Is solar worth it in Texas?
A 6 kW system pays for itself in
7.9 years$12,600 after the tax credit
Over its life the system generates power at 5.8¢ per kilowatt hour against the 16.44¢ Texas utilities charge. That comparison, rather than the sunshine, is what decides it.
What your utility credits matters more than the weather
Full retail credit
7.9 yrs
Credited below retail
11.8 yrs
The panels are identical in both columns. The only difference is what the utility pays for power you export rather than use, and states have been cutting that. Check what Texas requires of your utility before treating the left-hand figure as yours.
The numbers behind it
A 6 kW array at a representative point in Texas produces about 9,202 kilowatt hours a year — 1,534 per kilowatt installed. At $3.00 a watt that is $18,000 before the 30% federal credit and $12,600 after it, saving about $1,513 in the first year.
Common questions
Is solar worth it in Texas?
A 6 kW system pays for itself in about 7.9 years with full net metering, and around 11.8 years where exports are credited below retail. It generates power at 5.8¢ per kilowatt hour against the 16.44¢ the utility charges.
How much do solar panels produce in Texas?
About 1,534 kilowatt hours per kilowatt of panels a year, so a 6 kW system produces roughly 9,202 kWh. Modelled by NREL's PVWatts for a south-facing roof at a representative point in the state.
What does a solar system cost in Texas?
About $18,000 before incentives for 6 kW at $3.00 a watt, or $12,600 after the 30% federal tax credit. That credit reduces tax owed rather than the price paid.
Your roof, not the state
The calculator models your own ZIP code rather than a point in the middle of the state, and lets you set the system size, the installed price and the export credit.
Solar payback calculatorProduction modelled by NREL PVWatts for the centroid of Texas's ZIP codes, south-facing at 20°. A state is not a point — a centroid can sit in the sunnier half, as it does in states split by mountains, so treat this as the state's middle rather than your address. Electricity price from the EIA, 2026-05. Payback assumes 2% annual price rises and 0.5% panel degradation.