Solar panels in Las Vegas, NV
Roofs in Las Vegas get about 1,992 hours of usable sunlight a year — more than 96% 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 Las Vegas → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical Las Vegas solar system costs
A 16-panel system (6.4 kW) is about right for an average Las Vegas home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 10,836 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 5,418 | $6,384 | $829 | 7.7 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 8,127 | $9,576 | $1,243 | 7.7 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 10,836 | $12,768 | $1,654 | 7.7 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 13,546 | $15,960 | $1,757 | 9.1 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 17,609 | $20,748 | $1,913 | 10.8 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 Las Vegas gets 1,992 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Las Vegas — 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 Las Vegas reaches about 2,044 hours, roughly 3% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 1,992 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 2,044 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (Nevada 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 | 35% |
| Paid for exported power | full retail (net metering) |
| Rooftops sampled here | 16 |
| Google imagery from | 2023 |
Nearby cities
See all of Nevada → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.
Las Vegas solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in Las Vegas?
About 16 panels for an average home. Las Vegas roofs get 1,992 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 677 kWh annually.
Is solar worth it in Las Vegas?
At 15.3¢/kWh and 1,992 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 7.7 years and returns roughly $28,577 over 25 years. That is a solid return.
How much do solar panels cost in Las Vegas?
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 Nevada 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.