A wide range of wattages is available for photovoltaic solar panels that can power your home. Solar panels are often categorized according to their rated output power, typically expressed in WATTS. This is the maximum amount of energy that can be generated by a single solar panel in a single hour of peak sunlight. No of the setup, getting the solar installation sized properly to satisfy home needs is one of the most challenging technical hurdles.
Due to differences in energy consumption and efficiency, no two homes will require the same size photovoltaic system. To calculate the ideal amount of solar panels and overall wattage for your home, you’ll need to be familiar with your energy needs and do some basic math. Our comprehensive, step-by-step guide will help you determine the optimal dimensions for your photovoltaic system and conquer these obstacles.
First, find out when the sun is brightest during the day.
The peak wattage of a solar panel is often how it is priced. At midday on a clear day, when the sun is at its brightest, it radiates about 1000 watts per square meter of energy onto Earth’s surface. A solar panel’s equivalent full sun hour is one hour of maximum or 100% sunshine. So, a solar panel with a 100 Wp (peak watts) rating may provide 100 W of power when the sun is at its brightest. If 4.5 hours per day is the typical peak sun-hours for a specific location, our solar panel will provide 450 watt-hours of peak electricity daily.
The sun is up for more than 4.5 hours a day. Given that climate data for a given location on Earth’s surface would provide solar intensity data in terms of peak sun hours, the power output of a photovoltaic cell would be proportional to the sun’s intensity from sunrise to peak hours and back down to sunset throughout the day. A solar panel rated at 100 watts (W) might only generate 25 W in the morning, 100 W in the middle of the day, and 25 W or less in the late afternoon, depending on the time of year.
Step 2: Calculate Your Hourly Energy Demand in Watts
A home’s electrical energy needs in watts per hour must be calculated before the total power rating of a photovoltaic solar system can be established. Conducting your research before deciding about your home’s electricity needs is essential. The number of watt-hours per day you need can be calculated by listing all of your home’s appliances, lights, and televisions and then adding up their hourly power requirements.
The percentage of the home’s electrical energy use that the solar system will meet will determine the system’s final power rating and size. A system designed to provide 50% of solar electricity usage would be half the size of one necessary to provide 100%. Then, depending on your needs, a photovoltaic system can be designed to meet all or most of your power demands.
Optimize Your Energy Needs and Electrical Consumption, Step 3
The amount of free electricity a photovoltaic solar system can generate is limited. Both the amount of arable land and the amount of time that the sun shines each day are limiting factors. Inadvertently leaving a light on during the day can result in significant energy waste. Using energy-efficient light bulbs and appliances is a great way to save money and lower the size and expense of your new solar photovoltaic system, provided you do it right.
If a home’s energy needs exceed the capacity of its solar panels, you will have to pay more to have the excess power brought in from the grid. Minimize your power usage and power needs as much as possible, as this will minimize the number of solar panels needed for your home, reducing the installation cost, simplifying the process, and shortening the payback period.
Fourth, choose the solar panels you intend to install.
From 50 to 250 watts per panel at 12, 24, or 48 volts, a wide variety of solar panels are available, each with its own pros and cons. Considerable thought must be given to the design, sizing, operating voltage, and cost of your solar photovoltaic system before you can determine how many and what kind of solar panels will be necessary to capture enough solar energy to supply your electricity usage.
A solar panel’s solar cells are often arranged in a grid. Solar cells come in a variety of varieties. However, the most expensive, monocrystalline silicon solar panels convert the most sunlight into usable electricity. While polycrystalline silicon panels are often cheaper than monocrystalline ones, the former are less efficient. The most cost-effective solar panels are the thin-film varieties. Due to the delicate and malleable nature of the silicon sheet, thin-film solar panels have a wide range of applications. Find the best boards available that meet your specifications by shopping around.
Measure the Size of Your Solar Array
You may estimate the solar panels you’ll need by dividing the total watt-hours you’ll require by the peak sunlight hours and then adding more to account for gloomy days. If we know how much kWh we need to power our home, we can calculate how many solar panels we’ll need. A 1000-watt system, for instance, would require ten 100-watt panels or five 200-watt panels.
Because the solar panels can either directly supply the residence with clean, cost-free solar energy or be utilized to charge batteries, the system’s nominal DC voltage must be determined. The solar panels can be wired in series, in parallel, or both, depending on how much energy storage and how big of an inverter is needed. To keep our solar electrical system functioning smoothly and affordably for years to come, choosing the lowest DC voltage and power rating feasible to cut down on breakdowns is best. Manufacturer specifications will list the maximum power output of the solar panels you plan to use.
It’s not as complicated as you think to figure out what size solar array you need; nevertheless, there are two things to consider first. Before proceeding with solar panel installation, you’ll need to know two things: 1) How much energy your daily electrical loads use, and 2) How many hours of sunlight your area typically receives. Sunlight is sunlight, and you cannot do much to make more of it. However, reducing your home’s electrical consumption and the size of your solar array can save you a lot of money over time.
However, there are electrical loads that a solar array cannot economically power due to their high demand. Heat-generating loads, such as those used for water heating, space heating, cooking, air conditioning, etc., should be powered by a different source.
Visit http://www.alternative-energy-tutorials.com today to find lots more good quality and free Alternative Energy Tutorials as well as information and articles about the many different types of alternative energy sources available for the home, including “Solar Energy” and how you can use them to power your home and the advantages and disadvantages of using Photovoltaics as an alternative energy resource.
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