When will solar power generation pay off

How long does it take for solar panels to pay back?

The amount of time it takes for the energy savings to exceed the cost of installing solar panels is know as the payback period or break-even period. A typical payback period for residential solar is 7-10 years, althought it varies depending on your utility rates, incentives, system size, and other factors.

How do solar panels pay back?

If you’d rather skip the long explanations and math equations, you can calculate the payback period for your specific home now by using our solar panel payback calculator: Solar panels pay for themselves over time by saving you money on electricity bills, and in some cases, earning you money through ongoing incentive payments.

What is a solar panel payback period?

"Solar panel payback period" is the amount of time it’ll take you to completely pay off your solar power system through savings on your electric bill. It is calculated by taking the total cost to install the system, then subtracting solar incentives and/or rebates, and monthly electric bill savings until the total cost has been paid off.

Do solar panels reduce your electric bill?

For example, if you spend $16,000 on a solar panel system, then get a federal tax credit of $4,800, the cost after incentives is $11,200. Then if the solar energy your panels make reduces your electric bill by $1,500 per year, your payback period would be about 7.5 years, assuming electricity rates don’t increase.

What happens to solar panels after 20 years?

After 20 years, solar panels will continue to produce energy but at a lower rate. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), solar panels degrade by 0.5% every year, resulting in a 10% energy production drop for 20-year-old panels. However, they’ll still save you money on energy for 25 years or longer.

How long do solar panels last on EnergySage?

That's the average payback period on EnergySage. At the end of those 7.5 years, your solar panels will have saved you enough money on your electric bill to cover the upfront cost of your system. Year eight in the example is when you technically start saving money, having finally broken even on your investment.