Solar panels in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Roofs in Fort Lauderdale get about 1,745 hours of usable sunlight a year — more than 77% 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 Fort Lauderdale → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical Fort Lauderdale solar system costs
A 19-panel system (7.6 kW) is about right for an average Fort Lauderdale home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 11,273 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 4,746 | $6,384 | $726 | 8.8 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 7,120 | $9,576 | $1,089 | 8.8 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 9,493 | $12,768 | $1,452 | 8.8 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 11,866 | $15,960 | $1,693 | 9.4 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 15,426 | $20,748 | $1,829 | 11.3 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 Fort Lauderdale gets 1,745 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Fort Lauderdale — 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 Fort Lauderdale reaches about 1,829 hours, roughly 5% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 1,745 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 1,829 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (Florida avg) | 15.3¢/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 | 34% |
| Paid for exported power | full retail (net metering) |
| Rooftops sampled here | 11 |
| Google imagery from | 2024 |
Nearby cities
See all of Florida → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.
Fort Lauderdale solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in Fort Lauderdale?
About 19 panels for an average home. Fort Lauderdale roofs get 1,745 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 593 kWh annually.
Is solar worth it in Fort Lauderdale?
At 15.3¢/kWh and 1,745 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 9.1 years and returns roughly $26,600 over 25 years. That is a solid return.
How much do solar panels cost in Fort Lauderdale?
A 7.6 kW system costs about $21,660 before incentives and $15,162 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 Florida 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.