Solar Electric Power or System Sizing Calculator

Parameters definition and description

Daily energy consumption is your calculated energy usage (KWh or Wh) for the day. This parameter is needed for both PV and battery bank sizing.

In addition to daily energy consumption, three other parameters are required to size your PV.

1. AVERAGE DAILY INSOLATION: one can get this from the metrological table of their area. Click here to view world map showing the average daily insolation.
2. PERCENTAGE ENERGY LOSS: this is various losses sum up together due to your PV installation. Click here to read more under heading 'Sizing Solar Electric System'
3. PV RATING: this is the Watt-peak rating of your PV written on the name plate. May why, you should choose PV with voltage correspond to your design. For instance, a system design for 12V system should have nominal of 12V. Of course, peak power voltage will be far above this.

Also, three additional parameters are required to size your battery bank.

1. BATTERY VOLTAGE: this is the DC voltage of your system (e.g 12V, 24V, 48V…)
2. DISCHARGE CAPACITY: As explained in the article 'Solar Electric System', under 'sizing of battery bank', one doesn't discharge the battery to 'zero'. This is the percentage of discharge of the battery.
3. INVERTER EFFICIENCY: The efficiency of your power inverter is written on its name plate. If your system is design for DC load as in solar lamp, solar street lighting system which require no inverter, simply enter 100% in this place or otherwise, the efficiency on the name plate.

Slot in all the parameters above and click on 'calculate' button to generate the results.

Daily energy consumption: Wh KWh ******************************************************************** PV SIZING PARAMETERS Average daily insolation (in KWh/m2/day): Percentage energy loss: PV rating (in Watt-peak or Watt): ******************************************************************** BATTERY SIZING PARAMETERS Battery voltage: Discharge capacity (in %): Inverter efficiency (in %): ******************************************************************** ******************************************************************** OUTPUTS Total PV rating (in Watt-peak or Watt)= Number of panels = Battery rating (Ah) =