If you are planning to move on from your property within the next five to seven years, you need to consider whether you will get the expected return on your investment. As an engineer,  I think there is a place for detail, analysis and optimisation. Calculate the amount of solar panels you will need to heat your pool. The chart below from demonstrates a typical residential solar scenario, showing the timing difference between what you generate and what you use. Test how much power you need to deliver to your appliances every day to keep them charged using the REDARC Solar Calculator. Using our tool, we factor in: Improved Shade Analysis – Powered by Google Sunroof data, all estimates consider the shading and irradiance levels of every roof plane, with the panel … The importance of matching generation to consumption is known as also referred to as ‘self-consumption’. So it’s important to be realistic. Then hit Get Recommendations. They will definitely hear about the installations that don’t perform as expected. Save Power | Save Money | Save the Planet. The area of ‘optimal’ roof space you have available for solar panels. So, to offset 50% of my 8,400 kWh on an annualised basis I would size my system for 4200 kWh per year. The recommendation could be for a solar power system that generates 50% of your average monthly energy consumption. For residences, a system size around 3 kW is popular. Disclaimer: These output calculations use sunlight data supplied by the New Zealand Bureau of Meteorology from most New Zealand … Once you know how much energy you’re using over the course of a year we can begin to work out how many solar panels you’ll need. Minor scratches and scuffs, typical for a used panel. Is it likely to need painting or replacement anytime soon? Solar Panel Sizing Calculator For In-Ground Pool Heating. While you used to religiously set you dishwasher for midday, you forget every second day and end up putting it on after dinner. Which is totally unrealistic for most people. All you do is plug in your location, average monthly power usage and average cost of each unit (kWh) or electricity. But realistically, in my experience, most people go back to their old habits after a while. New Zealand Average Installation Sizes Residential installations in NZ can vary from a small 1.5 kW installation, up to sizable three-phase solar systems of 8 – 10 kW. Solar System Output Calculator; ... Write down how big your solar system would need to be in kW. Different panels will have different watt ratings, so you have choices about which ones to purchase. How Many Solar Panels Do You Need? There may also be some load you can’t shift. Copyright © 2020 REDARC NZ. If you are going off-grid, then a lot more thought needs to go into the sizing decision, coupled with energy efficiency and intelligent storage of surplus energy. With solar, if you’re not using the power generated by your panels then it is typically exported to the local power grid for others to use. how much of your consumption you are looking to offset with your own generation. There has recently been an uproar from solar customers in Australia as their government has moved away from subsidising solar with artificially high buy-back rates. Probably the most common means of sizing a solar installation is look at recent power bills, and then sanity check against the solar installer’s experience or ‘rule of thumb’ guide. At the end of 2016, there were around 11,000 … A typical American home will need 14-36 … Complementing this range are the REDARC Sine Inverters, Regulators and In-Vehicle Chargers, Solar Regulator Cable Kits and other accessories that will create the perfect solar power setup. The most important step is to ensure your system is sized correctly in the first place. A 6kW solar panel system produces enough electricity to match the average New Zealand household's consumption of grid produced electricity (which is 7,000kWh a year). This method is often used in conjunction with the ‘rule of thumb’ sizing and is common for solar installers, online solar calculators and panel manufacturer websites. Before you start shopping for solar installers and debating solar panels, inverters and efficiencies – you should first look inwards. (2) They are particularly good for our most sunny regions, such as Northland, Auckland, Nelson, Bay of Plenty and Marlborough. It can also be used to provide misleading economics and savings calculations. I’ll summarise them quickly here, then go into more detail on each below. The solar panel calculator can help you work out what equipment you need … Please, use the update button below the calculator body to update the … REDARC have a range of solar panels and blankets that are designed to the highest quality to maximise efficiency and integrity. How much of your power do you want to come from solar. “What size solar system do I need?” The size of your solar power system, and therefore the number of solar panels you need, should be informed by your electricity usage patterns and what you want to achieve.. This is why I am writing this article, to help you install the most efficient solar system for you. Typical questions that will be asked are: For example, my power bill might show that I am using on average 700 kWh (units) of power per month. The easiest way to figure this out is to look at past electricity bills, which should tell you how much power you've used in the previous month or quarter. Few things about solar panel output efficiency. Read from the start, or use the menu to skip to the sections you are most interested in. Let me demonstrate with a real life example. Use the solar panel sizing calculator to determine the right amount of paneling you will need to heat your pool year round. However, matching a system size to your power demands won't eliminate your power … How much can you afford to invest in a solar power install? This is an increase of 30% over the preceding 12 months and more than double the 5,000-odd installed only two years earlier. I would caution against this type of rough sizing for power hungry residences and definitely for commercial premises. This is a really simple calculator that recommends you a solar system size based upon power bill data. When choosing the best system size for your property, there are three key factors you will need to determine: The proportion of your electricity usage you are aiming to meet with solar energy. The number of solar panels that you need depends on the system size that you select. By utilising battery storage (currently not economic), altering your power usage habits, using a smart solar controller or all of the above. Ask them about the assumptions made when they demonstrate a five year or seven year payback period. Now, where did my wife hide that packet…. The solar panel calculator then estimates how much your total appliance power requirement is per day and suggests products and equipment that will help you meet those needs. A good salesperson may sell you on an amazing payback period based upon shifting almost all of your consumption to the sunniest part of the day. If you buy more than one panel, all shipped panels will be from the same manufacturer. Residential installations in NZ can vary from a small 1.5 kW installation, up to sizable three-phase solar systems of 8 – 10 kW. For increased accuracy, there must be some input from the home or business owner on their power usage habits to get at least a roughly accurate result. This will maximise the return on your solar investment and avoid your panels being just an expensive ornament. Here’s another example from  Energy Matters in Australia, which starts to also consider your home appliances. The average installed system size is around 3.6 kW. The second major restriction is often the installed system cost. To get these numbers, we used high and low panel production … The solar panel calculator can help you work out what equipment you need to fully charge your next camping, caravaning or off-road adventure. So… all I am saying is beware or the small print and assumptions when a solar panel manufacturer or installer quotes you savings and payback periods. Finally select all the appliances that will require power. You have a solar system controller, which automates this load shifting. I’ll guide you through the right ways, and wrong ways, to determine your solar power system size in an unbiased, data-driven way. If you want to install solar panels, you should weigh up the potential costs against the potential savings. Off Grid Solar Calculator -Off Grid Solar in this case refers to battery stored solar panel systems, either connected to utility or standalone. For residential at least. You do get paid for this excess energy. A 3 kW installation will generate enough energy to make a significant dent in your power bill, while still being in the $10,000 or less price range. It’s just not accurate enough, and there is a serious risk of exporting significant power, not being able to self-consume and having a detrimental effect on system economics. If you can talk to installers intelligently around generation output, you are one step ahead of the game. The power output of solar panels is measured in watts (W) and can … From this you can figure out the average daily usage. How did they get this figure? If you are like me and partial to a Tim Tam, you’ll know there is no substitute for quality. The perfect system size will depend most of all on you. How Many Solar Panels Do You Need to Power Your Home? This will tell you how many panels to use. Not all solar panels are the same. Those solar panels used for residential purposes range from 150 watts to 370 watts per panel, depending on the panel size efficiency and cell technology. ... To help people do the maths, it has put a solar calculator on its website. Be it six days or six months. Your actual consumption, you will be able to see the influence of large energy consuming appliances such as heat pumps, air-con, pool heaters, hot water cylinders and lighting. Determine how many solar panels you’ll need One solar panel produces about 1.24 kWh per day. For instance, monocrystalline photovoltaic (PV) solar panels are known to be the most efficient solar panels … Ideally, we’re looking for a north-facing roof or elevation, free from shading and at a pitch of between 10 and 40 degrees. To calculate how many solar panels are needed, multiply a household’s hourly energy requirement by peak sun hours for the area and divide by a panel’s wattage. Solar panels are a great way of reducing energy bills while lowering your carbon footprint. The benefits of solar power panels need to be carefully weighed against the costs, EECA says. What you should aim to determine is the ideal amount of generation you require from your solar power system. You should aim to use your solar power, not export it. The most important point to remember is that your solar system output should match your consumption habits. 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