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Solar panels in Buckeye, AZ

Roofs in Buckeye get about 1,984 hours of usable sunlight a year — more than 95% 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.

1,984Sun hours / yr
17Panels typical
$13,566Cost after credit
8.1 yrPayback
Solar is reasonable in Buckeye, not spectacular. A 8.1-year payback still beats most savings accounts over the panel's 25-year life, but it is not the slam dunk you'll see advertised.

Check your specific roof in Buckeye → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.

What a typical Buckeye solar system costs

A 17-panel system (6.8 kW) is about right for an average Buckeye home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 11,468 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.

Estimated economics by system size in Buckeye, at 15.2¢/kWh after the 30% federal tax credit
SystemSizekWh/yr Net costSaves/yrPayback
8 panels3.2 kW 5,396$6,384 $820 7.8 yrs
12 panels4.8 kW 8,095$9,576 $1,230 7.8 yrs
16 panels6.4 kW 10,793$12,768 $1,641 7.8 yrs
20 panels8 kW 13,491$15,960 $1,744 9.2 yrs
26 panels10.4 kW 17,539$20,748 $1,898 10.9 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 Buckeye gets 1,984 sun hours

That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Buckeye — 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 Buckeye reaches about 2,059 hours, roughly 4% better than typical.

The numbers behind this page

Typical usable sunlight1,984 hrs/yr
Unshaded roof2,059 hrs/yr
Electricity rate (Arizona avg)15.2¢/kWh
Installed cost assumed$2.85/W
Panel size assumed400 W
Federal tax credit30%
Typical household usage10,800 kWh/yr
Power used as generated33%
Paid for exported powerfull retail (net metering)
Rooftops sampled here5
Google imagery from2022

Nearby cities

See all of Arizona → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.

Buckeye solar questions

How many solar panels do I need in Buckeye?

About 17 panels for an average home. Buckeye roofs get 1,984 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 675 kWh annually.

Is solar worth it in Buckeye?

At 15.2¢/kWh and 1,984 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 8.1 years and returns roughly $28,108 over 25 years. That is a solid return.

How much do solar panels cost in Buckeye?

A 6.8 kW system costs about $19,380 before incentives and $13,566 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 Arizona 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.