Solar panels in Garland, TX
Roofs in Garland get about 1,755 hours of usable sunlight a year — more than 74% 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 Garland → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical Garland solar system costs
A 19-panel system (7.6 kW) is about right for an average Garland home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 11,337 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 4,774 | $6,384 | $721 | 8.9 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 7,160 | $9,576 | $1,081 | 8.9 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 9,547 | $12,768 | $1,442 | 8.9 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 11,934 | $15,960 | $1,674 | 9.5 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 15,514 | $20,748 | $1,809 | 11.5 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 Garland gets 1,755 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Garland — 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 Garland reaches about 1,794 hours, roughly 2% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 1,755 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 1,794 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (Texas avg) | 15.1¢/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 | 33% |
| Paid for exported power | full retail (net metering) |
| Rooftops sampled here | 16 |
| Google imagery from | 2024 |
Nearby cities
See all of Texas → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.
Garland solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in Garland?
About 19 panels for an average home. Garland roofs get 1,755 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 597 kWh annually.
Is solar worth it in Garland?
At 15.1¢/kWh and 1,755 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 9.2 years and returns roughly $26,115 over 25 years. That is a solid return.
How much do solar panels cost in Garland?
A 7.6 kW system costs about $21,660 before incentives and $15,162 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 Texas 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.