Solar panels in Richmond, VA
Roofs in Richmond get about 1,480 hours of usable sunlight a year — less than 58% 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 Richmond → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical Richmond solar system costs
A 22-panel system (8.8 kW) is about right for an average Richmond home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 11,070 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 4,026 | $6,384 | $572 | 11.2 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 6,038 | $9,576 | $857 | 11.2 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 8,051 | $12,768 | $1,143 | 11.2 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 10,064 | $15,960 | $1,429 | 11.2 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 13,083 | $20,748 | $1,615 | 12.8 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 Richmond gets 1,480 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Richmond — 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 Richmond reaches about 1,554 hours, roughly 5% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 1,480 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 1,554 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (Virginia avg) | 14.2¢/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 | 14 |
| Google imagery from | 2024 |
Nearby cities
See all of Virginia → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.
Richmond solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in Richmond?
About 22 panels for an average home. Richmond roofs get 1,480 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 503 kWh annually.
Is solar worth it in Richmond?
At 14.2¢/kWh and 1,480 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 11.4 years and returns roughly $21,024 over 25 years. That is slower than the national average, so compare quotes carefully.
How much do solar panels cost in Richmond?
A 8.8 kW system costs about $25,080 before incentives and $17,556 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 Virginia 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.