Having a solar power system is a smart way to meet your electricity needs at home and business. However, to make sure that you are able to fulfil your needs without wasting any energy, sizing your solar system is necessary. This allows you to avoid over or underinvesting in your solar system and getting just the perfect one suited for your needs. VEMC is the leading solar panel installation company in Mumbai and in this blog, we tell you how to perfectly size your solar system.
Factors to consider in sizing
- Consumption:
Higher the levels of usage or consumption, more will be the size of the solar power system required. This means a bigger solar power system will be needed in a business or industrial setting as compared to a domestic one.
- Location:
Where you live also impacts the sizing of your solar power system. If you live in a tropical region that gets plenty of sun all year round, even lesser solar panels will produce good amount of energy. However, in temperate regions, you my require bigger solar systems to make up for the low sunlight during the winter season.
- Climate:
Although climate is largely a function of geographical location, some places neverthess are too cloudy or rainy due to other factors like altitude, monsoons etc. If you experience too much of overcast weather during the day, this will also necessitate installing a bigger solar power system.
- Efficiency:
Highly efficient monocrystalline solar panels produce plenty of energy over a limited surface area. This also plays a role in determining the size of your solar system.
A step-by-step guide on sizing
- Calculate your usage:
For starters, you must be aware of your annual energy usage. You can find this from your electricity bill which may also exhibit the peaks and valleys of energy consumption. Find out the average usage of electricity per day.
- Find out your peak sun hours:
The peak sun hours vary according to your location and climate. To make the most of your solar power, find out your peak sun hours using a sun hours chart.
- Calculate the size of your solar power system:
To find out the size of a solar power system that would be most suited for your needs, divide your daily energy requirement (in kWh) by your peak sun hours. This will give you a kW output. Divide this by your solar panel’s efficiency and you’ll get an estimate of the number of panels you’ll need.
Alternatively, if you know the “efficiency factor” of the solar panels (lets say 0.2), here’s the formula to find out the size of your solar power system:
(Daily kWh / Average sun hours) x 0.2 = Size of solar system
Proper sizing of your solar power sytems is very important to ensure optimal performance and cost effectiveness. For consultation on sizing your panels, call our experts on 022 43436655 or email us at marketing@vemc.co.in. VEMC is the leading solar installation and consulting company in Mumbai. Get in touch today!