Solar planning for Pāhala homes
A well-matched system should reflect how the household uses power today and how that may change in the future. Solar and storage are sized separately but coordinated so production, stored energy and backup power work together.
What we review first
- Recent electric bills and daily usage patterns.
- Roof or ground-mount layout, orientation and shading.
- Equipment placement and service-panel considerations.
- Battery backup priorities and desired duration.
- Expected future loads such as EVs, air conditioning, pumps or additional buildings.
Solar and battery sizing are related—but different
Solar array size focuses on energy production. Battery size focuses on stored energy, discharge power and backup duration. Treating those as separate design questions results in a clearer plan.
Learn before you buy
Visit our Solar 101 learning center to see animated diagrams of grid-tied, battery-backup and off-grid systems.