Can Solar Power a Whole House?

When people get solar, they want to know if their solar system will be able to power their whole house. Some solar companies will give you a blanket “yes” answer but the answer is really more involved than that. If you have a large enough solar system, it can power your entire home, no matter how big that home is or how much electricity you use.

The sun has more than enough power to fuel all of the Earth’s energy consumption. Highly efficient home solar systems do a great job of delivering that power to end-users, such as homeowners. However, you need to look at a few factors to determine whether you can reasonably expect your solar system to power your whole home.

The first thing you have to do is look at your current electricity usage. Look at things like average use over a period of time, peak usage, such as during hot summers, and low usage. You want to be familiar with those numbers before you talk to a solar company. For many home solar customers, a solar system that can power their whole home during average use time periods is the goal, with the plan to supplement solar with power from the grid during high-demand times.

Next, you have to look at where you can place solar panels on your home or in your yard. You probably have a limited amount of available space. Furthermore, not all of that space is great for solar panels. You want extended exposure to the sun to be able to maximize your value. Even the angle of installation can impact how much solar energy your panels collect.

If your goal is to be completely self-sufficient, if you want to be off-the-grid, or if you are looking for electricity in a place without electric service, then you have to consider your storage options. Solar is great, when the sun is shining. However, if you want your solar system to be able to provide 100% of your home’s power, then you need a way to store that power for when the sun is not shining. Fortunately, you can purchase large batteries or power banks to store power.

Ready to find out what type of solar system you need to be self-sufficient? Contact us today. We can schedule an inspection of your home, including a review of your current energy usage. Then we can show you solar systems that will work with your needs, whether you want complete solar energy or just to reduce your electricity bills.