Path-Q Solar
Should unusually high electricity use from a temporary renovation be excluded from solar sizing?
Answer
Usually, temporary renovation consumption should not be treated as a recurring baseline, but it should not be ignored without review. Separate the temporary load from normal usage, determine whether the renovation will create permanent new loads, and model both a normal-use case and a future-use case.
Key points
- Identify temporary heaters, tools, pumps, temporary occupancy, and other renovation-specific loads.
- Permanent additions such as electric heating, cooling, water heating, or vehicle charging should be included in the future baseline.
- If the renovation period is the only available history, use documented assumptions rather than simply averaging it into normal use.
What it depends on
- Cause, duration, and magnitude of the unusual consumption
- Permanent equipment and occupancy changes after renovation
- Available bill history and future electricity-use plans
Risks and trade-offs
- Including temporary use can oversize the system and increase cost.
- Excluding a load that will become permanent can undersize the system.
- A single historical year may not represent future usage or seasonal patterns.
Information you may need
- Bills before, during, and after the renovation if available
- List of temporary and permanent equipment changes
- Expected occupancy and future load schedule
Your next step
What to do next
Ask the installer to provide normal-use, renovation-use, and post-renovation sizing scenarios with the assumptions clearly labeled.
Path-Q
Find the right next step
Answer a few questions and we’ll narrow your options.
Loading…
SQ02401