When it comes to determining how many solar panels you need, there are a few factors to consider. First, taking into account the average energy consumption of your household is crucial. To do this, one would look at the last 12 months of electric usage. If you keep paper bills, you can look for the kilowatts (listed as kwh) per month listed on the bill. Total all the months for the yearly total because you have low and high usage during different seasons of the year. If you can't locate it on your bill, an easy method is to call your utility company with a pen and paper in hand and they will tell you the kilowatts per month. No problem.
Calculating your specific needs based on your desired level of self-sufficiency is crucial. Some homeowners aim to cover 100% of their energy usage with solar power while others prefer a smaller percentage due to budget constraints or other considerations.
Another aspect to consider is the size and efficiency of the solar panels themselves. Older models require more space to generate a comparable amount of electricity as newer, more efficient panels. Therefore, if you opt for high-efficiency panels with advanced technology, such as PERC cells (passivated emitter rear contact - which maximizes solar cell performance for optimization cell performance and improves the capture of light) OR bifacial modules (A bifacial solar cell is any photovoltaic solar cell that can produce electrical energy when illuminated on both of its surfaces, front or rear. In contrast, monofacial solar cells produce electrical energy only when photons impinge on their front sides) If the panels are applicable and you chose the higher priced panels you may need fewer panels.
As an example, if your yearly kilowatts is 12,000 kilowatts and each solar panel produced 350 watts per solar panel, you would need 34-35 panels. If the solar panels produced 400 watts per solar panel, you would only need 30 panels. It's simple math, 12,000 divided by 350 or 12,000 divided by 400. Whatever applies to the amount of watts each solar panel produces. This would cover your current use. You can always add more panels later if your energy consumption goes up, example adding an electric car will increase your need for extra energy. We hope this has helped!
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