How to Choose a Right One Solar Energy System

l How to Determining The Energy Your Needs

First, look at your electric bill and get the kilowatt reading. The kilowatt reading should be right beside the "kWh" abbreviation on your bill. Make sure the reading is for a month with average use.

If an average use month is too hard to select, then add up every month's kWh usage for the entire year and divide by 12 to get the average kilowatts used per month.

Next, divide your monthly average kilowatt use by 30 to get your daily average use. Then, divide this number by the average number of full sun hours that there are per day in your area (usually 5-8 hours).

Multiply this new number by 1.15 just to be sure you make up for any unforeseen inconsistencies in effectiveness. This will give you your total in Kilowatts. To convert this to watts, just multiply by 100. This will give you a better understanding of what size solar system is needed.

l What is the Best Solar Panel for You?

Since we determined that you need to produce 2.5 kw or other for every hour of full sun (in our energy audit example above), you will need 2.5 x 100 = 250 square feet of dedicated space and therefore 250 square feet of solar panels.

The amount of electricity a given solar panel can produce will produce is dependent on several factors, including the power rating, power tolerance, efficiency and temperature coefficient. Taken together, these factors will tell you how much power your panel will be able to produce.

While some homeowners may choose to invest in the highest quality, most efficient “premium” panels, remember that those will come with a higher price tag. Going solar is a lot like buying a car: not everyone needs a Porsche! Conversely, if you want to save by buying cheap solar panels, your system may produce less electricity over its lifetime, reducing your overall savings. Only you know what is best for your home.

l What is the Best Inverter for You?

It’s the job of the inverter in your solar energy system to convert the solar energy into something you can use. Solar panels take solar energy and make it into direct current (DC) power. The inverter’s job is to convert that DC power into the alternating current (AC) electricity that can be used in your home. String inverter is a good choose for home use.

String inverters are the lowest-cost option for a solar energy system. If your system has optimal conditions for production, they are usually a good choice for your home. When your solar panel system has a string inverter, all of your panels feed all of the DC power they produce to a single inverter. The inverter then changes the DC energy to AC power, at which point your solar energy is ready to use.