I'm looking to make my home off-grid and I've been thinking about installing a ground-mounted solar system. My yearly electricity consumption is around 25,000 kWh, and I have space for about 30 solar panels. Can anyone recommend brands or battery systems that would work well for my setup?
3 Answers
For a ground mount, I suggest going with bifacial panels. They can capture extra sunlight from reflections on the ground, which is a nice bonus. Also, consider investing in a racking system that lets you adjust the panels' angle throughout the year to maximize sunlight exposure! Plus, ground mounts can also give you some shaded space for parking or storage if you raise them high enough. It's a win-win!
Don't forget, the location really impacts solar efficiency, so it's key to factor in your area. You'll want to design your system around your worst production month. For a daily need of 68 kWh, depending on where you are, that could mean needing a lot of panels. Also, think about using energy-efficient appliances to lower your consumption. Plan for about three times your daily use for battery storage as well—it's a big commitment!
Your daily usage seems quite high at about 70 kWh. Before going fully off-grid, you might need to look into reducing your energy consumption first. To effectively tackle that level of usage, you'll need at least 8-10 kW of solar capacity just to make a dent. Realistically, you're looking at 4 times that if you want to talk about going off-grid! Good luck!