If you are considering having a qualified solar installer convert your home to solar energy, it is important to know what size system you will need to power your property effectively.

The number of solar panels you will need is determined by the capacity of the system you require overall, and that is primarily based on the amount of energy you use.

With that in mind, let’s try to answer the question of how many solar panels your home might need below.

Understanding your power usage

Before you can work out how many solar panels you will need in your solar photovoltaic (PV) system, you will need to know how much energy your family generally uses.

In Australia, the average family uses between 15 and 20 kilowatts of energy every 24 hours, whereas single residents will use between 8 and 12 kilowatts, and larger families could use as much as 40 kilowatts every day.

Of course, if your family spends more time at home than average or uses more power than most, then this figure could vary and you will need to think about exactly what you do in your home that uses power, from boiling kettles to watching TV, to determine how much energy you typically use.

Solar panel output options

Solar panels come in a number of sizes, but the most common are 6.6kW, 8kW, and 10Kw. Your output options will be determined by how much power you need,m how much of your home you are able to cover, and a number of other factors, which is why it is a good idea to talk to a qualified solar installer about your options.

Installation considerations

There are various factors that will affect how your solar panels installation goes.

The main thing you need to think about is how much roof space you have. If your roof is obstructed in any way or in shade, then installation may be more complex due to needing to use brackets to make the best of the space available.

It is also important to think about the location of your home because North facing panels tend to be more efficient, although you can have panels facing in any direction and still generate a lot of power.

Calculating the size of your solar energy system

One kilowatt of solar power can produce an output of between 1 and 4 kilowatt hours of energy each day, on average. So, you will need to divide the kilowatt hours of energy you use each day by the output of your panel to determine how many you will need.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you now understand solar panels and how they are used a bit better, but if you are in any doubt as to whether solar is for you or how many solar panels you will need, talk to a qualified solar installer today. They will be able to answer all of your questions in more detail, and calculate the exact number of solar panels you will need.