Quote:
Originally Posted by ken0042
Simple math. 3000 watt solar system; assume only 6 hours per day of useful solar activity means you are putting 18 kw/h of power into the grid per day. That's 540 kw/h per month.
By comparison, my bar fridge uses 60 watts at peak. So assuming it runs 50% of the time (which it runs far less), that is .72 kw/h per day or 22 kw/h per month. So it would only use 4% of my solar output.
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A better way to do that calculation is with PV potential based on solar insolation data. Your tax dollars happen to provide that service here:
http://pv.nrcan.gc.ca/index.php?m=r
In Calgary, NRCAN estimates 1292 kWh/kW per year. So your 3000 watt system would generate 3876 kWh per year, or an average of 323 kWh per month. The average is misleading, it'll be much more in the summer and less in the winter. That also assumes you have the panels south facing and tilted at an angle equal to the latitude. Any other single orientation will produce less.