Can a House Run on Solar Power Alone?

One of the most common questions we hear from homeowners who are thinking about going solar is whether solar panels can really power their entire home. The answer is a resounding yes. With a high-quality solar energy system that includes battery storage, you can absolutely run your whole house on solar power. 

Boston Solar installs custom residential solar energy systems that are designed to match your home’s energy consumption so that your whole house can run on solar. Keep reading to learn more about what we consider when designing a whole-home solar energy system. 

How to Run Your Whole House on Solar Energy 

Size & Position Your Solar Panels for Optimal Energy Production 

Solar panels work by converting sunlight into electricity and distributing it throughout your home via your electrical panel. In order to power your entire home with solar energy, your PV system needs to be able to produce at least as much electricity as you consume. 

To make this happen, you need to: 

• Know how much electricity you use on a monthly basis 
• Install enough solar panels to meet your electricity needs 
• Make sure your panels receive adequate sunlight throughout the day 

A custom solar panel system design will ensure that your PV panels are optimally sized and positioned to meet or exceed your home’s energy consumption. 

When you go solar with Boston Solar, we’ll analyze the past 12 months of your electric bills to determine how many solar panels you need to run your house, while accounting for future expansions like an EV charger installation. We’ll also consider factors like daily sunlight hours, roof space, and more to design a custom solar system that can produce enough power to run your whole home. 

Install Solar Battery Storage 

Because solar panels use sunlight to generate electricity, they can’t power your home at night. To use solar power when there isn’t enough sunlight, you need solar battery storage, which allows you to store the excess electricity your PV panels generate during the day. 

To run your entire house on solar power alone, you will need a large battery bank to keep your home running at night. If you maintain a grid connection, you’ll still be able to use the electric grid as a backup option should you run out of stored solar energy. If you decide to go fully off grid with solar panels in Massachusetts, you will need to make sure you have plenty of battery backup. 

Switch to All-Electric Appliances

Many of the appliances we rely on, like furnaces, water heaters, and gas stoves, run on gas—not electricity. If you want to run your entire home on solar power, you’ll need to replace your gas appliances with all-electric appliances that can run entirely on solar power: 

• Heat pumps 
• Heat pump water heaters 
• Induction cooktops 

Electrifying your home allows you to cut fossil fuels out completely and run your home entirely on solar energy. By switching to all-electric appliances, you can save money on energy costs, reduce your carbon footprint, and even improve your home’s indoor air quality. 

Speak with Your Local MA Solar Experts for Whole Home Solar

Boston Solar has been empowering Massachusetts for over 10 years and is the leading local solar installer near you in MA. If you’re thinking about going solar, we want to help. We’ve completed over 5,000 solar panel installations and can design a custom system that meets your power needs. We provide clear answers that help you make the best decision for your home, and we make the solar installation process seamless. 

Power your whole house with solar! Call 617-858-1645 or contact us for a free consultation and solar panel cost estimate.