Solar panels in Albany, NY
Roofs in Albany get about 1,339 hours of usable sunlight a year — less than 91% of the cities we've measured. Here's what that means in cost, savings and payback, using real rooftop data rather than a national average.
Check your specific roof in Albany → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical Albany solar system costs
A 24-panel system (9.6 kW) is about right for an average Albany home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 10,926 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 3,642 | $6,384 | $885 | 7.2 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 5,463 | $9,576 | $1,328 | 7.2 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 7,284 | $12,768 | $1,770 | 7.2 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 9,105 | $15,960 | $2,213 | 7.2 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 11,837 | $20,748 | $2,687 | 7.7 yrs |
Notice that payback barely improves as systems get bigger, and eventually gets worse. That's because you can only save money on electricity you were going to buy anyway. Once a system covers your usage, extra panels mostly generate exports at a much lower rate.
Why Albany gets 1,339 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Albany — it already accounts for shading from trees, chimneys and neighbouring buildings, which is why it's lower than the raw "hours of daylight" figures you'll see elsewhere. An unusually open, unshaded roof in Albany reaches about 1,448 hours, roughly 8% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 1,339 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 1,448 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (New York avg) | 24.3¢/kWh |
| Installed cost assumed | $2.85/W |
| Panel size assumed | 400 W |
| Federal tax credit | 30% |
| Typical household usage | 10,800 kWh/yr |
| Power used as generated | 35% |
| Paid for exported power | full retail (net metering) |
| Rooftops sampled here | 15 |
| Google imagery from | 2024 |
Nearby cities
See all of New York → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.
Albany solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in Albany?
About 24 panels for an average home. Albany roofs get 1,339 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 455 kWh annually.
Is solar worth it in Albany?
At 24.3¢/kWh and 1,339 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 7.3 years and returns roughly $46,650 over 25 years. That is a solid return.
How much do solar panels cost in Albany?
A 9.6 kW system costs about $27,360 before incentives and $19,152 after the 30% federal tax credit. Prices vary by installer, roof complexity and equipment.
Worth reading before you buy
Estimates only, generated 2026-08-22 from Google Solar API rooftop samples and average New York electricity rates. Not a quote and not financial advice. Your roof, usage, utility plan and local incentives will change these numbers — get real quotes before buying.