How Many Solar Panels Do I Need?

There is no easy answer to this question. The required number of solar panels to power one household can vary greatly from one household to another. The size of a solar system installation usually depends on the location of the property, number of occupants in the household and how much electricity used on a monthly basis.

Texas receives around 2,910 hours of sunlight out of a possible 4,383 hours each year, making it one of the best states for installing solar. Each day, the sun shines around 7.58 hours, which is more than adequate sunlight to power an entire house during the day.

How do I calculate how many solar panels I need to power my home?

Two houses that have the same floorplan can have very different power/energy requirements. There are several factors that are taken into consideration when planning how a solar installation is designed, the most important of which is how much electricity is used daily.

“A house with 2 occupants may have reduced power consumption and may need fewer panels than a house with a family of four, as the family of four will most likely have more electric usage and will need more panels.”

The first step in determining the correct size solar system for your home is to analyze the past 12 months of electric usage. Once that has been determined, we can build the correct size system for you and your family as the system will be sized on your actual electric consumption and not by the square footage of your house. As mentioned above, we can’t assume the size of a system based on the floor plan or square footage of a house as everyone has different electric needs, regardless of the size of a house.

Helping you go solar

While the prices of solar panels have dropped substantially over the years, the government is also helping homeowners go solar with a 30% tax credit. Some electric companies offer solar rebates and or incentives to promote going green while other electric companies offer net-metering as well. Net metering is a billing mechanism that utilizes a bi-directional meter. That meter records energy taken from the grid and then deducts the energy supplied to the grid by solar energy. This allows homeowners with solar to save money on their monthly electric bills, and in some cases, they can even get a credit for excess power generated!

Small and large companies, homes, and other buildings can benefit from going solar. This technology can not only help them reduce their energy bills, but also can be used to earn money, as some energy companies allow businesses and homeowners to sell their power surplus by feeding it back into the grid. Contact us to save money and save Mother Nature by going solar.

Go Green – Save Green!