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The
Energy-Use Worksheet
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The
watts shown for each appliance indicate typical power consumption. If you want to be more precise, look at the electrical
specifications labels on your appliances to see how much power they use. To
calculate your light usage, check the wattage of your light bulbs and
estimate roughly how many lights you have on and for how long each day. Example:
3 bulbs x 100 watts each x 4 hours = 1200 watt-hours = 1.2 kWh We’ve
left some blank lines for appliances you may have that are not listed
here. Once
you have your total watt-hours, divide that number by 1000.
That gives you your total kilowatt hours (kWh), which is how power
usage is measured. To
choose your solar power system, you can review your current energy usage
and compare it with the kWh supplied by each of our solar systems.
But remember – once you become a solar energy user, you will
probably consume less power than you do now. Another
method is to review your current electric bill.
The electric bill will tell you how many kWh you use each month.
Bear in mind that in the summer months the PV array will produce
more energy and less energy in the winter.
You will want to review the bills in the summer and winter months.
Contact your local utility company if you do not understand your
electric bill or do not have them. It is not
cost effective to use large
electric space heaters, electric stoves/ovens, and water heaters for homes
without utility power.
These appliances are best operated on propane or natural gas. |
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