Path-Q Solar
How should workshop electricity use that varies substantially by season affect solar sizing?
Answer
Size and evaluate the system using seasonal and time-of-day workshop consumption rather than an annual average alone. A system may produce more than the workshop can use during low-activity periods, so the value of exports, controllable loads, storage, and seasonal operating patterns matters.
Key points
- Separate workshop loads by month, operating days, and time of day.
- Identify which equipment can run during daylight and which loads are intermittent or seasonal.
- Compare a conservative system sized around regular demand with a larger system that depends more on exported energy.
What it depends on
- Monthly and interval electricity use
- Workshop operating calendar
- Equipment power and operating schedules
- Self-consumption and export treatment
- Future changes to workshop activity
Risks and trade-offs
- Annual consumption can hide low-use periods when solar production may be high.
- Oversizing may increase dependence on export value rather than on-site use.
- Undersizing may miss useful production if seasonal activity or daytime loads increase.
Information you may need
- At least a year of bills, preferably interval data
- Monthly operating schedule and closure periods
- Major equipment ratings and run times
- Expected changes in workshop activity
Your next step
What to do next
Ask for production and bill-impact scenarios using monthly workshop loads and at least two system sizes.
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SQ02643