Solar panels in Concord, NC
Roofs in Concord get about 1,479 hours of usable sunlight a year — less than 62% 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 Concord → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical Concord solar system costs
A 22-panel system (8.8 kW) is about right for an average Concord home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 11,063 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 4,023 | $6,384 | $531 | 12 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 6,034 | $9,576 | $797 | 12 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 8,046 | $12,768 | $1,062 | 12 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 10,057 | $15,960 | $1,328 | 12 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 13,074 | $20,748 | $1,501 | 13.8 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 Concord gets 1,479 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Concord — 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 Concord reaches about 1,691 hours, roughly 14% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 1,479 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 1,691 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (North Carolina avg) | 13.2¢/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 | 15 |
| Google imagery from | 2021 |
Nearby cities
See all of North Carolina → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.
Concord solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in Concord?
About 22 panels for an average home. Concord roofs get 1,479 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 503 kWh annually.
Is solar worth it in Concord?
At 13.2¢/kWh and 1,479 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 12.2 years and returns roughly $18,301 over 25 years. That is slower than the national average, so compare quotes carefully.
How much do solar panels cost in Concord?
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 North Carolina 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.