How many Solar Panels Do I Need?

In the scenario of rising electricity bills and climate concerns, a large number of people are turning to using solar energy as it is a source of renewable energy and is less hazardous to the environment. Once installed, the solar system is expected to run at very low maintenance cost and is capable of generating electricity units for free. Given these features, solar panels are gaining popularity all over India and are increasingly being used for running ACs, submersible water pumps, and other electric appliances both for residential and commercial purposes.

How many solar panels do I need?

Please note 1kW solar panel generates on an average 4-6 Units in a day depending upon pv module wattage, efficiency, and weather conditions, in a sunny day it might generate up to 5 units and on a cloudy day it might generate up to 3 units per day. Also, note a standard solar panel is 2 meters long and 1 meter wide. The solar panel price ranges from ₹ 1,000 to ₹ 25,000 but a 1000 watts panel can save around ₹1000 per month on average.

One of the common questions before installation is the number of solar panels needed for your requirement as each solar panel can cost you a fortune and everyone’s requirement is also different. So, there is no standard answer to this question. It is, therefore, important to book an engineer visit or contact a good retailer either locally or online to answer this question. They will guide you on installation, procurement, financing and also maintenance of your solar system. So, let’s take a look at these different scenarios. 

To calculate the number of solar panels required to run any electric appliance, you need to simply know the units of electricity needed by the appliance to run and divide it by the capacity of the solar panel that you are using.

For instance,

1. To run 1.5-ton AC

A 1.5-ton AC generally uses 1800 to 2000 watts of electricity unit so, ideally you will need 10 solar panels of 450W/550W watts each to run the AC. If you are purchasing a higher watt solar panel, then the number of solar panels will reduce from 10 and vice-versa.

Similarly, a 5kW solar system will require 5000 watts of electricity units and hence 20 solar panels of 250 watts will be used (5000/250). But if you are buying a 500 watt panel you will only need 10 solar panels for the system (5000/500). 

2. To run 1HP Submersible Water Pump

Solar powered water pumps have become very popular in the agriculture sector in India. A 1Hp water pump generally uses 1200 watts of electricity for running. Hence you will need 12, 100 watts solar panels for running this water pump (12*100 = 1,200). In case, you have space constraint and want to use lesser number of solar panels you can use 4, 300 watts solar panels for the same (4*300 = 1,200).

Similarly, a 3kW solar system will require 3000 watts of electricity units and hence 10 solar panels of 300 watts will be used (3000/300).

3. To run 1HP Surface Water Pump

A 2kW solar system will require 2000 watts of electricity units and hence 10 solar panels of 200 watts will be used (2000/200). You can increase the number of panels if you wish to reduce the space used. But please note the higher the efficiency of solar panels, the higher is its price.

4. For Rs.1,000 per month electricity bill

For a household generating Rs.1000 per month as electricity bill, you need to first calculate its power consumption. Please note the electricity tariff rates differ from city to city and state to state. It also differs from residential, commercial, or industrial usage. So, all rates are different and there are slab-wise charges too. 1000 watts panel generally saves around ₹1000 per month on average. 1 kW solar panel generates on an average 4-6 Units in a day, so on an average 120 units in a month. 

Look at your power bill and check how many units you have consumed during a month, let's assume tariff of Rs.5, hence 1,000/5 ie. 200 units (kWh) consumed in a month.

So, Solar Panel requirement will be Total power consumption in a month (kWh) / 30 days *4 units power generation per kW. So, in this case, it should be 200/30 *4 = 1.7 kW, i.e. 1,700 watts.

So, you can install 17, 100 Watts panels.

1kW solar system – A 1kW solar system will require 1000 watts of electricity units and hence 10 solar panels of 100 watts can be used (1000/100).

Cost of Rooftop Solar for Home & Business

Avg. The cost of per kilowatt rooftop solar installation in residential and commercial sectors is Rs. 58,000 to Rs. 1,15,000. Price range of any solar system depends on product specification, system type, warranty, service and support, you must be aware of these parameters before confirming the final quotation. You can book an engineer with us to know about solar system, pricing and installation process.

Conclusion

Solar panels are the only easy solution to rising electricity bills and pollution in our country. With each passing decade, there has been technology enhancements and prices have also come down drastically. So, what are you waiting for, contact your nearest solar dealer or Loom Solar which has a vast online presence in our country. We will assist you in making the right choice as per your requirements and make the entire process hassle-free. We provide all end-to end services right from consultation to procurement and installations.