1. What is a Solar Needs Calculator?

Definition: This calculator estimates the solar power required based on your energy needs, available sunlight, and system performance.

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

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( P \) — Solar power needed (watts)
• \( Load \) — Daily energy requirement (watt-hours)
• \( H \) — Peak sunlight hours per day
• \( PR \) — System performance ratio (0-1)

Explanation: Your energy needs are divided by the product of sunlight hours and system efficiency to determine required panel wattage.

3. Importance of Solar Calculation

Details: Proper sizing ensures your solar system meets energy demands without over-investing in unnecessary capacity.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter your daily energy needs in Wh, 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 find my daily energy needs?
A: Check your electricity bill for kWh usage and multiply by 1000 to get Wh, then divide by 30 for daily average.

Q2: What's a typical performance ratio?
A: Most systems have 0.75-0.85 ratio 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 like NASA's for your area's average peak sun hours.

Q4: Should I add a safety margin?
A: Yes, consider adding 10-20% to the calculated power for system aging and unexpected usage increases.

Q5: Does this include battery storage?
A: No, this calculates panel needs. Battery sizing requires additional calculations based on days of autonomy needed.