There is no specific formula for how many solar panels are needed for a home with X number of square feet. You could estimate that an average-sized solar panel would translate to about 15 watts per square foot; however, it is difficult to narrow down exactly what you would need until meeting with an energy consultant.
Here’s an Example
One individual living in a 2,000 square foot home who keeps the A/C at 67 degrees in the middle of summer, does not run a whole lot of electronics, has a well-insulated house, has installed LED lighting throughout, and uses gas vs electric heating may only need 15-20 solar panels on the roof to achieve 100% production. Compare that situation to another 2,000 square foot home where a family of 5 lives under the roof. Add in their preferences for a cooler home in the middle of summer, higher electronic usage, maybe an older home without as much insulation, a pool in the backyard, an electric vehicle charging in the garage, and an electric heat pump for winter, you would expect to see significantly different energy consumption. That family may need upwards of 30 panels to get to 100% production.
So much Variation
On top of that, solar panels vary in size, efficiency, and capacity. If you chose to install a low capacity and low efficiency panel, you would probably need several more of those versus if you installed a higher capacity and higher efficiency panel.
If you want to view your home’s initial potential for solar, a good resource is Project Sunroof using Google maps.
It is worth having a detailed conversation with an energy consultant to analyze your options.
At Rectify, we believe in gathering as many facts as possible during our initial conversation including a full picture of your energy usage over the course of a year. We will ask questions about home improvements, future electric vehicle purchases, and more to ensure that you are set up with a system that will cover your needs in the short term and provide you with expansion opportunities down the road. If you’re interested in speaking with an energy consultant about what a solar installation would look like for your home, click on the “Get Started” button below.
