How Many Solar Panels Does Your House Need?

The number of solar panels you install will have a huge impact on the cost of your solar panel installation, which makes it one of the most important questions to ask before going solar. But it’s a tough question to answer. Every house is different and the number of solar panels you need to power your house depends on several variables, including how much electricity you use and how much sunlight your roof gets. 

Boston Solar has spent over 11 years designing and installing more than 5,700 solar energy systems in New England. In this guide, we share what goes into solar panel system sizing and why it’s so important to your project’s success. 

Average Number of Solar Panels to Run a House 

An average-sized home in New England will need between 15 and 25 solar panels to cover the majority of its electricity usage. But these numbers aren’t set in stone. Several factors will impact the number of solar panels you need to run your houses, which is why a custom solar panel design is so important. Boston Solar installs custom solar power systems that are designed specifically for your home. We use our extensive experience to design a system that will provide the maximum amount of power with the fewest number of panels. 

Key Factors that Impact Solar System Sizing 

These are some of the key factors we look at when sizing a solar energy system. 

Home Size 

The size of your home will impact the number of solar panels you need to run it. Naturally, smaller homes tend to need smaller solar energy systems while larger homes need larger ones. 

Electricity Consumption 

The amount of electricity you use is the most important factor when deciding how many solar panels you need. If you choose Boston Solar to install your solar panels, we will do a deep dive into the past 12 months of your electric bills to get a complete understanding of your electricity usage and generation needs. We’ll also talk to you about any home upgrades you may be considering, like installing a hot tub or an EV charger, so we can make sure your solar panels are sized to meet your energy needs both now and in the future. 

Sunlight Access 

Solar panels don’t need direct sunlight to work, but the more sunlight they have access to, the more power they’ll produce. If your house is partially shaded, your solar output will be diminished and you’ll need to install more panels to generate the same amount of power as you would in a sunnier area. 

Roof Space 

Of course, you can only install as many solar panels as you have the space for. We will conduct a thorough analysis of your home’s roof to determine how many solar panels you can realistically install with the appropriate setbacks. If your roof is not ideal for solar panels, we can help you consider other options, like ground-mounted solar panels or a solar carport. 

Can You Run a House on Solar Power Alone? 

Yes—you can run your house on 100% solar power. If you want to fully power your house with solar energy, proper system sizing is essential to ensure it’s large enough to completely cover your electricity consumption. You will also need to install a solar battery storage system. Solar batteries make it possible to use solar energy at night and on days when there isn’t enough sunlight available to generate electricity by storing the excess electricity your solar panels generate during peak sunlight hours. 

Find out how many solar panels you need to power your home. Call 617-858-1645 or contact us to get a free solar estimate.