1. What is a Solar Panel for Home Calculator?

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

Purpose: It helps homeowners and installers determine the appropriate solar panel size for residential energy requirements.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( P \) — Required solar panel power (watts)
• \( Load \) — Daily energy consumption (watt-hours)
• \( H \) — Peak 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 solar panel power needed.

3. Importance of Solar Panel Calculation

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 requirement 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 requirement?
A: Check your electricity bills for daily kWh usage (multiply by 1000 to get Wh) or use an energy monitor.

Q2: What's a typical performance ratio?
A: Most residential systems have PR between 0.7-0.8, accounting for losses from temperature, wiring, inverters, etc.

Q3: How do I determine sunlight hours for my location?
A: Use solar maps or local meteorological data for average peak sun hours in your area.

Q4: Should I add a safety margin?
A: Yes, consider adding 10-20% to account for panel degradation over time and less-than-ideal conditions.

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