How Many Solar Panels Do You Need For Residential Solar Power?

The first question that many new solar panel buyers ask is: how many panels do I need? First things first, let's review some basic terms electricity terms you're going to come across when shopping for residential solar power.

The most basic measurement of electrical power is the watt. Since this amount of electricity is so small, you'll find most appliances rated in kilowatts. A kilowatt is simply 1000 watts of electrical power. Electric companies often use kilowatt hours to measure power usage. A good example of a kilowatt hour is if you left 10 100-watt light bulbs running for 1 hour (10 bulbs x 100-watts each for 1 hour = 1000 watts for 1 hour = 1 kWh).

Next, we have a volt. A volt is a measurement used to describe the force at which electricity flows from an electrical source. Plug outlets with higher voltages produce more electricity. This is why you have 120 Volt outlets and 220 Volt outlets. You also have amps, which is the measure of strength the electrical power has in a wire or device.

There are a few factors you need to consider when deciding just how much solar power to purchase. The first thing you need to do before you buy solar panels is look at your electric bill and your trends over the past year. Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. The average American household uses around 1000 - 1200 kWh a month.

Has your electric use risen? Have you downsized your electric use? Most solar experts agree that it's better to buy too many solar panels than not enough. The most common solar panels measure 4' 5" by 2' 2" and are rated at 120 Watts at their peak power. At this rate, one panel will produce 1.04 kWh per day at its peak power. For the average household (consuming 100 kWh per month) to become completely solar powered with 120 W panels, they would need to buy around 32-34 panels.

Another factor to consider when buying solar panels is the climate your home is located in. Residential solar power systems are most powerful when they are located on climates where they receive at least 6 hours of peak sunlight per day, and obviously, no shading. If you purchase a mono-crystalline solar power system, any shading (even over just one part of the panel) will stop energy production. Conversely, a poly-crystalline solar panel can function if a part of the panel is shaded, but these panels have lower outputs than mono-crystalline. You should buy mono-crystalline only if you know for sure that you will not have any shading whatsoever.

Another type of panel is called "amorphous". Due to amorphous panels' lower efficiency of only 6-7%, you usually have to buy twice as many panels. For homeowners with smaller roofs, this can be a limiting factor to buying amorphous panels since they quickly run out of installation space!

Residential solar power is always getting better as technology gets better. These days, there are panels rated well above 120 watts. They cost more but you can buy less and get the same result. No matter where you buy, make sure you carefully consider your future lifestyle habits and how your energy habits will change. The company you purchase from should carefully counsel you on your needs and different advantages of each system.

Philip Richards is the solar power guru. Make sure you download his Free solar power ebook to learn how to use solar power at home.

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