How Much Solar Do I Need Calculator

Future Of The Solar Power System

As solar energy systems become cheaper and more efficient, more people will see some economic value with incorporating them into residential projects.

With the integration of the solar power monitoring systems with the Internet, it will be easy to monitor solar power output in real time.

More solar power systems will upgrade over time to integrate with smart technology and selling household solar PV power that is in excess to need. Solar power accounts for around 35 percent of all new electrical power generated in the U.S.

To enhance their PV sales some installation companies are offering innovative financing solutions to people to help set up their solar panels system. These solutions use the financial return of the power savings to pay for the PV solar system capital cost.

A full solar system with batteries is not only a cleaner source of renewable energy but a correctly sized solar system is a good investment too.

References:

• Struggling with the high cost of electricity, and
• want the right solar power option for you?
• Confirm that your solar quote price covers what you need.

This Checklist covers the things to consider when investing in a Solar PV system.

How Many Solar Panels Do I Need To Power A 3000 Square Foot House

We know the average sized home requires 7924 solar watts with the average US irradiance of 5.3 peak sun hours/day, which equates to 3.17 watts per square foot.

Multiplying this number by 3000 square foot, we get 9510 watts of solar required.

9510 watts / 300 watts = 32 solar panels of 300 watts rating each

How Much Solar Power Do I Need

To work out how much solar power your household needs, youll first have to identify what youre trying to achieve. Do you want to reduce your energy costs, or are you looking to completely offset your power bills through solar? Once youve identified your energy-saving goals, then its time to look at some recent electricity bills and note down how much power your home consumes on average in a day.

While going bigger with solar may benefit larger households that use a lot of energy during the day, its always best to talk to a licenced installer before jumping straight in.

Check out our state guides below to see a range of solar installers in your neck of the woods.

As you can see, electricity usage is vastly different for residents in Tasmania over winter when compared to those in Queensland. Youll also notice how energy consumption changes depending on the season. To work out how much power a household uses in summer in New South Wales on the Ausgrid network, you can divide 1,360kWh by 90 days, which equals approximately 15.1kWh per day.

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Calculate Solar System Size You Need

Since you now know how much 1 kW of solar will produce in your area, you can determine what size solar system you need to cover your electricity needs.

Divide your monthly electricity usage by the monthly peak sun hours in your area to find the system size you need in kW.For the average home in the U.S. the calculation would look something like this:

893 kWh consumed / 135 monthly peak sun hours = 6.61 kW of solar

How Much Do Solar Panels Weigh

If youre planning on installing a rooftop solar system, understanding the weight of your solar panels is another key factor to consider. Knowing a solar panels weight is the best way to be certain that your roof can support a full installation.

While panel weights vary from brand to brand, most panels weigh about 40 pounds.

SunPower panels are the lightest of all major brands*, with some of our panels weighing as little as 33 pounds. For comparison, at the top end of the range some conventional panels weigh as much as 50 pounds.

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How Many Solar Panels Do You Need For Your Home

To determine how many solar panels can power your household requirements, you can multiply your hourly energy requirement by peak sunshine hours and divide the outcome by a panels wattage.

For instance, using a low wattage of 150 W and a high wattage of 370 W, you can establish a range of 17-42 panels to generate 11,000 kWh/year. Keep in mind that the size of your roof and how much sunlight your roof gets are also factors that determine the number of panels you need for your solar panel output demands.

Also, your energy demands will determine the number of solar panels you install. For instance, more complex activities like charging electric cars will require 5 to 10 solar panels.

How Many Solar Panels Does An Rver Use And How Many Solar Panels Do You Need On A Boat

Though these percentage ranges are relatively accurate, they are still not pinpoint precise. They are not precise enough for those who wish to calculate their requirements as accurately as possible at least without there being any waste in the process.

Understanding BatteriesThe Key to Specific RV and Outhouse Calculations

When using an RV or camper, it is the output of the battery that is really going to determine exactly how much solar power is required to meet your energy requirements.

This is the same if you are powering a workshop or shed too. You are ultimately going to have to generate enough power to be able to effectively recharge and sustain the battery that feeds power into your appliances from your solar panel array.

To make calculating as easy as possible for you, we have compiled a list of various different battery sizes and types in conjunction with the amount required to sustain them and also the number of panels that you will need in order to achieve these various wattage outputs too. Please note that every 100 usable battery hours require precisely 1,280 watts worth of power. Various battery types and their power requirements are as follows.

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Polycrystalline Vs Monocrystalline What Type Of Solar Panel Is Best To Power An Average House

The heart of your solar energy system is the solar panel. You might be hesitating between the two types commercially available: polycrystalline and monocrystalline.

They both have silicon as their active material. However, the monocrystalline technology is more recent and advanced. It offers several benefits compared to polycrystalline:

• Better thermal coefficient, more electricity production
• Better overall efficiency, smaller size
• Smooth and uniform appearance

In the end, I would recommend monocrystalline solar cells as they would take less space and offer better efficiency during sun peak hours.

In terms of size, you will find solar panels ranging from 100W to 530W. You might want to consider smaller modules if the geometry of your roof doesnt allow large module installation. Bear in mind that the more modules you install, the more complex and less efficient your system is.

In the chart below, I have summarized the most common solar panel sizes and power output.

How Much Does It Cost

The average sticker price before tax credit is $14,200 to $23,000 for a grid-tied 8kW solar system.

The NET COST after tax credit could be $10,500 for self-installed DIY, or $17,000 for professional, full-service installation.

The total cost should include building plans, permit, panels, inverter, rooftop mount, installation and warranty.

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Actual Energy Use Quote

Use this solar calculator to determine a precise system size for your actual energy use.

The NEXT STEP, now that you have an estimate for the desired kW, VIEW SOLAR KIT SIZES to compare prices, brands and, options.

Remember, you decide how much solar to get based on the need, available space, and budget. There is no rule that you have to offset 100% of current energy use. Utilities will generally allow grid-connected systems up to 120% of the previous 12 months consumption. They will also allow for consumption increases from an electric vehicle, home expansion or other needs.

How Many Solar Panels Does A Fridge Need

A 100 watt solar panel generates 400 watts per day at an average irradiance of 4 peak-sun-hours. This is equivalent to 146kWh for the year.

• Annual energy consumption 350kWh/146kWh = 2.4 solar panels

Always round-up to the highest whole number, so 3 solar panels would be needed. I would use 4 solar panels, as they are relatively cheap nowadays it takes care of poor power generation on cloudy days!

Youll need an inverter, which should be as close to 300 watts as you can make it This is because inverters are most efficient when fully loaded. You need to be as efficient as possible overall, because sometimes the inerter will be very lightly loaded when the fridge compressor isnt running.

You will also need a 100Ah deep-cycle battery, preferable Lithium Phosphate, to run the fridge through the night when the solar panels dont provide power.

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How Many Solar Panels Do You Need: Panel Size And Output Factors

How many solar panels does the average house need? How many solar panels do I need for a 3-bedroom house? How many solar panels do I need for a 2000 sq. ft. home? These are all common questions for an aspiring solar homeowner. Determining how many solar panels youll need for your home requires first knowing what your goals are.

Do you want to minimize your carbon footprint? Maximize the return on your investment? Save as much money as possible?

Most people want to save money while minimizing their environmental impact.

To calculate how many solar panels you need, you need to know:

One simple way of answering the How many solar panels do I need question is to consult a professional solar installer, who can give you a free home solar evaluation.

What Type Of Solar Panels Will You Choose

There are two types of solar panels available: monocrystalline and polycrystalline.

With recent technical developments, both technologies offer similar efficiencies at room temperature. However, one main difference is the thermal behavior of the solar modules.

All solar modules lose efficiency when their temperature rises, typically from -0.3%/°C to -0.5%/°C, and panels can get as hot as 80°C.

The monocrystalline technology shows better performance at higher temperature compared to polycrystalline .

Go for monocrystalline solar modules as they will maximize your system production.

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Solar Panels Cost Calculation

Using a solar panel cost calculator is an excellent way to figure out specific numbers for your circumstances. Each home consumes a different amount of electricity based on various factors. Having said that, if you take a 2,000 square foot home, the average solar panels cost equates to somewhere between $15,000 and $40,000.

Lets look at an example to get a better idea of how much solar panels cost. The average home in the United States is 1,500 square feet with a monthly electricity bill of $100. This means that the house needs a 6-kilowatt solar panel system with between 15 and 18 350-watt solar panels.

The estimated cost for a system of this size would be about $18,000. If the system saved you $2,500 per year on energy expenses, the payback period would be just over seven years until you would break even.

Superior Technology Integration Knowledge

So far, each example has been tailored to a DC-only circuit. What if you require AC power? An inverter must be used to convert the power in a DC-only system to AC power. Inverters consume power as they convert DC power to AC power, and in doing so, contribute to the system load. The less power an inverter consumes the more efficient it is, which is how its efficiency rating is determined.

If an inverter is to be used, the following questions must be answered:

• What size inverter do I need for my load?
• How much power does an inverter use while operating?
• How does it affect the total load requirements in my system?

Imagine you have a microwave oven and the manufacturers specification plate indicates that it requires 800 watts to operate. We can easily determine the DC amperage it would require if it were to operate directly from a 12 V battery:

If inverters were 100% efficient, all of the power flowing from the battery would be inverted for use by the load, and the inverter would consume no power at all. In reality, however, inverters consume some of the power that flows from the battery while inverting. This requires an increase in current flow from the battery to run the inverter and support the load, and results in an increase in the total load requirements.

The total load in the circuit is 1000 W.

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How Do I Calculate Solar Panels For My Home

Once you have found your daily energy consumption, it can be used to size your solar panels.

It needs to be said that solar panel power ratings are not an accurate reflection of the actual power generation in real-life conditions.

In fact, there are many losses associated with a working home solar system. As much as 23% is normally lost and must be deducted from the solar array power rating see infographic below:

Energy losses for domestic solar panels sizing

The calculator I provide later on in the post takes these losses into account, but for this example Ill go through the process manually step-by-step.

What Is The Difference Between Gel Agm Fla And Lithium Batteries

Battery technology varies widely and advancements are being made all the time.

Currently, the most commonly installed batteries are Gel, AGM or Lithium. FLA use dated technology and we recommend steering clear of them.

Lithium batteries are significantly more efficient than Gel or AGMs so can be discharged to a much lower level.

This explains why you need a smaller Lithium battery than either AGMs or Gels.

But this doesnt mean a lithium battery is always the best option.

To assess which battery is most cost effective and best suits your needs, use our battery comparison calculator.

More information, read our detailed post on campervan batteries.

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How Much Power Is Needed From A Solar Array For The Average Monthly Electric Bill Case Study

How much electricity you need of course depends on the appliances you use in your home. Another important factor is how you use them. The key factors that determine a solar system size are:

It goes without saying that how much energy you need from a solar energy system depends on your household energy needs i.e. how many kwh of electricity your home consumes each month.

The easiest way to determine this is to check last months utility bill. Once you know the amount of energy needed, you can move on to the solar calculator.

Flat Roof Solar Panel Calculator

The table below shows the monthly irradiance difference throughout the year in Phoenix, Az. Solar panels at a fixed angle of 57 degrees will generate just 10% more power than a flat installation. The amount of power difference between flat/angled panels will be different according to the locations irradiance.

• Time to pay back solar installation = install cost/annual savings = 10138/852 = 11.9 years

The payback time might be less than the above 9 to 10 years is possible. Professional solar installers can provide very accurate estimates using historical data for the irradiance in your city and the orientation and tilt angle of your proposed installation.

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Solar Panel Calculators And Their Importance

Solar calculators help you accurately determine the number of panels you will need for your solar energy system.

The sun is a natural source of energy and is therefore intermittent. A passing cloud, a rainy day, local shading by trees, and surface dusts are some of the factors that can influence the power output of your panel.

Solar calculators use weather and solar insulation databases to predict with a 95% accuracy the solar production potential in any part of the Earth.

They will help you size your solar energy system according to multiple parameters. The simplest calculators will only give you an estimate of your system size, and the most advanced provides a complete technical and economic picture of your solar system.

How Much Will A 1000kwh Solar System Save Me

A 1000kWh solar system will save you around $31,582.

Yes, thats rightover the course of 25 years, a 1000kWh solar system will generate more than $30,000 in electricity savings.

Lets calculate it together.

Total Electricity Produced = Electricity Produced per Month x 12 x Solar System Lifespan

Savings = Total Electricity Produced x Price per kWh System Initial Price

The average energy price in the united states is $0.166/kWh.

Your solar system will generate 1000 kWh per month, so thats $166/month, $1,992/year, and $49,800 over the course of 25 years.

Since we bought the system for $18,218, we will save a total of $31,582 in electricity costs over the course of 25 years.

Its important to mention that your solar system will degrade, meaning that it will become less efficient at generating electricity over time, so after 10 years, the system might be generating only 900kWh per month instead of 1000kWh.

But since electricity prices are also increasing over time, the savings will still outweigh these losses and youll most likely save even more over the course of 25 years.

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