How Many Solar Panels Do I Need?
How Many Solar Panels Do I Need?
The process of purchasing solar contains many different elements in your decision to go green and save money. Your questions throughout the process will generate the power to understanding your solar needs. Determining how many solar panels you’ll need is the beginning step to going solar.
To discover how many solar panels you need, you first need to look at how much energy you consume. Our representatives will be able to walk you through your usage and how much you can save with solar. The first step to this process is defining how many kilowatt-hours you utilize in a year. You can find this through your utility company online or by calling your utility company. Some companies break down your usage by month, every 3 months or yearly. Depending on how this is broken out, will determine how you calculate your annual amount.
To understand where your home stands on the spectrum of producing energy, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) states that the average home generates about 900 kWh per month. Once this information is found, it is the golden ticket to figuring out how many solar panels you need.
According to Energy Sage, if you consume around 5,000 kWh per year, you will need 14 solar panels. When looking at appliances, a refrigerator consume about 600 kWh which needs 2 solar panels. This is an easy perspective to follow once you understand how much energy you consume each year.
In addition, there are these three things you should consider during the process of purchasing solar: how much sunlight your home has access to, your solar panel’s efficiency, and the size of your roof.
If your home is in a shaded area, chances are it might not be the best option for solar. However, you may consider a ground mount if you have property. The amount of shade your property contains will be an effect of the number of solar panels you need.
Secondly, it is necessary to understand the efficiency of solar. Different factors that can affect this such as dust, cloud cover and the engineering of the solar panel itself. Solar panels are generally pretty low maintenance and obtain a high efficiency rate. However, this is something to ask your representative while in the process of purchasing solar.
Lastly, the size of your roof and the number of vents/chimney’s determine how many solar panels you need. Most residential solar system require 100 square feet for the smaller systems and 1,000 square feet for the larger solar systems.
When considering going solar, the best option is to talk to a consultant that can help you decide if your home is eligible. Infinity Energy offers free energy estimates to see if your home qualifies for solar. Fill out our form or call us at 888-244-2513.
