When you look at solar panels on the rooftops of Arizona residences, you might ask yourself how many panels you’d need to power your home. After all, if you’re planning on a complete conversion to solar energy, you will want to account for fluctuations in use.
To put it simply, the number of solar panels you need depends on your household consumption and your desire for total or partial solar energy consumption. Most estimates put the number of panels necessary somewhere between 20 and 30 depending on the square footage of the home.
To figure out how many panels you need, it is helpful to know the following:
- Annual electricity use in kilowatt-hours (kWh)
- Panel wattage and efficiency
- Local climate/sunlight
Calculating Annual Electricity Use
The easiest way to calculate annual electricity use is to look at your energy bill. The latest estimates on American electricity consumption are from 2021, where Americans used an average of 10,632 kWh per year.
If you don’t have an electricity usage history, averages are a good starting point. However, Arizona residents should consider their appliances that are most power-hungry. This includes air conditioners, water heaters, and refrigerators. Most Arizona residents consume a lot of energy on air conditioning during hot summer months.
Locating Panel Wattage and Efficiency
In Arizona, a household typically needs an 11.5-kilowatt (kW) system to offset local electricity rates. Panels with high wattage cost more, but you can use less panels to get the electricity you need to meet your household needs.
Efficiency also matters. If your production ratio is higher, more of the sun’s energy is converted to electricity. Again, these are more expensive, but you need less panels to reach target electricity outputs.
Wattage is typically found on the back of the solar panel, and it may also be available on the manufacturer’s website. The power output may fluctuate depending on your local climate conditions, but Arizona generally has ideal conditions for solar panels.
Evaluating Local Climate for Solar Panels
Although Arizonians experience more sun than most other parts of the nation, climate is still a consideration for solar panel installation.
The best location is an area where the panels can be oriented in a southern-facing position. Trees that shade the solar panel array will reduce efficiency and potentially reduce energy production to below your rate of consumption. The local climate has as much to do with individual obstacles to sunlight as it does regional weather conditions.
How Many Solar Panels You Need Depends On You
Ultimately, the amount of solar panels you need will depend on your electricity needs, solar panel specifications, and the local environment. Generally, you could put the number at 20 to 30 panels, but there are too many variables to accurately predict how many panels an individual would need without first investigating these variables.
Get A Custom Designed Solar System That Meets Your Needs
At Solar Optimum, our Energy Experts take into account a variety of factors such as your current usage, estimated future usage, how much of your home’s energy you hope to produce with solar power when we design a custom solar system for you.
Get in touch with us today to schedule a virtual consultation and we’ll start the design process immediately.
