# How much can I expect from solar energy?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-i-expect-from-solar-energy/719008>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 1, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-i-expect-from-solar-energy/719008 "2015-05-01T15:04:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-i-expect-from-solar-energy/719008/1 "2015-05-01T15:04:28Z")

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This thread: [Is the new Tesla battery something to get excited about? - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=755835) makes me wonder how much solar energy I could hope to generate if I put solar panels on the half of my roof facing SE. I would estimate the total area at maybe 250 square feet. I live in Montreal which means that at the winter solstice the sun does not get above 22 degrees and is up for 8 3/4 hours. Also there is a lot of dreary weather. Could I, using a storage battery, say Tesla’s generate enough for a 24 hour draw of 10A, about 1.1 kW? That would enough to operate my oil furnace, a circulating pump (which could be foregone in emergency since there is enough gravity flow to keep the downstairs warmish) the fridge and freezer. I am thinking of the ice storm of 1997 in which we had near constant rain (which froze) and I was without power for a week.

Twenty amps would allow some lighting and even the router and one of the laptops to operate. What does a microwave use (although that really doesn’t matter much if you have battery storage since you don’t operate it for long periods)? The thought of a repeat of that experience is frightening.

I just thought that there was no way I could generate enough power in this climate, but Tesla’s announcement seems aimed at me.

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-can-i-expect-from-solar-energy/719008/2 "2015-05-01T15:13:25Z")

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Closed as a duplicate.