1. What is a Solar Power Calculator?

Definition: This calculator estimates the solar panel power needed based on your energy requirements, available sunlight hours, and system performance ratio.

Purpose: It helps homeowners and businesses determine the appropriate solar panel capacity for their energy needs.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( P \) — Solar power needed (watts)
• \( Load \) — Daily energy requirement (watt-hours)
• \( H \) — Average sunlight hours per day
• \( PR \) — Performance ratio (system efficiency)

Explanation: The energy requirement is divided by the product of sunlight hours and performance ratio to determine the required solar panel capacity.

3. Importance of Solar Power Calculation

Details: Accurate calculation ensures your solar system meets energy demands, avoids oversizing (costly) or undersizing (ineffective), and helps with proper system design.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter your daily energy needs in watt-hours, average sunlight hours (default 5), and performance ratio (default 0.75). All values must be > 0.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How do I determine my daily energy load?
A: Check your electricity bills for daily kWh usage (convert to Wh by multiplying by 1000) or sum the wattage × hours of all devices you'll power.

Q2: What's a typical performance ratio?
A: Most systems have 0.75-0.85 PR, accounting for losses from temperature, wiring, inverters, and dirt.

Q3: How do I find sunlight hours for my location?
A: Use solar maps or databases from NASA or NREL that provide average daily solar insolation for your area.

Q4: Does this include battery storage?
A: No, this calculates panel capacity only. For off-grid systems, you'll need additional battery calculations.

Q5: Should I add a safety margin?
A: Yes, consider adding 10-20% to account for panel degradation over time and unexpected increases in energy use.