Evaluate Your Energy Use
The first step to designing your new renewable energy system is evaluating your current power use.
- Start by locating your Kilowatt Hour (kWh) Usage for twelve consecutive months. You can see if your utility company has this information available online, give them a call, or look at past utility bills.
- Find the average kWh Usage by adding up the kWh for each month and divide that by 12. Make a note of which months you use the most energy.
- Write this number down. You’ll use it in Step Three.
Your average kWh per month will help determine what the size of your solar electric system will be.
Decide on System Type
Renewable Energy Systems come in many shapes and sizes. Some are powered by solar panels; others by wind or water, or a combination of these. Some are grid-connected; others are independent of utility power lines.
Which is right for you? Watch Video to Learn.
What is your primary reason for adding solar: saving money on electricity OR being independent of the utility company?
- Gridtie systems are great for lowering your electrical bill but require a connection to the utility company.
- Off-grid systems allow you to live and work with electricity in areas where utility power is either unavailable or too expensive to bring in. Off-grid is more about independence, but by living within your means, financially and energy-wise, you do save money.
- Gridtie systems with battery backup allow the best of both of the above but are more expensive to start with.
What’s Your Energy Needs?
Estimate your system size with our easy to use calculators.
| Grid-Tie:
Make sure you have your average kWh monthly usage that you wrote down in Step 1 (Evaluate Your Energy Use) Ready to calculator your Grid-Tie system size and cost? |
Off-Grid
Off-Grid power can require more work to calculate. Here’s an Off-Grid Calculator to help. What’s your Off-Grid System size and cost? |
Solar Panels |
Batteries |
Grid-Tied Inverters
 |
Off-Grid Inverters/Power Center
 |
Want boatloads more content like this? Take our Solar Workshop Today!
Do It Your Way Customers
Ryder's Install (with video)
Off-Grid Ranch Living
