How Much Sun Would My Solar Panels Get

If you have limited roof space the best recommendation is installing the most efficient solar panelsavailable.

How much sun would my solar panels get. After all solar panels use sunlight to produce energy so the amount of sunlight will directly affect the final power output. Axis trackers generate more electricity by using about the same amount of space as fixed systems. Google s project sunroof gives building by building details and now has data for parts of all 50. You need a sunny roof to benefit from solar panels but yours may be sunnier than you think.

The number of peak sun hours you get per day increases the closer you are to the equator and typically during the summer months. Of course one of the really important factors that will affect the power output of your solar panel is how much sun it manages to get on a daily basis. We used the 16 18 and 22 for low medium and high efficiency solar panels. The us ranges from about 4 hours 6 hours of sunlight per day on average see the below map.

Most solar panels range in efficiency from 16 20 so 22 would be exceptional. Although your panels may get an average of 7 hours of daylight a day the average peak sun hours are generally around 4 or 5. In a state with strong peak sunlight a panel with lower efficiency will likely do the trick. Considering 6 peak sun hours per day and 300 watt panels you need 16 to produce 700 kwh each month.

Solar panel tracking systems can improve a system s output by ensuring constant direct exposure to the sun both during the day and across seasons. Solar panel efficiency typically ranges from 15 to 20 percent but high end solar panels like sunpower can offer efficiency levels as high as almost 23 percent and above. Let s estimate you get about five hours per day to generate that 30 kwh you use. The average efficiency of solar panels falls between the 17 to 19 percent efficiency range.

Solar radiation peaks at solar noon when the sun reaches the highest point in the sky. Utilizing solar panel trackers to maximize your solar system s performance. The highest efficiency solar panels on the market today can reach almost 23 percent efficiency. So the kwh divided by the hours of sun equals the kw needed.

For the sake of example if you are getting 5 hours of direct sunlight per day in a sunny state like california you can calculate your solar panel output this way. Or 30 kwh 5 hours of sun 6 kw of ac output needed to cover 100 of your energy usage. 5 hours x 290 watts an example wattage of a premium solar panel 1 450 watts hours or roughly 1 5 kilowatt hours kwh.