Is 6 Solar Panels Enough
If you live in a sunnier state less solar panels are needed to generate the electricity your home needs.
Is 6 solar panels enough. Even though you have solar panels if there is a power outage in your area then your home will lose power. How much energy does a solar panel produce. The average american home needs 14 36 solar panels to power their home. This is because the solar equipment is still tied to the utility power grid.
5 hours x 290 watts an example wattage of a premium solar panel 1 450 watts hours or roughly 1 5 kilowatt hours kwh. The average solar panel is around 17 6 square feet and produces 265 watts under direct sunlight per day equaling out to 15 watts per square foot. More efficient solar panels means less solar panels are needed. For a rough guide compare the amount of electricity you purchased last year to the amount that solar panels in your state produce.
If you want the top of the line take a look at solarworld s high efficiency sunmodule panels which produce a very high 300 watts. Solar panels are sold in varying sizes but a 100 watt panel is a commonly found size particularly for rvs. Not all solar panels are the same. Solar panel type and quality make a significant difference in terms of solar output and efficiency.
Measure your available roof space. For the sake of example if you are getting 5 hours of direct sunlight per day in a sunny state like california you can calculate your solar panel output this way. Thus the output for each solar panel in your array would. An average homeowner needs 28 to 34 solar panels to fully offset their electricity bill with solar.
At this rate you d only need 20 panels to get to 6kw saving you space on your roof but not necessarily money as they are more expensive than most. The number of panels you need for your house depends on factors like location and panel performance. That panel is rated at 100 watts at peak efficiency meaning on a 78 degree cloudless day at solar noon on the equator during the equinox. A 6kw solar system produces enough electricity for almost half the private homes in the us so there s a good chance that it is the right size for you.
If there is not enough unused solar energy in your credit balance with the utility to cover that usage you will see it reflecting as a charge on their invoice.