The installation of solar panels on terrace roofs is on the rise in India. A lot of homeowners are confused as to how to calculate rooftop area for solar panels for their home.
The determined homeowners are getting the economic incentives from solar subsidies initiated by PM under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojna, and they are happily switching to free and cleaner energy.
If you are determined to install a solar rooftop system but do not know how to calculate the area requirement and number of solar panels needed, do read the following information, and at the end, you will surely get to know how much rooftop area is required to install a home solar plant.
Here is a brief calculation that will assist you in determining the rooftop area for installing your residential rooftop solar system and the number of solar panels required.
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How to find out the number of Solar Panels required?
Determining the exact solar panel size for your home requires a simple three-step calculation based on your electricity consumption.
- You need to first go through your last 12 months’ electricity bill and analyse the electricity units (kWh) consumed for the last 12 months.
- calculate your total electricity units consumed over the last 12 months and divide by 12 to determine your average monthly consumption in kWh. This baseline measurement provides the foundation for accurate solar system sizing.
- Divide your average monthly consumption by the monthly generation capacity of a 1 kW solar system. In India, a 1 kW solar panel system generates approximately 4 units daily, totalling 120 units per month. This calculation reveals the total solar system capacity required in kilowatts.
- Finally, divide the total system capacity by the wattage of individual solar panels, typically 550 watts or 600 watts per panel, to determine the exact number of panels needed for your rooftop installation
For example, if Amit’s annual consumption is 450 + 400 + 400 + 400 + 450 + 500 + 550 + 500 + 450 + 400 + 350 + 450 = 5,200 units.
So, his average monthly consumption would be 433 units. Dividing 433 by 120 units per kW gives approximately 3.6 kW system capacity.
With 550-watt panels, Amit would need 6 to 7 solar panels for home.
This systematic approach ensures optimal solar system sizing that maximises energy savings and return on investment.
Step 1 –
- Calculate Amit’s average monthly electricity consumption units by dividing 5200 units by 12. We get 433.33 units per month, which is the average electricity unit consumption.
Step 2 –
- The next step is to determine the Total Size of the Solar Project in kW.
- We know that 1 kW of solar power generates 120 Units per month in India
- To find the total size of the solar project required in kW, divide the average monthly consumption by 120 units.
- To find out the total size of the solar project, we need to divide 433.33 units by 120 units per kW. By doing so, we get 3.61 kW.
- So, Amit’s house requires a 3.61 kW solar system.
Step 3 –
- The next step is to calculate the required number of solar panels on your terrace roof.
- We know that the total size of a solar panel is around 550 Watts to 600 Watts in India.
- By converting them into kW, we get 0.55 kW and 0.6 kW.
- Now, divide the total required solar system size (3.61 kW) by the power of one 550-watt panel (0.55 kW) and 600-watt (0.6 kW):
- For 550 watts, the total number of solar panels required is 6.55 and for 600 Watt is 6.02, which we get by dividing 3.61 kW by 0.55 kWh and 0.6 kW.
- Amit’s house will need a Solar Plant of 3 kW comprising 6-7 Solar Panels of 550 Watts or 600 Watts each..
How to find out the total Rooftop Area Required to install the Solar Panels?
In India, we know that one solar panel encompasses a standard surface area of approximately 20.86 sq. feet. To determine the total rooftop area to install a residential solar power system, we need to multiply the surface area of 1 solar panel by the total number of panels needed for Amit’s house. It is important to note that this area should receive a minimum of 5 hours of direct sunlight, which means this area needs to be a shadow-free area.
So, Amit’s house will need a total rooftop Area of 125.16 sq. ft. or 146.02 sq. ft. (20.86 sq. ft. X 6 Panels or 20.86 sq. ft. X 7 Panels)
With government incentives and with the best solar energy manufacturing companies like Jakson Solar in the market, solar panels for houses are now affordable.
For more information:
Call Jakson Solar Experts at: 1800-103-2600 (Toll Free)
OR
Email at: solar-bu@jakson.com
