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How To Choose The Right Sized Solar Power System

If you have decided to join the thousands of other Australians who are taking advantage of the long-term financial and environmental benefits of a solar power system, your next step is deciding just what size solar system will satisfy your needs. In this blog we look at some of the factors you need to consider.

The size you choose will vary greatly between individual households or commercial properties and there are factors you need to consider when determining which will be most beneficial to you. An exact calculation accounting for a comprehensive list of variables, requires professional advice, but some general information is still useful and will help you gauge an appropriate solar power system size.

After many years installing solar panels for many thousands of satisfied clients, SolarBright will provide you with the very best advice and a system of the highest quality. Whether you want a 3kW solar system for a small household or a commercial system in excess of 100kW, we will satisfy all your solar needs.

Roof Size

In order to harness the power of the sun, you first need to capture it and your rooftop is the best location for this. The dimensions of your roof will help you determine how many panels can be installed and how much power can be generated. Keep in mind that not all areas of your roof will be appropriate for solar panels. Any south facing sections of rooftop for example, will not receive enough sunlight to offer efficient solar power. Most homes, however, have ample space.

To help plan the right sized system for you and to make sure it will fit, SolarBright uses satellite solar mapping software. We map the panels directly on your roof and produce a report for you to estimate the annual power output of your system and the estimated yearly savings from the solar system.

Electricity Bill

The details of your electricity bill can be very illuminating when determining your energy needs and the most appropriate system for your house. Most energy providers include a graph of your electricity usage over a day, month or year on your bill. An average Australian household uses somewhere in the vicinity of 12 to 18 kWh (kilowatt hours) a day. Most of Australia’s main urban centres produce around 4kWh per 1kW of installed solar each day. If you divide the daily energy consumption of your house by the solar kilowatts per day, you can gauge the size of an appropriate solar power system.

For example, if you use 20kWh a day, you divide it by 4, which is 5. This means that a 5kW solar system would generate roughly the same amount of electricity that you use, resulting in a significant reduction in ‘on the grid’ consumption. For couples or those living alone, a 3kW solar system may be large enough to make substantial savings on your bills.

This is just a general guide and the optimal solar power system for your home is unique to your situation. Your best option is to give the team at Solar Bright a call and let us offer our expert advice.