Estimating the size of a solar power system using the square footage of your home or business

Many consumers always tell me the square footage of their home or business and expect a quote for a solar power system based off the square footage. You can use a general rule of thumb to estimate the size of a system of 2 watts of solar power per square feet. So lets say you had a 2000 square feet home and you were looking to size up a solar power system to eliminate your bill.

2 watts * 2000 square feet = 4000 = 4 kilowatt

So in the case above for the homeowner above, they would need 4kW system to meet their entire electrical needs. This is obviously a very rough estimate of how much solar power you would need to eliminate your electric bill, although I suppose it is a great place to start your analysis.

If you are looking for a more accurate estimate start by gathering 12 months of electric bills and look at your monthly kWh (kilowatt hours) usage. This will give you an idea of how much electricity you are using which can give you an accurate picture of how much solar power you would need to reduce your bill.