Using a solar calculator to estimate your solar savings is a great way for you to decide whether investing in solar is worth your while. If you want to find out how much you can save, then you have two options. You can use quick tools, or you can use a more detailed system design.
How to Use a Solar Calculator
One of the first questions you may have when choosing a solar system is how much money you can save. A solar calculator is a good way for you to work out the potential return on your investment. It also allows you to work out the long-term savings based on your electricity usage, roof characteristics, and even location.
What is a Solar Calculator?
A solar calculator uses your address, electricity usage, and average sunlight hours to estimate how much you could be saving. When you use a calculator, you can expect to find out your estimated solar energy production, the system size you need, and the cost of the system. You can also account for the payback period and the estimated savings over time. Different calculators will, of course, give you different levels of detail here. Some of them will give you a basic kWh output, and others will simulate a 3D design of your roof, with installation cost quoted accurately.
Quick Estimations
If you want a simple, no-commitment way to estimate how much solar energy your home could produce, then this is the best place for you to begin. You can use the PVWatts calculator online, and when you do, you will find that you are given a rough estimation as to what you could be saving. First, you’ll need to enter your address. This will bring up Google Maps, and from there, you can select the area where your home is located. You will then be given the chance to enter some information, including your system size, module type, array type, system losses, tilt, and azimuth.
If you feel as though you would like to enter even more information to support your solar installation, then you can click on advanced parameters, which will bring up the table below:
When you have filled out all of the data you need, you can then click on “Go to PVWatts Results”. This will bring up the estimated amount of energy you can save per year. You will also see a breakdown of the months, so you can see an overview over time, which is a very useful way for you to assess whether it’s a worthy investment for you. Of course, using tools like this is very quick, but it’s important to know that it’s always a rough estimate of what you could be saving, rather than a comprehensive assessment of your home.
In-Depth Design and ROI
If you want a more in-depth option, then you can use the Solar Savings Calculator by Wolf River Electric.
Simply click what option you believe is best for you based on the information you have.
You will then be given the chance to choose your state, so that an accurate estimation can be given.
From there, you will be asked several questions, such as whether you want solar for your home or business. You will also be asked what your primary goals are, whether you want to be more green, or whether you want to use energy guilt-free. Other choices include whether you want to put an end to your fear of outages or whether you want to cash in on the various incentives that are available. After choosing this and selecting your house dynamic, you can then list your priorities for solar power.
You will then be given a results page that shows the number of panels you need, the system size you’ll want to consider, and what battery would be suited to backing up your whole home. You can also move the slider to offset the energy you want to generate, with reasons listed to decrease or increase.
You can also see the environmental impact of generating that much solar energy over 30 years, which is a great feature that can help you feel more confident in the process.
Of course, there’s no right or wrong calculator to use when it comes to solar power. Some people find that it’s beneficial to use several calculators, so that it becomes easier to get a bigger overview. Either way, calculators are an invaluable way for you to see how much you could be saving.
