If we are clear about something, it is that sustainable housing is and will be a trend in the coming years. We are looking for energy efficiency that has to go through this type of adaptation and taking into account the savings in light that they provide us, it seems that there are more incentives. Now, what do we know about solar panels? We know that the Government wants to give important subsidies and that it seems a propitious moment to throw themselves at them. However, we may have some doubts. How exactly do they work? How many would a house need? What prices are given in the market?
How do they work?
In a simple and summarized way, we can say that the sun’s rays collide with the plates, which are made up of semiconductor materials. These materials transform the energy they receive from lightning into electricity.
Solar panels are made up of solar cells. These are, in reality, the ones in charge of carrying out this transformation. They are small cells made of crystalline silicon or gallium arsenide. Likewise, they are mixed with other components such as phosphorus and boron so that two parts can be formed: one with negative electrons and the other with positive ones.
The sun falls on the plates, at which point the photons move the electrons from the part where there is an excess of negative charge to the part where it is missing. As the photons release electrons, more electricity will be generated. This is how direct current is achieved, which will be stored in batteries until it finally becomes alternating current, which is what reaches our home.
How many do I need for my house
One of the most frequently asked questions is how many panels are we going to need. The number of panels depends on how much you consume, but also on how you consume and even on the geographical characteristics of the area in which you live. However, we can make an estimate according to consumption (low, medium or high). In this way, in a home that consumes up to 2,000 kWh, 2 to 4 panels will be necessary. In a home with a consumption of 2,000 to 5,000 kWh, around 5 or 7 panels will be needed. Likewise, in a home with a consumption greater than 5,000 kWh, a number of panels greater than 7 will be required.
Thus, for example, a single-family home would need an average of 3 320W solar panels for every 2,000 kWh of annual consumption. However, as we mentioned, in order to select the appropriate number, it is also important to take into account the characteristics of the panels we choose and the characteristics of the home.
How much they cost?
In addition to the number of plates, aspects such as the type of property, its location, hours of sunshine, daily consumption and the type of installation will influence the final budget. It is true that it is possible to find solar panels from 1,000 euros, but the most normal thing is that its price ranges between 2,000 and 10,000 euros depending on models and different houses. Depending on the quality, power and type of plate we choose, the price of the panels can range between 34 and 400 euros per unit.
It is necessary to know that, in addition, an inverter must also be installed. It is the key piece in charge of transforming the accumulated energy into usable energy in our home. The price of this piece is between 400 and 1,600 euros.
As we mentioned at the beginning, we will need solar batteries that store energy to be able to use it at night or on days when we do not have many hours of sun. There are many options, from monoblock, stationary or lithium batteries. The latter are the most functional, but also the most expensive.
We must also add the cost of the support structure, the bidirectional counter, the cabling or the charge regulator. The structure alone can already cost more than 400 euros, reaching almost 1,000 euros in the most complex cases.
Finally, we must also add the labor that must always be from a specialist. This labor usually costs between 600 and 1,200 euros.
