1. What is a Solar Panel 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 solar installers determine the appropriate solar panel size for specific energy needs.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( P \) — Solar panel 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 panel wattage.

3. Importance of Solar Panel Sizing

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

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 find my daily energy requirement?
A: Check your electricity bill for kWh usage and convert to watt-hours (multiply by 1000), then divide by 30 for daily average.

Q2: What's a typical performance ratio?
A: Most systems have a PR between 0.70-0.80, accounting for losses from temperature, wiring, inverters, etc.

Q3: How do I determine sunlight hours for my location?
A: Use solar insolation maps or consult local solar installation data (default is 5 hours for many regions).

Q4: Should I round up the calculated power?
A: Yes, it's recommended to round up to the nearest standard panel size for safety margin.

Q5: Does this include battery storage calculations?
A: No, this calculates panel requirements only. Battery sizing requires additional calculations.