If you’ve decided to reduce your carbon footprint and power usage by getting solar panels for your home, you might have a lot of questions right now. What brand to get, what company to use, where to place the solar panels on the roof. You may also be wondering how many solar panels your home should have. Well, you’re in the right place.
According to Energy Sage, “a typical home needs between 20 and 24 solar panels to cover 100 percent of its electricity usage.” They go on to say that “The actual formula to find out how many solar panels you need can be found by the system size divided by the production ratio, divided by panel wattage. The actual number you’ll need to install depends on factors including geographic location, panel efficiency, panel rated power, and your personal energy consumption habits.”
Average Usage
According to the US Energy Information Institution, American residential electricity bills in 2021 averaged $122 per month, or $1,464 per year. The average residential electricity price paid to utilities was 13.7 cents/kWh. Utility electricity consumption per residential customer averaged 892 kWh per month, or 10,704 kWh per year. Your electric bill should display your monthly payment, kWh cost, and monthly kWh usage.
Solar Panel Power
The power generated by solar panels varies pretty widely. Most yield 250 to 400 watts per hour under ideal conditions, so let’s say 350.
Production Ratio
The energy output-to-system size ratio is known as the production ratio (kWh/W). With a 10kW system generating 15 kWh annually, your production ratio is 1.5 (15/10).
Let’s Do The Numbers
The formula to determine the number of solar panels you’ll need to power your whole house is:
System size / production ratio / panel wattage
Let’s use the averages shown above to test out this formula.
10,704 / 1.5 / 350 = 20.4
This means you need 20 or 21 solar panels to power your house.
Now you can plug your actual numbers into this formula to estimate how many you actually need.
InfinityEnergy: Our skilled team brings affordable and clean energy to the Northeast, proudly. We help homeowners save money each month, with the best solar energy system available while making a better tomorrow for us all. And with our advanced in-home monitoring controls, A+ warranty, and exceptional service, our customers know they’re getting the best in the industry. Based in Mahwah, New Jersey we service Northern New Jersey, Hudson Valley, NY and Connecticut. Feel free to get in touch with your questions or contact us for your free quote!
