The solar industry is increasing, with uptake in the US continuing to rise. There was a 30% annual growth rate in the installation of residential solar systems, reaching 514,000 new systems in 2021. In 2022, installation growth anticipation is 13%. With such a surge in popularity, more companies are vying for solar panel installation business.
Fortunately, EcoGen America in New Jersey will deliver solar panels, fit them to your house and hook everything. Read to learn how many solar panels you need for your home.
What’s the Number of Solar Panels Required In a Home?
An American home requires 21-34 solar panels. Your energy consumption patterns, your property’s location, the sun’s annual peaks, and the characteristics of the solar panels you’re looking to purchase all play a role in determining the number of panels for your home.
If your household uses a lot of electricity, you should look at solar panels with a higher output. Higher-efficiency solar panels will not only reduce your investment in solar panels since they will create more electricity.
How to Calculate the Solar Panels Number?
Consider multiple variables when determining the number of solar panels for your home solar panel wattage, production ratio, and annual electricity usage.
You need to divide your annual electricity consumption by the production ratio in your location and then divide the result by power output.
For example, the average USA home uses 893KWh per month, and peak sunlight hours for a solar panel average is 5 hours; the equation might look like this: 893 divided by (5×30). The answer is 5.95 kWh, which is the amount of solar energy you’ll need to buy to cover your monthly energy needs.
Multiply the answer by 1,000 to get the number of solar panels needed. It is 5950 KWh. It’s important to know because solar panel ratings indicate how much energy they can generate (in watts).
The power output of the typical photovoltaic solar panel is 250; the most efficient solar panels can produce 400 watts.
If you wanted to use standard-sized panels, you would divide 5950 watts by 250 watts. You would need 23.8 panels; you round off and get 24 panels to provide enough power for a typical American home. When you divide 5950 KWh by 400, you get 14 panels.
The Roof Is Suitable for Solar Panels If?
Four main factors determine whether a roof is suitable:
- Ensure that your roof faces south. The best solar panels roofs face south because they’ll receive the most direct sunlight throughout the day.
- Ensure that your roof has enough space for the installation of solar panels. You don’t want to install them directly over the top of a window or door but rather on the part of the roof that is large enough to accommodate them comfortably.
- Ensure that your roof is away from tree shades or other buildings. If it has a shade for part of each day, this can affect how much energy your solar panels produce during different daylight hours.
- The pitch of your roof matters; this refers to how steeply pitched the roof is. A 30-40 degree pitch is ideal for solar panels because it allows them enough exposure to the sun throughout most of the day.
Cost of Installing Solar
The cost of solar panels can vary depending on the type, quality, and location where you live.
The price of solar panels will vary from $2.50 to $3.50 per watt. The cost of installing solar panels ranges from $18,000 to $20,000, depending on the panels you want and whether they require permits. If your property location is in an area that requires a permit, you may need to pay more than in an area with no permits for installation.
What Determines the Number Of KWhs a Solar Panel Produces?
The amount of electricity your solar panels can produce depends on the following:
- The number of hours the sun shines on your solar panels. For example, if it’s shining for 8 hours per day at 30-40 angles, you’d get more KWhs.
- The efficiency of your system (how many photons get converted into electrons) If you have an efficiency of 25%, it converts 25% of sunshine.
- The size of your system (how many panels do you have?)
Solar panel production has been experiencing exponential growth for decades and will likely continue for years to come. It means that more efficient panels are getting created, further adding to the viability of solar power as a mainstream energy source. It’s possible to power most modern homes with solar panels (as long as they have adequate space positions).