How to Size a Commercial Solar System?

Ⅰ. What sizes are available for commercial solar system?

The size of each solar panel depends on the number of photovoltaic or PV solar cells. Since commercial panels have more photovoltaic cells than residential panels, they are more powerful and larger. Keep in mind, though, that your business' power requirements, available roof space, and budget will determine how many solar panels you need and the overall size of the system.

Ⅱ. Steps to determine the size of a commercial solar system

Each of these several steps will help you properly size your commercial solar system for your business and avoid oversizing or overbuying. It takes into account your energy usage, peak sunlight hours in your location, and then provides some final insights to refine your system. After installing a commercial solar system, you will see the benefits for years to come as now is a better time than ever to invest in clean energy and switch to solar.

1. Calculate your annual energy use. On every electricity bill, you'll see a section that includes kilowatt-hours or kilowatt-hours. This is how your energy usage and how your utility company determines what to bill you. This is also how you calculate your energy consumption average. Start by evaluating your entire year, noticing when your usage dips and when it peaks.

2. Figure out your monthly and daily energy usage. To get a rough idea of your monthly average, add up the kWh for each month for the entire calendar year and divide by 12. Then, divide that number by 30 to get your daily average. Keep in mind that your commercial electrical system can be over-produced in the summer due to all those extra sunny days. Also, if you want to know more about your energy usage, you can use appliance energy consumption meters and calculators.

3. Calculate your peak sunshine hours. The peak sunshine hours refer to the sunshine intensity of a certain area for one hour, and its energy is about 1000 watts per square meter on average. Search for "peak sun map" and then search for the city closest to you to find the peak sun in your area. For example, Las Vegas, Nevada is one of the sunniest places in the United States, with an average of about 6.41 hours of maximum sunshine.

4. Calculate your commercial solar system size. Now that you have energy usage data and peak sunshine hours, you can plug these into a formula to determine how to size a commercial solar system.