Installing a solar panel array can cut your bills, but exactly how many you need will depend on the size of your house, your energy demands and how powerful each individual panel is.
Over the past year, solar power has become increasingly desirable as a way to meet power and heating needs without relying too heavily on the national grid or gas power.
With prices becoming increasingly variable and a 13 per cent average increase in energy bills, the dream of using solar panels to be self-sufficient is tempting, but how many panels do you need to save a reasonable amount of money on your bills?
How Many Solar Panels Do You Need To Power Your House?
The Energy Savings Trust have a useful calculator that asks three questions to determine the right solar panel power solution for you:
- Where do you live?
- How many people live in your home?
- Does anyone work from home or stay in the house during peak hours (9am to 5pm)
This is a good place to start, and typically the number of solar panels you need depends on the number of people in your house or the size of the house, whichever is bigger.
This means that a one-person bungalow would need between four and six panels whilst a typical three or four-bedroom home would require somewhere between eight and 12.
What Factors Affect The Number Of Solar Panels You Need?
Most calculators will show you the number of solar panels you need, but whilst it is simple to explain over the phone, it is complicated by the fact that the same-sized home often needs very different numbers of solar panels depending on needs and means.
Here are some of the biggest factors and how they can affect your quote and your budget.
Size Of Solar Panels
When calculators define solar panels, they are talking about a standard 1 metre by 1.7 metre unit, but obviously solar panels come in all shapes, sizes and configurations.
A more useful metric is watts per square metre, as this takes into account potentially smaller or thinner panels, but it is important to bear in mind when trying to compare quotes.
Capacity Of Solar Panels
Solar panels are continuing to lower in price whilst improving in efficiency in terms of the power they generate.
Higher wattage panels are generally desirable as it allows you to generate more power whilst using less space on your roof, which lets you make the most of the summer.
Battery System
A storage battery is the central piece of your solar power system in the same way a hot water cylinder makes a traditional boiler work properly.
Having a storage battery means that your excess power generated is not wasted, nor is it returned to the National Grid for a nominal sum, but instead is kept and allows you to save even more money later.
Usage
If you work from home, have energy-intensive gadgets or appliances, have a heat pump or electric boiler, or you are intending to charge your electric car at home, you will benefit from trying to get higher capacity panels and more potential power output than you typically need.
It is a form of futureproofing and will help when trying to sell your house.
