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Solar Power Kw
How much energy does a 1 KW Solar PV system produce?
Im thinking of buying a 1kw PV for the house. does anyone know (generally) how much these produce? is it upto 1kw per hour? or per Day.
someone i know says its 1 kw per day. that doesnt seem very useful in reducing power consumption.
It's easy to mix the terms "kWh" and "kW" but it can confuse listeners. kW is power. If you expend a certain power, say 2000 watts (= 2kW) for an hour, you've spent 2kWh in energy. (You probably understand this; apologies as needed...)
The solar industry around me, 25 miles east of San Francisco, says that a mounted solar panel (which doesn't track the sun) will get the equivalent of 4.3 hours of sunlight on an average day. I had a company quote a small 1.5 kW system (4 panels I recall) and they wanted $11,000 for it. I understand there are some best-of-all-time rebates right now so the cost ought to be a lot lower than 11k.
So you can expect 4.3 kWh / day. That isn't much energy. My electric bill showed over 500 kWh for the month and it was so cool this past month that we didn't need air conditioning - so 500 kWh is a low figure for us (1140 sq ft, single story house, walnut creek, calif).
The posted comment about "tiered electric rates" is worth tracking down. A typical residence around us has a rate starting at 11.5 cents / kWh for the 1st 180 ish kWh, then the rate jumps to 13 cents, then to 22, then to 41 cents. If your setup can put a dent in the 41 cent usage, you may have a winner.
Also ask your power company if the panels don't qualify you for a tamer electric rate. Around here, having professionally installed panels does qualify you for such a rate. Just having some panels may qualify you for a rate which ends up saving you some money.
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Is The Cost Of Installing A Solar Power System Worth The Outlay?
There isn't an easy answer as to what the expenditure will be for installing and running a solar power is going to be and if it will be a good investment in the long-term - well, at least not an accurate one. Several factors have got to be considered in order to determine just what you can expect to shell out.
The chief expense is the price of the primary purchase and set up of the solar power system. In order to comprehend what type of system you require, you have to appreciate a number of things. These things will probably be different dependant upon whether or not it is a new or existing home.
If the dwelling is already connected to the utility grid, various information can be gained from looking at utility bills from the past year. Look at the number of kilowatt/hours you used for the duration of the previous year. Multiply that by the charge you pay per kW/hr, and you should get an idea of the amounts of those bills. This is just a rough and ready estimation to give you an idea how much of your money is going on energy costs.
It is easy to take advantage of an estimator program on the web to get a rough idea of what the cost of the system you need will be. These programs may not be accessible for all areas, but they can offer you a rough estimate of what it will cost. In the long run, however, it is best to call a specialist for a quote before you actually make a purchase.
The estimator will request the state and county of your house. This will help to determine the amount of sunlight the house is guaranteed to receive per day on average. It'll also give you an idea about the climate of the region to make sure that power needs can be worked out.
Next, you will be asked a lot of questions about power use prior to now. That is when you certainly need a capable professional estimator if you're building a new solar home. The program, or the expert, will conclude from all the information how big a system you require.
For instance, let's say you require a system that will cost $20,000 for your house. After taking into consideration incentives and rebates, you could possibly be paying less than $15,000 for the system. To figure out if the system will pay for itself, complex calculations are needed.
These comprise such factors as net-metering and the use of batteries to accumulate energy for nights and cloudy days. Additionally they necessitate determining the amount you will be paying per kW/hr with your solar power system. At that time, you can compare the financial savings.
In the beginning the cost savings may be small, as the unit pays for itself. As soon as inflation and ever-rising energy costs begin to have an effect on the cost of the utility’s power, your solar system will probably be less costly by comparison. Finally, after the system has recovered its costs you can reap the rewards. As a rule a home solar power system can pay for itself in about a decade and lasts for twenty-five.
So for a simple answer to what solar power costs, I am afraid there isn't one as it all depends on many individual factors. To obtain that type of information, you'll have to look for help from specialists to determine what applies to your individual residence. Chances are you will discover that solar power can reclaim your initial expense many times in the coming years.
