The Basics of Solar Panel Sizing for Your Home

Going solar is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and save money on energy costs. But before you install a solar panel system, you need to know how many solar panels you will need. This can be a tricky calculation, but understanding the basics of solar panel sizing can help get you started.

Solar Panel Outputs

Solar panels are rated by their power output, or wattage. Most residential-sized solar panels range from 150 watts to 375 watts per panel. Smaller panels generate less power, while larger panels generate more power. To figure out how much power you will need from your solar system, start by calculating the amount of electricity your household consumes in an average month. Then use that number to determine the correct size for your system based on typical wattage ratings for the types of solar panels available to you.

Calculating Wattage Requirements

Start with your energy bill and find out how much electricity you used in the past 12 months (or last year’s average). This number should give you an idea of how much energy your household consumes in an average month. Once you have that number, divide it by 30 days (the average number of days in a month) to get an estimate of how much electricity your home uses each day. Now multiply this daily wattage requirement by 1.25 to account for losses and cloud cover; this will give you the total wattage requirement of your house per day during peak sunshine hours when most of your electricity needs are met through your solar system.

Solar Panel Installation Requirements

Once you have calculated the total wattage required for your home on an average day, divide this number by the wattage rating per panel to find out how many panels are needed to meet those requirements. You may also want to consider other factors such as roof orientation and shading when deciding where best to position them – however, not all roofs are suitable for installation due to a variety of reasons like age or structure type so it’s important to ensure that yours is suitable first before making any decisions about installation placement or size requirements! Additionally some areas may require additional permits or inspections prior to installation so make sure all local ordinances are taken into consideration as well before finalizing any plans!

Conclusion:

Installing a solar panel system is an excellent way to reduce energy costs and contribute towards helping our environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with traditional forms of electricity production such as burning fossil fuels like coal or natural gas. To get started with sizing up what kind of system is right for your home, start by calculating the total wattage requirement for an average day based off monthly usage data from past years’ bills and then divide that total number by typical panel outputs available in order to determine the minimum amount needed – taking into consideration other factors such as roof orientation & shading before installing! It’s also important not forget about local regulations which may require permits or inspections prior getting approval for installation! With these tips in mind – now it’s time go green & start saving!