Are you looking for a way to reduce electricity bills and contribute to reducing global warming for your family? Solar installation is an imperative addition to the future of American homes.
It is expected that by 2024, 2.5% of all American homes will have solar installation. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, the USA has already surpassed the whopping number of 2 million solar PV installations. It’s a great sign of growth in the renewable energy sector.
If you’re thinking of getting your hands on this nifty little product, keep reading. You’ll find out how many solar panels run a house, whether it’s 1500, 2500, or 3000 square feet. We’ll also cover the cost of solar panel installation.
Summary
You will need between 15 and 20 solar panels to run a 1,500-square-foot home, and they’ll cost you roughly $2625 – $3675. You will need between 37 solar panels to run a 2,500-square-foot home, and they’ll cost you roughly $2975-$6,600. You will need between 44 solar panels to run a 3,000 square foot home, and they’ll cost you roughly $7700.
In this article, we’ll also cover the following:
- How long do they last?
- What happens with surplus energy
Table of Contents
- How Many Solar Panels Do You Need?
- 1,500 Square Foot
- 2,500 Square Foot
- 3,000 Square Foot
- How much will it cost?
- 1500 sq. foot cost
- 2500 sq. foot cost
- 3000 sq. foot cost
- How many kilowatts does my family use?
- That’s it, folks!
Continue reading
How Many Solar Panels Do You Need?
The number of solar panels you need for a house depends on the size, although the number is usually between 15 and 40.
1,500 Square Foot
An average American home is approximately this size. Thus we can get a rough idea of how many panels you require. On average, a house this size generates a bill of around $100 per month.
For usage of this size, you would require somewhere between 15 and 20 panels. The exact figure can be determined when you know the other factors like usage and sunlight hours. Consider the wattage of each brand.
2,500 Square Foot
A house of this size means even more electricity is needed. Therefore it’s more common for a house this size to use both generic and solar-generated electricity. A place of 2500 sq feet generates approximately 11,775kWh per year.
This figure divided by the average wattage generated by most brands’ panels comes down to around 37 panels. That’s if you choose to rely on solar alone and no other source of energy. For example, if you switch up to regular utility company power in the winter, the number will decrease.
3,000 Square Foot
A house of this size will generate almost 14000 kWh per year. This usage generates around 44 panels on the roof if you only want solar energy to run in the house. Keep reading further below to find out the cost of these installations.
Let’s cover the basics and information homeowners need to get you the right solar system. It’s a great way to lower your utility bill!
How much will it cost?
Now that we’ve seen the number needed, we can look at the money factor.
1500 sq. foot cost
Since the use of solar began initially, the prices of their usage have gone down significantly. A typical one can cost between 50 to 70 cents per watt. A 350W model would then be anywhere between $175 and $245. Since we mentioned that a house of this size would require about 15- 18 panels, it comes down to $2625 – $3675.
2500 sq. foot cost
You would require anywhere between 17 to 25 premium panels with high efficiency for a home of this size. A 2500 square foot-size home would generate around 11,775 kWh per year.
If you’re using budget ones, the number needed will go up. According to the calculations we just performed above, your cost would come to $2975- $4550. The lower range reflects 17, and the high range reflects 26 panels.
3000 sq. foot cost
You would need no less than 44 panels for a huge home of this size. This size will generate around 14130 kWh per year. The cost would come down to $7700 of using the panels at 50 cents per watt.
Note: Here, the installation cost has not been included. When added, it will significantly increase your spending. The cost of installation varies from company to company.
Even if you don’t get a system size that covers the overall utility bills, you can, of course, still save money and cover some of your electricity needs.
When you have additional questions, get in touch with an installer that makes sure to help you out. Some provide ballpark estimates, and others provide quotes. It depends on various variables, including the condition of your roof.
Figure out your home’s energy needs. The typical solar panel wattage capacity is upward of 400W per panel, and excess power can be sent back into the utility grid.
How many kilowatts does my family use?
By now, you’re probably convinced about the idea of installing solar in your home to save on bills and aid climate change. You’re probably wondering, how many solar panels does your home need? You need to know how much electricity your house uses to answer this.
Take a look at your past bills. Divide the monthly average by thirty or the yearly average in kWh by 365. The resultant factor should be divided by 24 to determine your hourly average electricity usage. Your answer will be in kWh.
Alternatively, you can also go the detailed route and take note of the wattage of each device you own and use. You can find the wattage on each device and multiply it by the hours it’s plugged in to get the kilowatt requirements.
For instance, 100 watts for a device plugged in for 10 hours will equal 1000 watt-hours or 1kWh.
In this manner, you can calculate all the device hours and find the charge per kWh to find the expense of your home approximately.
That’s it, folks!
We hope this article has increased your knowledge about the possibilities of renewable energy. Hopefully, you can cash in on the savings it can also generate for you. The more people hop on to the solar train, the less expensive it’ll be to install various solutions and reach grid parity.
Whether it’s partial or complete solar power, this is the perfect contribution to reducing climate change and greenhouse gases. Get your hands on any of these bad boys, save money and go green – forever!
Do the math and look at the numbers. You can find an online calculator that can figure out your energy consumption and how long it will take for the system to repay itself. We hope this guide helped you! It makes a lot of sense with all the benefits.
