The number of solar panels required is directly proportional to the daily power required to supply the home. Because the available energy to be harvested from the sun, it is calculated based on the daily average of available solar energy. The energy production per square foot of solar panel surface for that harvest must be known. If we require more solar energy to be harvested; the solar panel surface area is enlarged by the addition of more panels within the system. Typically, a solar panel that produces at 175 watts per hour represents about 14 square feet (1.3 m2) of solar panel surface area. A 100% efficient solar panel would convert the standard 1,000 Watts/m2 that strikes the surface of the earth into 1300 watts of solar energy. However, at 15% (typical efficiency for today’s solar panel technology) the same panel produces the manufacture’s rating of 175 watts. A 200 watt panel of the same quality is just physically larger (more surface area).Two 87.5 watt rated panels (physically smaller), would produce 175 watts under the same conditions. As a result the total number of solar panels needed is a ratio of available solar energy, and the daily power consumed by the system loads. If this ratio is not properly calculated, including the DC to AC conversion process and system losses, the solar panels will fail to supply the batteries with the energy required to replace what is consumed by the loads on a daily basis. The number of panels required depends on the energy harvest required to meet the needs of the system design.
Solar for Homes and Businesses in Virginia
