How Many Solar Panels Are Needed For My Home?

Producing your own energy with solar power enables you to manage your electricity usage. Generating electricity through your solar array will thus save you money on your utility costs for years to come. With a rooftop solar energy system, despite the ever-changing climate and ever increasing utility rates, you’ll enjoy peace of mind.

So, how much energy do solar panels produce for your home or office?

There is certainly no one size fits all answer. Unique measurements and criteria specify what proportion of electricity the house or building consumes and the number of solar panels are needed.

A general solar equation is executed by dividing the system’s size by the wattage per panel. Keep in mind though, this calculation will only give you a rough estimate, not a concrete number.

There are many considerations that apply when going solar that all contribute to deciding the system’s optimal size. The amount of sunlight available, how much energy the home consumes, and the solar panel wattage output are all considered. In fact, the number of individuals within the household can affect electricity usage, and square footage available on the roof.

The overall amount of electricity that solar panels produce also depends on projected sunshine across the course of a year. When you reside in a more overcast climate, less energy hits the surface of the Earth to convert to electric power. 

The typical residential rooftop solar array receives about 4 hours of sun a day in the United States. This number is also correlated with “peak sun hours” or PSH. Remember, PSH is not the same as “sunlight hours,” which are complete sunrise to sunset hours. Instead, it is the average solar radiation obtained during the day at a specific location.

Naturally, larger solar energy units yield the greatest amount of energy and reduce carbon emissions more than a smaller array would. However though you might not be capital limited, the scale of your structure may be constrained if your roof faces south. In this case, installing smaller, high efficiency panels will maximize your solar panel system’s yield to meet your electricity goals.

Under ideal conditions, the wattage of a solar panel represents its potential power production. Solar panels as a whole are rated by the watts (created on a DC Flash test at the production facilities). The higher the wattage amount, the greater the power output from the solar energy system. Many home rooftop solar arrays have output levels that range anywhere between 250 to 400 watts. 

Additionally, output levels are dependent on the panel brand as each panel manufacturer offers different solar panel models to choose from.

Solaria PowerXT® panels, for instance, are 370W. Solaria’s Advanced PowerXT® panels produce the most amount of power in the least amount of space. This is a result of 20% more energy generation per square meter than traditional solar panels. Just another reason why we are proud to be a preferred Solaria partner!

Output levels are dependent on the panel size and how easily they transform sunlight into energy. Overall high efficiency solar cell panels will produce more wattage per single solar panel, which implies fewer panels on the roof.

Using a specialized solar design interface, each CSUSA solar system is specifically engineered to suit your energy wants and needs. That may be as small or as large as you may want or need. CSUSA does not install solar panels in single-size fits all units. Our custom innovative solution system sizing allows us to create an explicitly engineered solar energy system for your estate. Proper solar panels are needed to be placed in the correct way to ensure maximum efficiency and production.

Call us, and let us demonstrate the sun’s power and how much solar energy will save you. Not only on your electricity bill now but also in the long term.