Solar panels in Louisiana
Roofs across Louisiana get about 1,658 hours of usable sunlight a year, and electricity costs 12.1¢/kWh. That combination puts a typical system's payback at 12.1 years. Here's the detail, from real rooftop data across 8 Louisiana cities.
Check your own roof in Louisiana → These are regional figures; your roof's size, pitch and shading move them a lot.
How Louisiana compares
Louisiana gets more sunlight than 69% of the cities we measure, and its electricity costs more than 10% of states and provinces. Both matter, but not equally: the electricity rate usually matters more, because solar saves money by replacing power you would otherwise buy. A sunny state with cheap power often pays back slower than a cloudy state with expensive power. Why that happens →
Solar by city in Louisiana
| City | Sun hrs/yr | Panels | Net cost | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenner | 1,732 | 19 | $15,162 | 11.5 yrs |
| Alexandria | 1,678 | 19 | $15,162 | 11.6 yrs |
| Lafayette | 1,672 | 19 | $15,162 | 11.6 yrs |
| New Orleans | 1,658 | 20 | $15,960 | 12.1 yrs |
| Lake Charles | 1,653 | 20 | $15,960 | 12.1 yrs |
| Baton Rouge | 1,631 | 20 | $15,960 | 12.1 yrs |
| Shreveport | 1,600 | 20 | $15,960 | 12.2 yrs |
| Monroe | 1,527 | 21 | $16,758 | 12.8 yrs |
What a system costs in Louisiana
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 4,510 | $6,384 | $546 | 11.7 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 6,765 | $9,576 | $819 | 11.7 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 9,020 | $12,768 | $1,091 | 11.7 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 11,274 | $15,960 | $1,321 | 12.1 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 14,657 | $20,748 | $1,423 | 14.6 yrs |
Payback stops improving as systems grow, then gets worse. You can only save on electricity you were going to buy, so once a system covers your usage the extra panels mostly export at a lower rate.
Louisiana solar incentives
Every US household can claim the 30% federal residential clean energy credit, which is what the "after credit" figures above assume. On a $22,800 system that is $6,840 back. How the credit works →
State, utility and municipal incentives stack on top and change often — Louisiana may offer rebates, property or sales tax exemptions, or performance payments. We deliberately don't list specific state programmes here because they change several times a year and stale numbers are worse than none. The DSIRE database is the standard reference and is kept current.
Louisiana solar questions
Is solar worth it in Louisiana?
At 12.1¢/kWh and 1,658 usable sun hours, a typical Louisiana system pays back in about 12.1 years and returns roughly $17,069 across a 25-year panel life. That is slower than average, so compare at least three quotes before committing. Individual cities in Louisiana vary widely around this average.
How many solar panels do I need in Louisiana?
About 20 panels for a home using 10,800 kWh a year. Each 400W panel produces roughly 564 kWh annually at Louisiana sunlight levels. Your own figure depends on actual usage — pull a year of bills rather than assuming average consumption, since heating and EV charging change it a lot.
How much do solar panels cost in Louisiana?
A 8 kW system runs about $22,800 before incentives and $15,960 after the 30% federal credit, or roughly $2.85 per watt installed. Quotes vary widely by installer, roof complexity and whether your electrical panel needs upgrading — get three before deciding.
Worth reading before you buy
Regional estimates generated 2026-08-22 from Google Solar API rooftop samples across 8 Louisiana cities, and average Louisiana electricity rates. Not a quote and not financial or tax advice.