Solar power is a great alternative to traditional power sources because of its lower environmental footprint, return on investment, and lower maintenance. Solar energy is obtained from the sun’s radiation, and it can be converted to electricity or heat. It is freely available and thanks to advances in technology, we can now harness even more of this abundant energy both more efficiently and for less money.
Greengandalf.com is supported by its readers. When you purchase something using the links on my site, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own.
What Can I Run with an 800W Solar Power System?
The average 800 watt solar system will produce between 3 and 4 kWh of energy per day. This will vary depending on the efficiency of the system and amount of sunlight it receives.
The average home in the US uses about 30 KWh of energy per day, however this includes heating and other high energy appliances like a washer, dishwasher and dryer. An 800 watt solar system would be able to power most small homes completely, minus house heating and cooling. A small 800 watt solar system would also preclude frequent use of other power hungry appliances like a cloths dryer, hot water heater and dishwasher.
Small solar panel systems are a great way to reduce your reliance on the grid and lower your carbon footprint if you get enough sun throughout the year and you keep your energy footprint small.
Benefits of Using Solar Power
Environmentally Friendly
Solar energy is one of the most environmentally friendly energy sources on the planet. It does not create any noise or produce greenhouse gases and does not pollute our land or water. With the reduction of environmentally harmful practices like fracking and deep-well drilling, solar energy use is one of the key strategies to reducing the consumption of fossil fuels by humans across the globe.
Saves you Money
Solar panels can be produced cheaply and have a long life. After the initial cost you will be generating your own electricity. This means that you will be using less from your utility supplier and saving you money on your energy bills. If your local energy supplier or government has a system in place, you can also make money by selling the unused electricity, which you have generated, back to the grid. Some local governments also give solar system grants which can make your green investment even more beneficial.
Available During or Just Before Peak Energy Times
Energy demand tends to be higher from 11:00-16:00 and then early in the evening. This is also the period when the price of the electricity peaks. Solar energy conveniently reaches its maximum production capacity during or just before those hours.
Can be Used in Remote and Off Grid Situations
Wherever the sun shines, solar energy can be deployed. This is particularly useful for remote regions with no access to any other source of electricity. This includes boats and recreational vehicles that want extra energy for when their engines aren’t running.
Solar Power can Reduce Electricity Transportation losses
When electricity is transported long distances some of that energy dissipates as heat. The longer the distances between the production and the supply points, the more energy is lost. Having solar panels close to the point of use can reduce these losses.
Solar Energy can Help with Grid Security
The grid is less vulnerable to blackouts if there are many, widely distributed power plants. A grid with a lot of solar energy can have thousands of energy production centers which are widely spread out. This improves the security of the grid in case of overload, natural or human-caused disasters.
Solar Panels are Low Maintenance
After a solar system is installed, it mostly runs itself. There is no noise and no moving parts. Some weather events may make it necessary to clean off the panels at infrequent intervals, however they can be installed in such a way that even this is reduced to a manageable level.
Best 800W Solar Panel System on Amazon
ECO-WORTHY 800W 24V Ready to Use Solar Panel System with Battery and Inverter for Home/RV
8pcs 100W Durable Monocristalline Solar Panel. Aluminum frame and tempered glass panel for extended outdoor use. Measures 101×51×3.5cm
2pcs 100Ah Lithium Battery which have a higher discharging efficiency and get 3000 more deep cycles than lead acid batteries.
1500W 24V Pure Sine Wave Inverter.
60A Solar Charge Controller with 4 Strings Combiner Box.
- This solar power system generates 3.2kWh per day under 4 hours full sunshine. Ideal for home, shed, cabin or RV.
Best 800W Solar Panel System from Renogy
800W 12V/24V Monocrystalline Solar Premium Kit w/Rover 60A Charger Controller
- The Premium Kit will produce an average of 3.5-4kWh of electricity per day (Based on 5 hours of direct sunlight conditions).
- Renogy Solar Kit comes with solar panels, charge controllers, and needed electrical wiring, fuses, and monitoring typically required for an off-grid installation, making it ideal for off-grid and mobile applications.
- Batteries not included. However Renogy makes a range of high quality batteries that integrate perfectly with this system.
- Comes with
- 8 x 100W solar panels.
- Rover Li 60A MPPT charge controller. This controller allows for expansion of your solar power system by adding more solar panels. Up to a 24V system and up to 1600W.
- All cables and connections.
- “Z” mounting brackets.
- Bluetooth module to seamlessly monitor and change settings straight from your smart device through the DC Home App (available in both the App Store and Google Play).
Both Renogy and Eco-Worthy make excellent, high quality solar power systems and come in many different sizes to choose from. You can use an 800W solar power system to fully power a small house with adequate sunlight and alternate sources of heat or to reduce your energy bill while helping to keep our planet green and our oceans blue.