Solar panels in El Paso, TX
Roofs in El Paso get about 2,043 hours of usable sunlight a year — more than 98% 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 El Paso → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical El Paso solar system costs
A 16-panel system (6.4 kW) is about right for an average El Paso home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 11,114 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 5,557 | $6,384 | $839 | 7.6 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 8,335 | $9,576 | $1,259 | 7.6 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 11,114 | $12,768 | $1,643 | 7.8 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 13,892 | $15,960 | $1,748 | 9.1 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 18,060 | $20,748 | $1,905 | 10.9 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 El Paso gets 2,043 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across El Paso — 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 El Paso reaches about 2,114 hours, roughly 3% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 2,043 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 2,114 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (Texas avg) | 15.1¢/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 | 34% |
| Paid for exported power | full retail (net metering) |
| Rooftops sampled here | 15 |
| Google imagery from | 2020 |
Nearby cities
See all of Texas → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.
El Paso solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in El Paso?
About 16 panels for an average home. El Paso roofs get 2,043 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 695 kWh annually.
Is solar worth it in El Paso?
At 15.1¢/kWh and 2,043 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 7.8 years and returns roughly $28,298 over 25 years. That is a solid return.
How much do solar panels cost in El Paso?
A 6.4 kW system costs about $18,240 before incentives and $12,768 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 Texas 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.