Solar panels in Salina, KS
Roofs in Salina get about 1,642 hours of usable sunlight a year — more 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 Salina → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical Salina solar system costs
A 20-panel system (8 kW) is about right for an average Salina home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 11,166 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 4,466 | $6,384 | $630 | 10.1 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 6,699 | $9,576 | $945 | 10.1 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 8,932 | $12,768 | $1,259 | 10.1 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 11,166 | $15,960 | $1,536 | 10.4 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 14,515 | $20,748 | $1,654 | 12.5 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 Salina gets 1,642 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Salina — 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 Salina reaches about 1,787 hours, roughly 9% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 1,642 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 1,787 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (Kansas avg) | 14.1¢/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 | 34% |
| Paid for exported power | full retail (net metering) |
| Rooftops sampled here | 10 |
| Google imagery from | 2022 |
When Salina actually produces
Annual totals hide the thing that catches people out: 36% of Salina's yearly sunlight arrives in May–July, and just 14% across November–January.
| Month | Sun hrs | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 76 | |
| Feb | 101 | |
| Mar | 133 | |
| Apr | 167 | |
| May | 190 | |
| Jun | 199 | |
| Jul | 194 | |
| Aug | 175 | |
| Sep | 145 | |
| Oct | 110 | |
| Nov | 82 | |
| Dec | 69 |
Salina produces about 2.9× as much in Jun as in Dec — a normal mid-latitude swing. Expect real winter shortfall and summer surplus rather than steady year-round output.
The annual total is measured from Google's rooftop imagery. Its split across months is calculated from solar geometry at Salina's latitude, not separately measured, so treat the monthly figures as the shape of a typical year rather than a forecast.
How Salina compares to the other 673 cities
| Measure | Salina | Rank of 673 |
|---|---|---|
| Usable sunlight | 1,642 hrs | 254th |
| Sunlight lost to shade | 8% | 134th most |
| Median roof size | 179 m² | 424th largest |
| Electricity rate | 14.1¢ | 480th highest |
| Payback | 10.4 yrs | 366th fastest |
| Grid carbon | 909 kg/MWh | 12th dirtiest |
What actually stands out about Salina:
- Every kWh counts more here. The grid serving Salina emits 909 kg CO₂ per MWh, among the highest of the 673 cities measured — so the same panels displace more emissions than they would elsewhere.
Cities with almost the same sunlight
These are the closest matches to Salina's 1,642 usable sun hours from other states and provinces. Same sunlight, different electricity prices — which is usually what decides whether solar is worth it.
| City | Sun hrs | Rate | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima, WA | 1,640 | 11.3¢ | 13 yrs |
| League City, TX | 1,645 | 15.1¢ | 9.7 yrs |
| Savannah, GA | 1,646 | 14.1¢ | 10.4 yrs |
| Idaho Falls, ID | 1,646 | 11.2¢ | 13.1 yrs |
Nearby cities
See all of Kansas → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.
Salina solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in Salina?
About 20 panels for an average home using 10,800 kWh a year. Salina roofs get 1,642 usable sun hours, so each 400W panel produces roughly 558 kWh annually. A typical Salina roof fits about 62 panels, so roof space is unlikely to be your limit.
Is solar worth it in Salina?
At 14.1¢/kWh and 1,642 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 10.4 years and returns roughly $22,432 over a 25-year panel life. That is slower than average, so compare several quotes before committing. Exported power earns full retail credit here.
How much do solar panels cost in Salina?
A 8 kW system costs about $22,800 before incentives and $15,960 after the 30% federal tax credit. That works out near $2.85 per watt installed. Roof pitch, shading, electrical panel upgrades and equipment choice move the price most, which is why quotes for the same house can differ by thousands.
Worth reading before you buy
Estimates only, generated 2026-08-22 from Google Solar API rooftop samples and average Kansas 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.