Solar Panel Formula

Here’s a basic formula to estimate the number of solar panels you need:

Where:

 

Example Calculation

1. Energy Usage: Let’s say your monthly energy consumption is 900 kWh.
2. Solar Panel Output: Suppose you’re using 300W panels.
3. Sunlight Hours: Assume your location gets an average of 5 peak sunlight hours per day.
4. System Efficiency: Assume an efficiency of 85% (0.85).

First, convert your monthly energy usage to daily usage:

Next, calculate the daily energy output per panel:

Finally, calculate the number of panels:

In this scenario, you would need approximately 24 solar panels to cover your energy usage.