A solar panel is a renewable source of energy where the electricity amount depends on three key things. They are of the panel size, sunlight amount striking the panel and solar cells efficiency. Well, we will focus what to expect from a solar panel and analyze how the power output meets the gadgets and appliances needs inside your home.
The max power rating mean
The maximum power rating is usually listed on the back your solar panels. It indicates how much power will produce under ideal conditions. Using peak sun (1000 sunlight watts / square surface meter) labs can test and calculate the output of the solar panels. The sun’s power at noon, at the equator, on a sunny day, is the suitable measurement for the peak sun.
Solar panel output calculations
If your home is on the equator, you will be able to enjoy the constant solar energy. However, if not, there will be variations depending on the weather, season, and time of day making different sunlight amounts to strike your roof. It will be not accurate to gauge the amount of power from a solar panel using the maximum power rating measure. A bit of math will be required to determine how a solar panel, in a better sense, will perform in your location. One such calculator that provides you with the average sunlight that hits your roof based your locality is Weather Underground’s solar calculator. The calculator has a place to enter your address, option to enter the specific solar panel model and the panel’s square footage coverage on your roof.
Power rating for an average solar panel
Around 200 watts of power is generated from a typical solar panel. However, the amount could vary depending on your solar panel’s size and efficiency; the panel may generate 205, 210, or even 230 watts in certain instances. If you need more efficient panels, you will have to dig deeper in your pocket, since, the panels are a little more expensive. It is also appropriate when your roof space is limited. If you figure out the amount of power you are using, your solar installer will work pretty fine, and then, the whole installation size will correctly cater for your needs. You will not worry how much each panel produces in the whole array. The installation might have 25 panels or 5-kW array which might be enough.
Power usage for devices
The power use variations are huge between different households based on devices you own and how often you utilize it. For instance, one home could have a basic light bulb that consumes 60 watts while the other have CFL that utilizes 18 watts of electricity. A person may be using Laptop that consumes about 45 watts, while the other has a desktop that runs between 150-300 watts. One may prefer a Window air conditioning (that consumes between 500 and 1500 watts) while the other a central air conditioning (that uses 3500 watts). On average, a home may use about 958 kilowatts/month. Usage also varies depending on the season and between day and night.
Storage of excess power
It is advisable to store the solar energy since the power will be generated when the sun shines. Some people store using a battery, but, the easiest and cheapest solution is to remain connected to the grid. In that way, excess power more than your usage that your solar panels produce will flow back into the grid. Several utility companies offer this “net metering” program. You will never need to worry about such a grid-connected system.
