If each solar panel produces 300 watts per hour and receives 5 hours of sunlight, a single panel would generate 1. Thus, you would need approximately 16 panels to meet the daily energy needs of your air conditioner. 5 to 5 kilowatts (kW) per hour. Standard residential solar panels typically produce between 250. Most residential air conditioners require between 5-10 solar panels to operate effectively, though this number varies based on the specific unit's energy demands and your geographical location. Furthermore, it commonly matches the five thousand British Thermal Unit A/C wattage listings. Bigger window. If you run this AC for an hour, it will have consumed 1,000 Watt-hours (WH), the equivalent of 1kilowatt-hour (kWh). This calculation will help you prepare for solar.