As power outages become more common, electricity costs rise, and environmental concerns mount, residential solar power is starting to look more appealing than ever.
However, there are a lot of questions that arise when you think about installing a solar panel system on your roof. Most importantly — how much does it cost to install a solar panel system? Solar costs can range anywhere from $15,000 to $50,000. You can further reduce the cost of buying and installing solar power systems thanks to the 30% federal tax credit, state and municipal government tax credits, tax exemptions, rebates, and other incentives.
To begin with, you will first need to calculate the number of solar panels you need to power your home. A reputable solar installer will do this for you, but if you would like to get an approximate idea of the costs beforehand — or want to check the installer’s math — we have just the guide for you.
A common misconception is to gauge how much “bang for your buck” you’re getting purely based on wattage, said Courtney Corda, co-founder of the California-based solar company Corda Solar. Knowing how many panels you need isn’t just about wattage, but the costs involved in installing, panel performance, location and your usage needs, Corda explained.
Here’s how to figure out how many panels can support your energy needs and what other factors that can affect that number.
Factors that affect how many solar panels you will need
The number of solar panels you’ll need depends on a variety of factors and is going to vary drastically by household. A few factors affecting the amount of panels you’ll need are:
- Wattage per panel
- Panel efficiency
- How much energy your solar panels are producing
- Your household’s energy consumption
- Size of the panel
- How many hours of peak sunlight you receive
- The condition and shading of your roof
- Your own personal energy goals and needs
How to calculate how many solar panels you will need
Desired energy production (kW) / Solar panel wattage (kW) = Number of solar panels needed
Jake Edie, an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois Chicago suggests taking the following steps:
Step 1. Review your monthly electric bill: It’s important to determine how many kilowatt-hours of electricity you consume monthly. As an example, we will use 1,500 kWh every month.
Can I run my house on solar power only?
It depends on a number of factors, such as how much energy your home consumes in a given year, its size, your system’s panel efficiency and where you live. Consult with a solar installer to get an idea.
Can solar panels run an air conditioner?
Correction, Aug. 18: This story originally presented some statements as direct quotations that were actually paraphrases of what the individual cited had said. Those passages have now been rendered appropriately as paraphrases.
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