How to Size a Solar System for My House in Pakistan? A Simple Guide

How do I determine the size of a solar system for my home or business? How many panels are required? Which inverter is right for my home? And how do I size a solar panel system?” When they first start, my clients ask me these kinds of queries. And with good reason—it’s a crucial element that should never be disregarded.

So, in this article, I will provide detailed answers to every question you may have about the proposed size of your solar system. You will also learn how to do this for your home.

Let’s get started! How to Size a Solar System for My House in Pakistan? But before we do that, let’s clear up two critical concepts you’ll encounter when estimating the size of your solar system.

Understanding Watts (or Kilowatts)

A watt (W) is a power unit that shows how much energy an appliance uses at any given time. Think of it as the rate at which energy is consumed. A kilowatt (kW) is a larger unit equal to 1,000 watts. It is often used to measure larger loads of energy, such as your home’s overall electricity consumption.

Understanding Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

Energy, expressed in kilowatt-hours (kWh), is the quantity of power consumed over time. For example, running a 1000-watt appliance like an iron for one hour consumes 1 kWh of energy. In Pakistan, electricity bills typically show monthly energy consumption in units, which are equivalent to kilowatt-hours.”

Now let’s find you some answers.

A Clear Guide on Solar System Sizing for Pakistani Homes

We have broken this section into five simple steps for easy understanding.

Read Also: https://solarplateprice.pk/how-to-size-a-hybrid-solar-system-in-pakistan/

Find out how much energy you consume

Getting control of your energy consumption is like finding a starting point on a map. Take a close look at your energy bills from last year. You may see seasonal fluctuations and your monthly consumption with these bills.. Pay attention to the months when consumption is high – these may coincide with extreme weather conditions, such as summer, that require more cooling.

Take the time to calculate your average daily consumption, then factor in any changes you might expect, such as adding more tenants or appliances. For example, your monthly bill might be 900 units in the summer and 500 in the winter. Please take it as 750 because you want to optimize your system for the hotter summer months.

Read Also: https://solarplateprice.pk/iesco-net-metering/

Think about the highest electricity usage and power needs of household appliances

Earlier, we calculated the monthly and daily electricity consumption as displayed on our electricity bill. However, our bills don’t show peak power consumption during the day or the instantaneous power required by some appliances. Sizing your solar system to handle peak demand and the specific power requirements of your appliances requires more detailed analysis.

In this section, we will talk about it.

Understanding Peak Demand

Let’s examine what we’ve discovered. Your energy consumption tends to peak on hot summer days due to air conditioning. Your average daily energy consumption is 25 kWh but can jump to 30 kWh during peak usage. When sizing your solar system, it’s wise to base it on this higher peak demand to ensure it can handle the increased load periods.

Read Also: https://solarplateprice.pk/how-to-choose-the-best-solar-battery/

Calculation of instantaneous power consumption of a household appliance

If this is the most energy-intensive appliance you own, calculate its daily energy consumption:

1. Daily energy consumption of air conditioner = constant load (kW) × hours of use
2. Daily energy consumption of air conditioner = 1.5 kW x 6 hours (assumption)
3. Thus,   the daily energy consumption of the air conditioner = 9 kW/h.

However, since our bill already includes this, we will only take five additional units, bringing the total to 30 instead of 34. This takes into account both regular consumption and the need for air conditioning.

Enabling safety margins

Consider adding 15% to your estimated power requirement for a safety margin. A safety margin ensures your system can handle a slightly higher load than you estimated.

1. Total energy requirement with safety margin = Total energy requirement x 1.15
2. Total energy requirement with safety margin = 30 kWh × 1.15 ≈ 34.5 kWh (units)

Read Also: https://solarplateprice.pk/solar-panel-power-generation-in-pakistan/

1. Estimate the number of hours of peak solar activity

Different regions have different peak sunshine hours. Research the average peak sunshine hours in your area throughout the year. For more information, check out our article on peak sunshine hours in Pakistan, where we have created charts for some Pakistani regions. 

Remember that peak solar hours vary seasonally. There may be fewer peak solar hours in the winter than in summer. Be sure to factor these changes into your calculations to determine your solar system’s size accurately.

For our example, let’s take of 5.5 for Islamabad.

Determine the power of solar panels (how many solar panels do I need?)

Now that you know your power consumption and peak sun hours, let’s transform that knowledge into real numbers for different solar panel capacities.

We will do this for a resident of Islamabad who meets the following requirements.

1. Monthly consumption: 750 units.
2. Daily consumption: 25 units
3. Daily consumption with conditioner and safety margin: 34.5 units.
4. Peak Sun Hours: 5.5

Calculate the daily output of one 500-panel

To determine how much energy a single panel can produce, you must consider the system’s efficiency. Multiply the panel output by the average number of peak sunlight hours, then calculate the system’s efficiency.

Let’s assess the efficiency as 80% (considering losses).

• Daily output = Panel Power (kW) x Peak Sun Hours x System Efficiency
• Daily output = 0.5 kW × 5.5 hours × 0.80 = Approximately 2.2 kWh

Calculate the monthly power of one 500W panel.

To calculate how much energy one panel can produce in a month, multiply the daily output by the number of days in a month (30).

Determine the required panels.

To cover a monthly consumption of 750 units, divide the total monthly use by the monthly output of one panel.

• Daily output x 30 days equals monthly output.
• Number of panels = 750 pcs. / 66 kWh ≈ 11.35 panels

Rounding up, you need about 12 panels of 500 watts each. However, 12 panels can only generate 26 kWh per day, while we would consume 34.5 kWh per day, considering the AC and safety margin.

Number of panels taking into account alternating current and safety margin = 15

Considering that the system produces 7 kW of energy, it can also suit your household.

Now you know how to calculate the size of a Solar System for My House in Pakistan.

Please remember that these calculations only provide a basic estimate, as energy production can be affected by various factors such as shading, weather, and system efficiency.

If the system you want is not 7kW and you want to know the price of solar systems, read this guide. We have detailed the cost of solar systems in Pakistan. This article also discusses the price trends of solar panels over the last three years.

Choose a suitable inverter.

Different inverters, such as string, microinverters, and power optimizers, are available. Each type has its advantages, and your choice should match the size of your system and specific needs.

Assuming your panel consists of about 15 panels at 500 watts each, the total power is about 7.5 kW. When choosing an inverter, aim for a power rating that matches or slightly exceeds this value. This will ensure that your inverter can handle the power generated by your panels without overloading or underutilizing the system.

Think about possible expansions in advance. If you plan to add more panels, choose an inverter with some reserve. This will prevent you from replacing the inverter when you expand your solar array.

Efficiency is important. Choose inverters with high efficiency ratings, as they significantly affect your system’s overall performance. Additionally, prioritize inverters with monitoring capabilities. Monitoring lets you closely track your system’s energy production and quickly spot any issues.

We recommend choosing a 10 kW inverter based on your system’s size. This will also accommodate any future expansion you plan.

How to Size a Solar System for My Home? Summary

To size your system, you must calculate your monthly and daily consumption. In your daily consumption, include peak demand and instantaneous power. After that, calculate your peak solar hours. After that, you can estimate the system size based on the abovementioned formulas. If you are still trying to figure out how to do this, don’t worry. Don’t are here for you. Contact us at https://solarplateprice.pk/, and we will help you design a perfect system for your home or business needs. Solar System

References

• How to Size a Solar System for My House – EcoSpark Solar
• How Many Solar Panels Do I Need? – Alpha Solar
• How to Calculate Solar Panel System Size for a Home in Pakistan – Solar with Ashfaq
• Guide to Calculating the Right Solar Panel Size for Your Home – JBMS360
• How to Calculate Solar System Size Step-by-Step Guide – Deye ESS
• How to Size a Solar System – Sun Valley Solar
• How to Size a Hybrid Solar System for My House – EcoSpark Solar
• How to Size a Solar System – Unbound Solar