Solar panels in West Palm Beach, FL
Roofs in West Palm Beach get about 1,775 hours of usable sunlight a year — more than 77% 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 West Palm Beach → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical West Palm Beach solar system costs
A 18-panel system (7.2 kW) is about right for an average West Palm Beach home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 10,863 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 4,828 | $6,384 | $739 | 8.6 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 7,242 | $9,576 | $1,108 | 8.6 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 9,656 | $12,768 | $1,477 | 8.6 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 12,070 | $15,960 | $1,701 | 9.4 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 15,691 | $20,748 | $1,839 | 11.3 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 West Palm Beach gets 1,775 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across West Palm Beach — 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 West Palm Beach reaches about 1,846 hours, roughly 4% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 1,775 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 1,846 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (Florida avg) | 15.3¢/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 | 35% |
| Paid for exported power | full retail (net metering) |
| Rooftops sampled here | 9 |
| Google imagery from | 2024 |
Nearby cities
See all of Florida → statewide sunlight, rates, incentives and every city we've measured.
West Palm Beach solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in West Palm Beach?
About 18 panels for an average home. West Palm Beach roofs get 1,775 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 604 kWh annually.
Is solar worth it in West Palm Beach?
At 15.3¢/kWh and 1,775 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 8.7 years and returns roughly $27,006 over 25 years. That is a solid return.
How much do solar panels cost in West Palm Beach?
A 7.2 kW system costs about $20,520 before incentives and $14,364 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 Florida 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.