How Many Solar Panels To Run A 1000 Watt Light?

To determine how much solar power you need to collect (and either store or turn directly into power) to run a 1000 watt light, you need to consider several things. Below are a list of factors that will impact the ability of solar panels to power a 1000 watt light. 

Efficiency

Even in direct sun, photovoltaic cells have a limited capacity to turn the power of sunlight into the power necessary to light up a 1000 watt bulb. Current photovoltaic technology is running at approximately 10%. That means that, of the energy hitting the solar panel, 10% of it is currently being turned into electricity, either to use or to store. 

It’s important to note that solar power is delivered as direct current. Appliances in your home run off of alternating current, so the solar power providing electricity to your home light bulbs will need to be run through an inverter. Energy in the form of heat will be lost in this transference. 

Time

How long does the 1000 watt bulb need to run? Simply multiply the wattage by the time. For example, to run it for two hours, you’ll need to have access to 2000 watt hours of power. Of course, you probably won’t need it during the day, so this wattage will have to come from stored solar energy kept in a battery. 

Sunlight Availability

There’s no standard for a full day of sunlight in the United States. Arizona and New Mexico solar customers can collect much more sunlight than those in Minnesota or the Dakotas, especially in the winter. When choosing your solar panel array and configuration, it’s critical to study your available sunlight and plan your solar panel array accordingly, allowing enough square meter coverage to generate the power you need. 

Solar Power Collection by Size

Solar panels generate 1000 watts of power per square meter when exposed to full sunlight. Depending on where you live, those hours can vary greatly. If you’re only getting 3 hours of full sun in a northern winter climate, you can only power your 1000 watt bulb for 3 hours per square meter of solar panels on your home. 

Final Thoughts

Solar technology, from cell to panel to inversion to delivery, is expanding greatly. Luckily, so is light bulb technology. If you can avoid working with 1000 watt bulbs and instead use a 15 watt LED bulb, you’ll have lights with virtually no limitю