The amount of energy a solar panel produces depends on its power rating, measured in watts. However, the number of peak sun hours it can get also influences its output.
Depending on the specific type, a panel’s power rating can range from 250 to 400 watts. A solar panel costs less if it’s on the lower end. However, it also generates less power.
On the other hand, the higher the rating, the more electricity a panel can produce. Thus, you can expect it to cost more.
A peak sun hour, in turn, refers to an hour wherein the sun’s intensity measures 1,000 W/m². During this time, a solar panel can generate the most power.
Once you know a solar panel’s power rating, you can multiply that by the number of peak hours you get in your area.
Suppose you live in Arizona, which, on average, gets 7 to 8 peak sun hours a day. Let’s also say you invest in solar panels with a power rating of 350 watts.
To determine how much energy a panel can produce, you only have to multiply 7 or 8 (hours) by 350 (watts). Using that formula, each one of your solar panels can generate about 2,450 to 2,800 watts or 2.45 to 2.8 kW per day.
So, if you have 15 panels, your entire system can generate 36.75 to 42 kW of electricity per day. That’s way more than the average daily electricity consumption in the US! In short, it’s more than enough to meet your daily energy needs.