How many solar panels do you need? Well, that all depends on your goals.
A big question a lot of homeowners seem to have is how many solar panels they’ll actually need, but to determine that, you must first know what your goals are. Some are trying to reduce their carbon footprint, while others plan on getting a good return on investment. Most of us just want to save some money while also reducing our environmental impact. To figure out how many panels you need, you must figure out the following: how much energy your home uses, how much usable area you have, the climate of your area, and the wattage of the panels you’re considering. To best figure this out, consult a professional solar installer, but here are some things to consider.
How Much Power Do You Need?
For this, you simply need to look at your past utility bills. Multiple your household’s hourly energy requirements by the peak sunlight hours of your area, then divide that by a panel’s wattage. Of course, other factors like how much sunlight your roof actually gets and things like roof size or battery storage also play into how many panels you’ll need.
Determining Peak Sunlight
It’s important to figure out peak sunlight hours for your particular location, as that will have a direct and significant impact on how much energy you’ll get from your system. Sunnier places like Arizona will get a lot more out of their panels than someone in Oregon, though that doesn’t mean both can’t go the solar route, it just determines how many panels they’ll actually need to be sufficient.
How Much Power Can You Produce?
There are two main factors in this. First is the output of the solar panels, measured in wattage. When the panels are exposed to the sun, the panels produce a certain amount of wattage. The orientation of your roof matters as well, as solar panels work best when facing south, east, or west, at an angle between 15 and 30 degrees and a direct view of the sun. Figuring out how many solar panels you really need requires a bit of math and is best left to an expert!
Contact JC Solar & Roof Today!
If you have any needs, contact JC Solar, LLC. at 443-204-6551 or by email at eric@jcsolarroofing.com. Our solar powered products will help make your life easy, environmentally safe, and cost efficient! We’re conveniently located in Marriottsville, Maryland and proudly serve all of Maryland as well as Virginia, Pennsylvania, Washington DC and Arizona. Contact us today!
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