurs.

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How Many Solar Panels Do You Need For Specific System Sizes

In our long example at the beginning of this piece, we determined that an 8 kW system would probably cover the average energy use for an American household if you live in an area with a production ratio of 1.6, which might be a realistic number for homes in most parts of California. Lets extend that a little further, and look at a few more examples. In the table below, weve compiled some solar panel estimates for common system sizes seen on the EnergySage Marketplace. Again, the big caveat here is that were using 1.6 as the production ratio of choice. For California shoppers, this might actually be realistic, but for folks in the Northeast or areas with less sun, these estimates might be a bit high on the production end and low on the number of panels needed.

How many solar panels do I need for my house? System size comparison