Calculate solar power requirements home

How many solar panels do you need to power a house?

The goal for any solar project should be 100% electricity offset and maximum savings — not necessarily to cram as many panels on a roof as possible. So, the number of panels you need to power a house varies based on three main factors: In this article, we’ll show you how to manually calculate how many panels you’ll need to power your home.

How do I get a solar energy estimate?

First, you will need to know the annual electricity consumption for the property. You can find this information on the utility power bills for 12 months. Add the monthly kilo-watt hours (kWh) for an annual total. If you don't have power bills, there are other ways to create an estimate. Order the solar design service and we can help.

How do I calculate my solar system size?

Simply punch in your address and set your average energy bill to calculate how big your solar system needs to be and how much you can save by switching to solar. Under the average energy bill slider, the calculator will give you an estimated system size in kW. You can use this number to figure out how many panels you would need.

How do I use a solar calculator?

Enter the value for your location into the solar calculator. The solar map uses insolation, a measure of solar radiation energy received on a given surface area in a given time. This is typically measured in kilo-watt hours per square meter per day (kWh/m2/day). The map shows the average daily total solar radiation throughout the United States.

How do I calculate solar hours per day?

Use the solar hours per day in the calculator above. If you know the annual kWh consumed at the property, then divide it by the kWh per 1kW to determine the solar array size needed for the project. The solar hours per day table uses PV Watts calculations for each location using these input standards: Actual results will vary for each project.

How much solar should I get?

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.