How much energy does a 12KW solar system produce?

A 12 KW solar system can produce a good amount of electricity that is sufficient for our homes and for lighting up heavy electrical appliances. But how they actually work and how much KWh of electricity they produce will depend on the amount of sunlight they get and the number of solar panels installed. In this article, we will go through the details of it and what factors affect the amount of electricity, and how many KWh does a 12KW solar system produce. 

Factors Affecting The Output Of A Solar Panel

Let’s see which factors really affect the output of a 12 KW solar panel: 

1. Direct sunlight

The higher the amount of direct sunlight that a solar panel receives, the higher will be its efficiency. If the sunlight is impacted by a branch of a tree or any building nearby, then it will not work at its full capacity.

2. Weather conditions

The number of hours of sunlight that comes into our places definitely impacts the performance of a solar panel and how much a 12KW solar system produces in a day. If there are harsh weather conditions such as extreme sunlight and heat or snow, then it will not work at its full capacity.

3. Types of solar panels

There are different types of solar panels available in the market and all have different efficiency. Monocrystalline solar panels can produce higher energy than polycrystalline and thin-film ones. So the material used to make the solar panel makes a large difference on its performance.

4. Locality

The area, city, or state we live in has different numbers of sunlight hours in a day and the number of sunny days in a year. Therefore, if we live in an area that has more sunny days then this is a good place to install a solar panel. 

5. Inverter

The components such as inverters, batteries, or wiring used at the time of solar panel installation can affect the performance of a solar system. The inverters are the ones that help in converting the DC to AC and therefore there is a need to install an inverter that can properly use the electricity of a 12 KW solar system.

6. Storage battery

With 12 KW of solar panels, there is obviously the need for a high level of storage batteries that can store the excessive amount of sunlight produced in the daytime and later on which can be used at night. 

7. Heat conditions

Like all electrical equipment, the ideal heat condition that a solar panel should be exposed to is a temperature of 77 degrees Fahrenheit. If the heat or temperature is more than this level, then the efficiency of the solar cells will get reduced.

8. Orientation

The best orientation or angle to install the solar panels is to face them in the south direction. They should be tilted towards the south at an angle that ranges between 30 and 45 degrees. If the roof surface is flat, then we have to install the bricks or any other surface to right-tilt the angle of a solar panel. 

9. Maintenance

How many KWh does a 12KW solar system produce or say any size of the solar panel is dependent on how they are maintained or cleaned. If they are covered with a layer of soil or dust, then they will not receive full sunlight even on sunny days. Therefore, it is important to properly clean or service our solar panels once or twice a year.

10. Duration

The duration of installation of a solar panel surely affects its performance. The older the solar system, the less efficient it will be. With time the PV cells will lose their performance of converting the sunlight into electrical energy.

How Many KWh Does A 12KW Solar System Produce?

1. To calculate the amount of average KWh of electricity a 12 KW solar panel can produce in a day is to find the average number of hours of sunlight in a day and then multiply it by 12.

2. To calculate the amount of average KWh of electricity a 12 KW solar panel can produce in a year is to find the average number of sunny days in a year and then multiply it by the daily average.

Here is the list of the daily average and annual average a 12 KW solar panel can produce in different states of the US: 

City Name	Average Number of Hours of Sunlight in a Day	Daily Average	Average Number of Sunny Days in a Year	Annual Average
Phoenix, Arizona	6.5 hours	78.00 KWh	299 days	23,322.00 KWh
Las Vegas, Nevada	6.5 hours	78.00 KWh	294 days	22,932.00 KWh
Los Angeles, California	5.6 hours	67.20 KWh	284 days	19,084.80 KWh
Denver, Colorado	5.6 hours	67.20 KWh	245 days	16,464.00 KWh
Austin, Texas	5.3 hours	63.60 KWh	228 days	14,500.80 KWh
Miami, Florida	5.2 hours	62.40 KWh	248 days	15,475.20 KWh
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	4.6 hours	55.20 KWh	207 days	11,426.40 KWh
Boston, Massachusetts	4.6 hours	55.20 KWh	200 days	11,040.00 KWh
Hartford, Connecticut	4.4 hours	52.80 KWh	189 days	9,979.20 KWh
Cleveland, Ohio	4.1 hours	49.20 KWh	166 days	8,167.20 KWh
New York, New York State	3.79 hours	45.48 KWh	224 days	10,187.52 KWh
Seattle, Washington	3.57 hours	42.84 KWh	152 days	6,511.68 KWh

Cost Of A 12 KW Solar System

The cost of a solar panel installation in every state of the US differs but the percentage of federal tax credit provided by the government is the same, which is 30% of the total cost of solar panel installation by homeowners. Therefore, if we pay $1,000 for solar panel installation, then 30% of it which is $300 is returned to us in the form of federal solar tax credit. 

The money paid by us will not automatically be refunded by the government but this amount is eligible to be deducted from the total amount of taxes we pay in a year to the government. Or, it can increase the amount of tax refund we get in a year. 

Here is the list of minimum and maximum costs (before and after the tax credit) of 12 KW of the solar system in different states of the US: 

S. No.	State Name	Minimum Cost (in $)	Maximum Cost (in $)	Minimum Cost after Tax Credit	Maximum Cost after Tax Credit
1.	Arizona	$24,840	$31,080	$17,388	$21,756
2.	Florida	$25,680	$32,880	$17,976	$23,016
3.	Texas	$27,240	$36,120	$19,068	$25,284
4.	Washington	$27,720	$35,640	$19,404	$24,948
5.	California	$28,800	$35,760	$20,160	$25,032
6.	New Jersey	$28,800	$38,160	$20,160	$26,712
7.	Maryland	$30,120	$39,960	$21,084	$27,972
8.	New York	$32,520	$43,320	$22,764	$30,324
9.	Massachusetts	$33,000	$41,640	$23,100	$29,148
10.	Colorado	$33,840	$41,280	$23,688	$28,896

Conclusion 

Whenever we look to purchase or install a 12 KW solar system, it is crucial to know the total cost of installation and how much a 12KW solar system produces in a particular city in the US. Also, as this type of solar panel is quite expensive we have to certainly apply for the federal solar tax credit. After some years we can see the cost-cutting or the almost nil amount that we have to pay to our electricity service provider. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

This article is better than others because it helps the readers to understand the topic with a tabular representation. Also, this will help readers to see the cost of solar panels in each state of the US.