Here at the Eco Renewables Group, one of the most common questions we are asked is how much energy is enough to power a home? Well, this is an important question, especially if you are looking for a solar power system that will completely power your home. As a result, we have produced this guide to help answer the power question.
Average UK figures
When considering how much energy is needed to power your home, we should first look at how much energy a house requires. This will give us something to aim for. And there are plenty of average UK figures to help with this. These state that:
- on average, a three bed-roomed home uses 4,800kWh of electricity per year
- a four-person household uses 3,000kWh of hot water each year
- a flat screen TV uses 0.1kWh/hr (hour)
- a fridge uses 1.6kWh/day
What does this mean for solar power?
If your general three bed-roomed home uses 4,800kWh of electricity per year than that is the electricity that your solar panels need to generate if you want to be fully off the grid. However, it is very unlikely that solar power systems installed in an average household could maintain the full electricity needs. Instead, the solar power is likely to supplement the power supplied by the national gird. This means that you will be using a lot less traditional electricity, reducing your carbon footprint, and also reducing your electricity bill.
Could you rely on solar power alone?
With that in mind, let’s consider whether we could rely on solar power alone. Well, the answer is yes, but you will need specialist support.
First of all, you would need to have a full calculation into your individual energy use. From the amount of time each appliance is switched on, to the lighting you use, a specialist would work out the amount of electricity your home personally needs.
From there, you could take a range of energy efficient steps. These can include chaning to energy efficient lighting, using energy efficient plugs and A+++ rated appliances, and insulating your home.
Once all of this is in place, you could aim to power your home with solar power alone.
For more information or advice, get in touch with the experts today, here at the Eco Renewables Group.
