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How Many Solar Panels Do I Need?​

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‘How many solar panels do I need to take advantage of home solar in Spokane or Kootenai Counties?’ Our East Washington solar company often addresses this question. The answer is not clear-cut, as solar panel system sizing depends on many factors. However, by understanding how they affect your design, our residential solar experts can help you ensure a system sized for maximum efficiency and a fast return on investment.

 

The number of solar panels to power a house will vary based on:

  • Household energy use

  • Available ground or roof space

  • Sun exposure

  • Solar panel efficiency

  • Long-term solar energy goals

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Household Energy Use

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Calculating your energy consumption offers an excellent starting point for determining the ideal number of solar panels for your home. Gather your utility bills or reach out to your Kootenai or Spokane County electric provider to gather the data needed to calculate your average monthly and annual energy usage in kilowatt-hours. Our home solar system design experts advise you to keep in mind that if you use heat pump heating and cooling, plan to expand your family, or purchase electric vehicles, you may need to add panels in the future to meet your household’s growing energy needs. 

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Available Ground or Roof Space for Solar Panels

 

The number of ground- or rooftop-mounted solar panels per square foot your property can accommodate will limit how many you can install to produce energy. However, roof pitch, orientation, and shading also play a role in electricity generation. Our experienced solar installers can determine your property’s limits and help you find potential solutions to achieving your goals.

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Sun Exposure

 

Sun exposure plays the leading role in calculating how many solar panels you need. East Washington’s climate offers the ideal setting for high-efficiency solar panels, with sunlight patterns similar to those in many regions of California and Arizona, including about 260 days of sunshine annually. However, your roof orientation and shade obstructions will also impact performance. Our experienced home solar installation team takes these factors into account, determining the ideal angle and orientation for optimal sun absorption, and calculating system size based on peak sun hours at your location.

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Solar Panel Efficiency

 

High efficiency solar panels boost energy production potential, allowing you to generate more electricity in the same amount of space with fewer panels and subsequent roof or landscape modifications. Choosing panels that collect light from both sides (bifacial) and that also include bypass diode technology to facilitate current flow around leaf or snow-covered areas further improves sunlight absorption and energy production. These options cost more up-front but deliver a better long-term return. PacWest installs only premium tier-1 Talesun solar panels, which include these technologies as well as an industry-leading 25-year warranty for maximum power output and lasting performance.

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Long-Term Solar Energy Goals

 

Your savings goals and energy independence preferences will influence the number of solar panels you need for your home. To guard against continued rate increases and reduce reliance on the grid, we recommend building a slightly larger system than you need to meet your current consumption patterns. If your goal is net-zero energy use or off-grid operation, a system design with plentiful battery storage and room to grow is best. In either scenario, we advise against purchasing a significantly oversized system, as utilities typically cap energy buyback credits, which can slow your return on investment.

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