How Many Solar Panels Does It Take to Make One Kilowatt? Calculating the Number o Panels !

e"uire# or $our Home %nergy Nee#s

Con&erting to solar 'ower is an en&ironmentally( rien#ly o'tion that has been getting more attention in recent years) *ut how many solar 'anels woul# a resi#ential home nee#+ an# how many solar 'anels #oes it take to make one kilowatt? %&eryone,s li estyle is #i erent an# so is the amount o energy they consume) Consum'tion #e'en#s on the ty'e o a''liances you own an# how o ten they,re use#) So when it comes to -getting o the gri#,+ you nee# to #etermine a realistic energy consum'tion that #oes not im'act your nee#s or li estyle) Solar .rrays . solar array is an interconnecte# system o smaller 'hoto&oltaic /P01 mo#ules calle# P0 cells+ or solar cells) These cells+ when connecte# in series /one a ter another1+ can charge a bank o batteries that will store the energy until nee#e#) . #e&ice calle# an in&erter is 'lace# between the batteries an# the inal loa#+ con&erting this energy into electricity that can be use# to 'ower your lights an# a''liances) %ach solar array has a s'eci ic rating) Some are 23 4+ 53 4 or 673 4 which means how much 'ower it can out'ut un#er i#eal sunny con#itions) .s you can see+ the 'anels are measure# in 4atts yet most a''liances re"uire kilo4atts) There ore+ a number o these solar arrays are re"uire# in or#er to meet a ty'ical #aily energy nee#s) *e ore we start get to the number o solar 'anels re"uire#+ consi#er this8 How much 'ower #o you nee#? %lectrical 'ower is measure# in 4atts an# energy consum'tion is measure# in kilo4att hours /k4h1) . kilo4att hour is sim'ly8 The amount o electricity use# /6333 4atts 9 6 kilo4atts1+ in kilo4atts multi'lie# by The number o hours the energy is use#) :sually the calculation states the time 'erio# such as one #ay+ one month or one year) ;or e<am'le8 i a 633 4 light bulb is on or 63 hours a #ay then8 633=6333 /kilowatt1 < 63 /hours1 9 6 k4h 'er #ay) In one month+ that same 633 4 light bulb+ turne# on or 63 hours a #ay will consume8 633=6333 /kilo4att1 < 63 /hours1 < >3 #ays 9 >3 k4h hours 'er month) $our electrical bill will usually show how many k4h all o your electrical #e&ices use# o&er the last billing 'erio# /usually aroun# >3 #ays1) Determine $our %nergy !e"uirements *e ore con&erting to solar 'ower+ look at your electricity bills rom the last year+ an# #etermine your energy usage) Some o us will use more energy in the summer when the air(con#itioner is running) Others+ who li&e in col#er climates+ will use more electricity in the winter+ when the nights are col#

an# long) Make a goo# estimate at how much 'ower you,ll nee# 'er #ay) I this is or a new installation+ such as a cottage+ then here are some a&erage numbers to get you starte#??8 6@ 4 bulb /on 63 hours1 A B)5 k4h=month /2C)@ k4h=year1 633 4 bulb /on 63 hours1 A >3 k4h=month />@3 k4h=year1 !e rigerator A >@)C k4h=month /BB3 k4h=year1 Dishwasher A B6 k4h=month /BD7 k4h=year1 Clothes 4asher A 7B)D k4h=month /7DD k4h=year1 %lectric Clothes Dryer A CB)C k4h=month /5D@ k4h=year1 Sto&e E O&en /sel (cleaning1 A @6)72 k4h=month /C>2 k4h=year1 ?? Source8 Natural !esources Cana#a 4ill solar 'ower work in my location? Solar 'anels will work anywhere there is sunF howe&er+ some locations are better than others) Here are some o the more im'ortant actors you nee# to take into account8 Gocation) Southern locations recei&e more #irect sunlight than northern locations) Season) In the northern hemis'here+ #aylight hours are longer in summer an#+ once the batteries are ully charge#+ the e<cess electricity will be waste#) In winter+ the #ays are shorter an# there may not be enough sunlight to recharge the batteries or the night(time re"uirements) Climate) Solar arrays are most e icient in bright+ #irect sunlight an# can be re#uce# by 23H i the sky is o&ercast) I snow collects on the 'anel+ the array will sto' 'ro#uce electricity until the snow melts or it is manually cleare#) Obstacles) .nything that blocks sunlight rom alling on the 'anels will re#uce the e iciency o the arrays) This inclu#es sha#ows+ lea&es+ #ust an# other #ebris) The 'anels can "uickly become ine icient when obstructe# rom ull+ #irect sunlight) How many solar arrays will I nee#? The answer to this "uestion #e'en#s on your li estyle an# energy consum'tion) .s a rough calculation+ i you re"uire >)52 k4h 'er #ay+ then you,ll re"uire the ollowing number o solar 'anels8 >)52 k4h /'er #ay1 #i&i#e# by C hours o sunlight /'er #ay1 9 3)22 k4 rom the solar array I you ha&e a 673 4 'anel+ one o the largest units a&ailable to#ay+ then you,ll nee#8 3)22 /k41 #i&i#e# by 673=6333 /k41 9 B)@ 'anels This is a rough calculation but it shows that un#er i#eal con#itions+ you,ll nee# more than one solar 'anel to meet a ty'ical li estyle) This is assuming the ollowing8 $our roo is large enough to accommo#ate 2 'anels /since you canIt really ha&e JB)@J 'anels1) The 'anels recei&e #irect sunlight or at least C hours a #ay) There are no obstacles in ront o the arrays) The 'anels are ke't clean) ItIs har# to know how many solar 'anels you woul# nee#+ as it #e'en#s on so many actors) Howe&er+ the abo&e calculations can 'ro&i#e you with a goo# starting 'oint to see i solar 'ower is a &iable o'tion or your home energy nee#s)

Po'reKni 'resLek Le#ne ti'iKne solarne MeliLe+ ma kog ti'a bila 'rikaNan Le na slici >) /uNeta Le siliciLska solarna MeliLa Na 'rimLer1) Pr&i sloL Le NaOtitno staklo tL) SiO7+ koLe Otiti MeliLu o# s'olLaOnLih uticaLa) Is'o# Le antire lektuLuMi koLi smanLuLe re lektciLu s&etlosti i obeNbePuLe #a Oto &iOe energiLe #os'e #o 'olu'ro&o#nika /'o&eMa&a se iskoriOMenLe MeliLe1) Qatim se nalaNi sistem trans'arentnih elektro#a+ TCO) On kontaktira 'olu'ro&o#nik sa 'n s'oLem u kome se &rOi Nah&atanLe otona SunKe&e s&etlosti) Sa #onLe strane Le metaliNaciLa(Na#nLi kontakt) Maksimalni iNlaNni na'on in#i&i#ualne solarne MeliLe iNnosi oko @33(C33m0+ 'a se MeliLe seriLski 'o&eNuLu kako bi se #obio RelLeni na'on) NaLKeOMe se oko >@ MeliLa seriLski 'o&eNuLe st&araLuMi mo#ule nominalnog na'ona o# 670)Snaga koLu 'roiN&o#i Le#na otona'onska MeliLa Le relati&no mala 'a se u 'raksi &iOe MeliLa 'o&eNuLu u gru'u Kime se ormira otona'onski mo#ul) Prema 'roLekto&anoL snaNi mo#uli se s'aLaLu re#no i=ili 'aralelno+ Kime se ormira otona'onski 'anel koLi 'roiN&o#i struLu+ na'on i snagu Nnatno &eMeg intenNiteta+ slika B)