Path-Q Solar
How should a small business combine total annual electricity use with its weekday load profile when sizing solar?
Answer
Use annual consumption to establish the total energy opportunity and the weekday load profile to estimate how much solar can be consumed directly during operating hours. Size and evaluate the system using both annual production and time-matched load, while including weekends, holidays, and seasonal changes.
Key points
- A business with strong daytime demand may use more solar on site than a similarly sized business operating mostly at night.
- Interval data is particularly useful for identifying demand patterns and peaks.
- Annual output alone does not show exports, self-consumption, or peak-demand effects.
- Future operating hours and planned equipment should be included if credible.
What it depends on
- Annual electricity consumption
- Weekday, weekend, and holiday load profiles
- Solar production by time and season
- Demand charges or other billing components
- Future business operations
Risks and trade-offs
- Sizing solely to annual consumption may produce excess exports.
- Sizing to peak demand may increase system cost without matching energy needs.
- Changes in operating hours can materially alter the projected value.
Information you may need
- At least 12 months of bills and interval data where available
- Operating calendar and hours
- Major equipment schedules
- Demand and energy billing details
- Expansion plans
Your next step
What to do next
Have the designer overlay the weekday and seasonal load profile with modeled solar production and show self-consumption, exports, and demand impacts.
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SQ00934