We actually live in a solar powered home. Our panels are advertised at 12% efficiency, they are multicrystaline. Our entire array takes up 155 square feet, or about 15 square meters. Our home uses about 300 kwh per month, and in the summer, we usually have a little excess, meaning by 2 pm on sunny days, our batteries are full and can’t hold any more charge, so for an hour or two, the panels only power the small loads in the house, and the rest is wasted. This is necessary though, so that after a few cloudy days, when the sun comes out, there is extra to bring the batteries back up as well as run the home.

Are you working on a homework assignment, or just doing research? There are some better places to get info on this subject than asking hacks like me online. Solar Energy International would be my first pick, and some of the renewable energy associations too. I will put some names and links below for you. Also, there is a great periodical that covers this stuff right down to the nuts and bolts, Home Power Magazine. It is actually where we got started 11 years ago, now we have made it here. Check out some of the websites and do some of your own research, you’ll be well informed in the end. Good luck, and take care, Rudydoo
References :
Solar Energy International SEI.org?
Midwest Renewable Energy Association MREA.org
Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association GLREA.org
Homepower.com

http://renewableenergyarticles.blogspot.com/2010/01/main-advantages-and-disadvantages-of.html
References :
http://renewableenergyarticles.blogspot.com/

Pro – Allow the production of renewable energy locally.

Pro – Saves you some money, on the electrical bill.

Con – Expensive

Con – Fragile

Con – Require clear sky to function.

Current day solar panels only absorb and convert a fraction of the solar energy that bombardes the earth, into electricity you can use. And they are expensive, probably too expensive for the average london’er to get. Although in the future, as our knowledge about how to maximixe the energy output increases, solar panels might become very attractive for people looking to save money. Afterall, the sun is always there and unless you’re going to live for god knows how many billion years until the sun finally explodes, then… I think you’ll be fine

Plus, they’ve already developed ”mini” solar panels. It looks like tape, but it actually creates energy. Just stick it to a surface and voila
Although not very much. Obviously.
References :

Mains electricity costs seems to be going up quicker than inflation in Australia.

Work out energy efficiency first as it usually cheaper than alternative energy.
References :
http://www.matthewb.id.au/media/Solar_Power_Calculator.html
http://www.matthewb.id.au/Electricity/Save_Electricity_Calculator.html
http://www.matthewb.id.au/energy/Alternative_Energy_Sources.html

That is quite a bit below average which is about twice that.

1 kW/m² x 0.15 = 150 watts/m²

540 watts / 150 watts/m² = 3.6 m²
but that is for 24 hours of sun a day. Multiply by 3 (24/8) to correct for that and you get
10.8 m²

.
References :

so you have 1kw/m2 * 8 hours a day

so 8kwh/m2 * 15% efficiency

1.2kwh/m2 per day with 30 days in a month

36 kwh/m2 per month

so 390 kWh / 36 kwh/m2 = 10.8333

I’m not sure if the month is a part of it or not, if not I got 325 m2 which seems awfully high but maybe? I really hope someone with a talent for math does this.

So let me get this straight BillRussell I say that I’m not good at math, I ask someone else to double check this, and even though I did this correctly, you still give me a thumbs down? Wow man you must have a serious hard on for YA! points. I even gave you a thumbs up, because this is clearly your subject.
References :