How much solar power do you need?

One of the leading questions when making the decision to switch to solar is “How do I know how much power I need?” Fortunately, Electricraft, Inc., the San Luis Obispo solar installation company can answer that question, plus all the other questions you have.

The answer to how much solar power you need depends on what percentage of your current energy use you want to come from solar instead of the power company. The first thing to do is to determine your average daily kilowatt hours (kWh). Do this by adding the kWh from 12 months of your power bill and dividing that by 12 to get the average monthly use, then the average monthly use by 30 for the average daily use.

Annual kWh ÷ 12 = monthly average.
Monthly average ÷ 30 = daily average

The daily average multiplied by the percentage of energy you want from solar tells you how many kWh hours per day will be generated by solar panels.

As an example, if your daily average kWh hours are 30 and you want 80-percent of that from solar:

30 × .80 = 24

Meaning you want the solar panels to generate 24 kWh hours per day.

The next step is to figure out how many solar panels are needed to generate the right amount of kWh. This depends on how many hours of sun the panels are going to get per day, and the size of the panels. This is where the expertise from the solar installation team from Electricraft comes in.

The calculations you do to find out how many kWh you want from solar energy is an estimate. After a consultation with an Electricraft solar expert, you may decide that your needs are different than your estimate. Factors you may not have considered can change your actual need.
During the site survey, the electrician determines the best locations and angle for your new solar panels. The location might be different from what you had in mind for a number of reasons, including the structure of your roof if you were considering roof-mounted panels.
If you are starting at less than 100-percent of your energy from solar but plan on fully converting to solar in the future, your new installation can include the foundation for future expansion.

All of the above factors determine the best solar panels that are going to meet your present and future needs.

There’s never been a better time to invest in solar energy and Electricraft has an experienced and qualified team to provide quality materials and workmanship. Electricraft, Inc. is a local, established, and trusted business that has been delivering electrical and solar services since it was founded. With Electricraft, you are guaranteed experience and knowledge plus: