Dear Emmanuel,

Your question is solved in this paper, DOI: Article A Case Study Comparison Between Photovoltaic And Fossil Gene...

If after reading this documentent doubt remain, ask, and I will help you to move forward your assessment.

Sincerely

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, planning a home solar electric system should consider the following elements:

1. Analyze Home Electricity Demand

Begin by quantifying your household’s annual and seasonal electricity usage.

• Gather 12 months of electric bills to calculate total kWh/year and monthly peaks.
• Break down usage by end-use (heating, cooling, appliances, lighting) to identify demand patterns.
• Consider efficiency upgrades (such as LEDs, insulation, and smart thermostats) to reduce the load before sizing the PV system.

2. Assess Solar Resource and Site Conditions

Evaluate the amount of sunlight your rooftop receives and any limitations it may have.

• Orientation & Tilt Note the roof azimuth (south-facing is ideal in the Northern Hemisphere) and pitch.
• Shading Analysis Perform a shading study (using a solar pathfinder or software) to map obstructions across seasons.
• Solar Irradiance Use tools like PVWatts or local solar maps to estimate annual insolation (kWh/m²) at your location.

3. Choose System Configuration

Decide between grid-tied, grid-tied with batteries, or off-grid.

4. Size the PV Array

Calculate the required PV capacity to meet your net annual energy demand.

5. Design Balance-of-System (BOS)

Outline key components beyond the PV modules.

• Inverter selection (string vs microinverters vs power optimizers)
• Mounting hardware (roof‐mount vs ground mount; ballast vs penetrating)
• DC and AC wiring, conduit routing, combiner boxes, disconnects
• Monitoring equipment for performance tracking

6. Conduct Financial & Sustainability Analysis

Compare costs, savings, and environmental impact.

• Include grants, feed-in tariffs, tax credits, or net-metering incentives to adjust payback.
• Compute avoided carbon (annual kWh × local grid CO₂ intensity) to measure environmental benefit.

7. Prepare Implementation & Monitoring Plan

Ensure successful installation and long-term performance.

• Obtain multiple bids and site assessments from certified installers.
• Verify structural roof capacity and install fall-protection anchors as needed.
• Define commissioning tests, including voltage, power output, and safety checks.
• Set up data monitoring dashboards to track generation, consumption, and losses in real time.

With this structured evaluation—covering load analysis, resource assessment, system sizing, BOS design, financial modelling, and implementation planning—you’ll be equipped to design a solar PV system that maximizes energy sustainability for your home.

Solar power isn’t coming — it’s here

In the past two years, “with surprisingly little notice, renewable energy has suddenly become the obvious, mainstream, cost-efficient choice around the world”, writes environmentalist Bill McKibben. For example, at one point in May in California, renewables were producing more than one and a half times the energy needed in the state — the world’s fourth-largest economy. The boom in solar and other renewables brings with it “a chance for a deep reordering of the earth’s power systems, in every sense of the word ‘power’”, argues McKibben. Unlike fossil fuels, “the sun and the wind are available everywhere”...

https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-a-warming-planet/46-billion-years-on-the-sun-is-having-a-moment