How many solar panels do you need for one house?

Solar energy has been used for decades, but, with the challenge of the ecological transition, solar panels have become an option for self-consumption in homes. We explain in more detail the advantages of solar kits for private homes and the ways to calculate how many are necessary in each home

How many solar panels should each house have?

The calculation of the number of panels depends on several issues related to the needs of the home, the climatic conditions of the area and the characteristics of the solar kits. As a general principle, the square meter is used as a measure, which allows us to make calculations that are close to reality.

In any case, we are going to give a standard example; a small single-family house in a temperate zone of Spain would use approximately 200 kW per month of energy. This would mean that you would need 28 panels to cover this demand, although in reality it is something more.

Calculate the amount of energy we need

First of all, you should calculate how much energy you need per month and, for this, we recommend that you check the power you have contracted and the Kw consumption per month that you do.

The more devices you connect, the greater the power you will need and that works for all cases, but much more in a house with solar panels. This aspect is essential because, if you aspire to self-consumption only with solar energy, you have to calculate in advance what you are going to spend.

The objective is that the solar kit you hire can respond to the energy needs of your home.

Check the hours and the amount of light

It is essential that you check the hours of sunshine per year in your house and, for this, it is good that you check the official meteorology pages for the average annual insolation.

You also have to calculate the hours of daily sunshine, because you have to remember that the energy gap in winter and summer is noticeable. Depending on the longitude and latitude, the sites have more or less daylight hours. Without going any further, in Spain there are areas with variable lighting at different times of the year.

Finally, remember a house facing south generates more solar energy than those properties facing north. Therefore, you also have to check this question.

Check the power of the solar panel

The power of the panels can vary, and a lot, depending on the material. It is good that you know, however, that the standard power of a solar panel is 250 V.

From there, it will be convenient for you to calculate what your daily consumption needs are to calculate how many you need because not all panels are equally efficient.

The calculation in this case would be simple, because one kW is the usual measure to calculate consumption and this represents 1000 W. To generate a daily kW, you would need 4 standard panels.

The advantages of a house with solar panels

Solar panels are interesting installations for homes for several reasons, not only sustainability, but also economic if we consider the long-term installation. The most obvious benefits are the following:

Zero Emission Impact Energy

If you are concerned about the future of the planet, this is one of the best options out there. It is a 100% renewable energy and the impact on emissions is zero.

The economic uptake

The bill for generating solar energy is much cheaper than if you opt for conventional electricity.

Compatible with other energies

Solar kits can be compatible with other energy sources. In some homes it is impossible to use only solar panels, so you can use electrical installations.

Very low maintenance cost

The maintenance of the solar panels is inexpensive and cleaning a month is enough. Also, most manufacturers offer 25-year warranties.

Comparison between solar energy consumption and other sources

Photovoltaic panels are a good option if you are looking for clean, sustainable and economical energy. In addition, and unlike other energy sources, you have the possibility of aspiring to self-consumption if you install the necessary solar panels.

The electrical energy that is obtained through hydroelectric, thermal or nuclear power plants continues to generate a greater environmental impact and, for the moment, it does not seem that this will disappear. On the other hand, wind energy is clean, but it has the problem that it is not possible to aspire to domestic self-consumption.

How to get the most out of a solar panel

If you want to get the most out of your solar panels, it is good that you keep in mind the following points: choice, rational consumption and guarantees.

The previous choice will be essential so that you do not have unpleasant surprises, especially in 100% self-consumption. Keep in mind that installing one m2 of panels costs between 600 and 8