How many solar panels does it take to power a house?>?

Answer 1

I will first answer your question and then rant on the answers you got so far.

To power your home you need to get your last 12 months electric bills and total the kWh for the year and divide it by 365 days. That gives you your daily usage. In most areas in the USA there is 4 to 5 hours of Peak Sun. You would then divide the daily usage by the peak sun hours and that is how many solar modules you will need. Then you will need to size an inverter. If you are on the Grid you do not need batteries because the grid is the biggest battery in the world. In most states you can roll over your over production from one month to the next for a full year. So your big months in the summer will pay for the less sun months in the winter.

Check out this web page. http://www.oynot.com/solar-info.html

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I have noticed that the same people keep saying the same thing over and over and have no idea of what they are talking about. I have answered this question over and over and even showed 30 years of math to prove it.

I have done the math over and over at 7.5 cents per kWh and without any grants or insentives you will pay off a solar electric system in about 30 years.

Think about a few things. Like you are renting electric from the utility. I don't see where you are gaining anything at all from renting? You do not have any thing in the end. But if you were to buy a solar electric system no matter what your cost per kWh is, you can sell the system with your home and get every penny you spent on it back. So your cost was Zero and you had years of free electric as well.

People need to add in all the taxes they pay over the years as well .You will pay 8% in taxes. Plus there is an inflation rate of a minium of 3.5% every year. That alone would be more savings in taxes and inflation then the intrest on your loan. You don't pay taxes on the power you make your self.

Then there is a tax break because it is a home improvment and at the minute you can get up to 2000 dollars tax credit just for installing solar.

I have yet to understand why people want to say it cost so much. Maybe they don't know anything about it is my guess.

Check it out for your self is the best way. Call a solar electric dealer.

Answer 2

Lets say a household solar panel (averaging somewhere between $500-$750) is rated at 100 Watts. The average household in America uses 8900 kW-hrs per year, or 24,383 W-hrs per day. Assuming you can get 10 hours of sun (which is unlikely), each panel would output 1000 W-hrs per day, so you'd need about 25 panels. At at least $500 a piece, this could cost a lot. I should note, as well, that this is all best-case scenario... you would need more because they're not 100% efficient, you probably won't get 10 hours of sun, and you might use more than 8900 kw-hrs, especially in the winter.

As of now, solar power is not feasible *financially* (about a 75-year payback period) for a household, but if you can afford it, it helps the environment and everyone else attached to the grid.

I've done countless hours of research on this subject, so email me if you have any more questions.



Added: tlbs101:
I live in Mass. where our electricity is about 17c/kW-hr. We worked through an example house in one of my energy engineering grad classes. Part of the problem we had (which was decided no one would ever do) was we had enough batteries to last 3 full days without power, so this was a huge problem considering those batteries need to be replaced every couple of years. The other issues were poor insolation rates, low government subsidies, and issues with energy loss due to AC/DC conversion. I do remember being shocked at it coming up at 75 years, but I think our professor was trying to make a point, and that's why we didn't do a reasonable analysis... one that someone would actually consider. Plus the installation costs were very high.

Answer 3

Jon G has it about right.

I'll add these 2 comments:
1. My calculations show an amortization time of, more like 10-12 years, not 75. He must live in a place where electricity is cheap at less than 5 cents/kWhr. With current tax credits both Federal and State, the time to payoff the high cost of panels and battery/inverter/switch systems is more like 5-7 years.

2. You don't necessarily have to be completely 'independant'. You can always buy, say, 5 solar panels, and reduce your monthly electric bill (rather than completely eliminating it). Later you can add a few more until you become completely independant from the grid.

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Answer 4

Build Home Solar Power : http://SolarPower.siopu.com/?yuc

Answer 5

It depends on how big your house is, and whether you have older or newer solar panels, and how big those panels are.

Read below:
http://home.howstuffworks.com/question418.htm

Answer 6

depends what appliances you use.
solar is good for low wattage stuff, tv, computer, lights , stereo,
forget toasters microwave, vacuum, , washer
If you live near a power pole, use city electric.
if you live off-the-grid, you use multi sources,
generator/solar/wind.
MIKE