Square feet per kilowatt is a guess. Fire code pathways, ridge setbacks, obstructions and panel size decide the fit, and the layout drawing is the proof.
One shaded panel can drag down others or none, depending on the wiring. How shade is modeled, what to ask for, and when trees rule out the roof.
Panel count is the last thing to work out and the first thing people ask. The five inputs that determine system size, in the order they actually resolve.
Offset is an annual accounting figure, not a description of how your house runs. Why full offset is the default, when it is wrong, and what decides your number.
Six assumptions in a proposal push the number up, and each one is checkable. Which are legitimate, which are choices, and how to ask for the same size two ways.
One email a week with new guides, tips, and solar news. Zero fluff, no sales pitch.