When a Bigger Array Is the Wrong Array
Installing the largest solar array that fits your roof is not always the best design because bigger systems do not automatically guarantee better value if the generated electricity goes unused[1].
Annual electricity use sets the baseline for how much power your household requires across the year[2]. However, solar panels only generate electricity during daylight hours, predominantly around the middle of the day[3]. Because of this, daytime occupancy plays a major role; homes that are empty during the day often miss out on using that power as it is made[4].
When you use your generated electricity directly in real time instead of buying it from the grid, it is known as direct self-consumption[5][6]. Self-consumption is significantly more valuable than exporting surplus energy[7]. Sizing a system also requires planning for future loads, such as acquiring an electric vehicle or a heat pump, which substantially increase household electricity demand[8].
Finally, it is important to distinguish generation from export. Generation is the total amount of electricity your panels produce, while export refers to the surplus energy sent back to the grid when generation exceeds what your home uses or stores[9][10]. While surplus energy can be sold back to suppliers under microgeneration schemes, export assumptions and rates should always be verified directly with your current energy supplier rather than relying on projected financial outcomes[11][12].
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