1. What is the Solar Panel Calculator?

The Solar Panel Calculator estimates the number of solar panels needed to meet your daily energy consumption based on panel wattage, sunlight hours, and system efficiency.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the solar panel formula:

Where:

• \( daily\_kwh \) — Daily energy consumption in kilowatt-hours
• \( panel\_w \) — Wattage of each solar panel in watts
• \( hours\_sun \) — Average daily sunlight hours
• \( eff \) — System efficiency (0-1 decimal)

Explanation: The equation converts daily energy needs into the number of panels required, accounting for system losses through the efficiency factor.

3. Importance of Solar Panel Calculation

Details: Accurate solar panel estimation helps in system sizing, cost estimation, and ensuring your energy needs are met throughout the year.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter your daily kWh usage, panel wattage, average sunlight hours, and system efficiency (typically 0.75-0.85). All values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's a typical system efficiency value?
A: Most residential systems have 75-85% efficiency (0.75-0.85) accounting for inverter losses, wiring losses, temperature effects, and other factors.

Q2: How do I find my average sunlight hours?
A: Check solar insolation maps for your location or use tools like NREL's PVWatts calculator for local data.

Q3: Should I round up the panel count?
A: Yes, the calculator automatically rounds up since you can't install a fraction of a panel.

Q4: Does this account for seasonal variations?
A: No, it's based on average daily values. For year-round reliability, size for your worst-case month.

Q5: What about battery storage?
A: This calculates production needs only. Add batteries if you need nighttime or backup power.