There are numerous factors that affect the cost and production capacity of your residential or commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) system, from tax credits and rebates to weather conditions that change your system’s efficiency and output. This means your solar savings can vary greatly depending on your location, roof size, battery storage options, the size of your solar PV system, and the quality and efficiency of your PV panels. But a great way to begin the process of switching to solar is using an online solar power calculator to estimate your potential savings.

Thanks to its mild climate, California boasts some of the lowest rates of energy consumption in the nation. But even in places where residents rely less on air conditioning and heating than in other parts of the country, companies and households can still rack up expensive electric bills when they’re running on fossil fuels. Due to the state’s high electricity prices, Californians spend close to the national average to power their homes and businesses despite their comparatively lower rates of energy use.

Those who switch to solar, however, can save an average of $30,000 over the lifetime of their PV system, and solar power calculators are a convenient tool to estimate these savings. Solar panel calculators instantly tell you how much you can save based on your monthly electric bill and how much shade your building gets.

Many solar providers also offer potential customers a free quote based on their location and average monthly electric bill. Later they can size your home or company solar PV system by assessing how many hours of peak sunlight your building receives and determining the minimum solar array you will need to significantly reduce your electricity bill. The size of your PV system, and thus your savings, depends on how much you plan to offset your energy use with solar.

Whether your primary goal is to minimize your environmental impact or maximize your return on investment, solar panel calculators are a useful resource for homeowners or businesses considering solar. They’re a quick and easy way to approximate how much less it will cost you to power your home or business by switching to solar. Just refer to past utility bills to figure out the average energy requirements of your home or business and enter it into your solar provider’s online solar power calculator to start seeing green.