When it comes to picking the size of your panels there’s 5 things to keep in mind:
- The size of your roof
- What is your energy consumption? Don’t over invest in panels that you do not need.
- What is your budget? Remember that you may receive future money off your electricity bills, so it’s a long-term investment.
- Find your angles. The correct direction and angle of the panels will have a big impact on the efficiency of the system.
- The amount of sunlight you get, and the number of panels offered by your local distributor will be entirely based on where you are.
A 5kW solar system (which is adequate for a standard size home) should on average produce around 20kWh per day. You will likely see more power produced during sunny days in summer, probably up to 30kWh and less power produced during a cloudy winter day, maybe lower than 10kWh. But over the year it should average out to around 20kWh per day.
It is, however, important to note that it isn’t about the number of solar panels, it’s about the overall capacity of the system.
Example: A 5kW Solar System can be made up of 20x 250W panels, or 15 x 333W panels.
The higher the efficiency, the fewer solar panels you will need.
