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Solar power, which is clean and can be used over and over again, is becoming more popular all over the world. As a homeowner who is thinking about switching to this green energy, you may be wondering, “How many solar panels will I need for my roof?” The answer depends on a number of things, like how much energy you use, how well your solar panels work, and how much sun your location gets.
Find out how much energy you use. This will help you figure out how many solar panels you need. Check your electric bill to find out how much electricity your home uses on average each month. This is usually measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) says that the average U.S. household uses about 877 kWh per month. This number may change depending on how you live, how many people live in your home, and how you use energy.
Your roof’s orientation and where you live are also important factors. Solar panels only make energy when they’re in the sun, so how many you need depends on how many peak sun hours you get each day where you live. A peak sun hour is not a typical hour of sunlight. Instead, it refers to the solar insolation, which is a measure of how much solar energy a certain area gets over time. One hour with 1,000 watts of sunlight per square meter is called a “peak sun hour.” Online solar insolation maps can help you find the average peak sun hours in your area.
Once you know how many kWh you use on average every month, how well your solar panels work, and how many peak sun hours your home gets on average, you can figure out how many panels you need.
Next, think about how well the solar panels you want to install will work. The amount of sunlight that can be turned into electricity by a solar panel is called its “efficiency.” The more efficient your panels are, the fewer you’ll need to meet your energy needs.