If you are considering switching to solar energy, you will notice it in your bills and in your contribution to a more sustainable and responsible energy model. However, before you get down to business with your home setup, you should do some math to determine how many panels you will need and what size you will need, which has a lot to do with your daily consumption.
The budget and the available space will be two fundamental aspects which, from the start, will have an impact on the size of your installation. If the roof or any other area in which you plan to install the panels is not very large, the amount of energy you can generate will be limited or conditional on a larger investment in the panels than high performance. If the pocket is tight, adapting the system to your needs as much as possible will be a maxim. To determine the size that best matches what you are looking for, you will need to answer the following questions.
How much energy do I need?
Before making a decision, it is important to know how much energy do you consume per day to adapt the domestic solar energy installation to your real needs. As a guide, you can divide the monthly consumption that appears on your bill between the days of the month and, thus, you will get your average daily consumption.
However, to refine this data, another key aspect should be kept in mind: that the efficiency of panels is not invariable. Clouds, night or any shadow will have an impact. For him, Ideally, you should add 25% more to your daily intake.
What is the home’s sun exposure?
The question is also important, since the dimensions of the installation (and the type of panel you choose) will not be the same if you live in an area with short days and a predominance of clouds, as if you were doing it under a very sunny area.
For him, divide your daily energy consumption by the hours of sun exposure in your home up to date. The result, expressed in kWh, can be converted to watts by multiplying it by 1000.
There are apps that can help you with this calculation, like the Google Sunroof.
How many solar panels do i need?
The truth is, it depends. Giving a closed answer to this question is complicated because the types of solar panels available in the market are so varied that part of the key will be which model you choose and its performance levels.
However, just as a guide, you can divide your home’s hourly energy consumption by the solar panel voltage, and with that, you can make an estimate of how many plates you might need. If you do the calculation with high and low voltage options, you will have more possibilities to evaluate.
How much do I have to pay per square meter of panel?
The budget is again at the center of the concerns and it is undoubtedly an essential element in determining the size of the installation and, also, the type of panel chosen. Many factors have an impact on the price, for example by opting for polycrystalline or monocrystalline cells. In any case, mid-range systems can cost from 20 euros per square meter.
Asking yourself all of these questions will allow you to refine when choosing the installation that matches what you need for your home. Carrying out this preliminary work and tracking the supply of panels to the market will take time but it will be worth it, as there are many reasons to install solar panels. It is estimated that a panel can produce at least 9 kWh of energy per square meter per year. With that, calculate how much clean energy you can get and what that will mean in terms of savings on your energy bill.
An improvement, and a step towards self-sufficiency, for your solar home installation would be to equip it with an energy storage system. Here we help you get the right size batteries for your home solar system.
