Estimate your potential ROI and monthly energy savings
Your Potential Savings
Monthly Production:
Estimated Monthly Savings:
Payback Period:
25-Year Lifetime Savings:
Understanding Your Solar Investment
Switching to solar power is more than just an environmental choice; it is a strategic financial decision. By generating your own electricity, you lock in a fixed energy rate and protect yourself against the rising costs of utility power.
How We Calculate Your Savings
Our Solar Panel Savings Calculator uses several key metrics to provide an accurate estimate:
Monthly Production: This is calculated by multiplying your system size (kW) by the average peak sunlight hours in your area, adjusted for a standard system efficiency of 78%.
Monthly Savings: This is the value of the electricity your system produces. We compare your production against your current utility rate ($/kWh).
Payback Period: The amount of time it takes for your cumulative energy savings to equal the initial net cost of the system.
Realistic Examples of Solar ROI
Consider a standard 6kW residential system in a sunny state like Arizona versus a northern state like Massachusetts:
Metric
High Sun Area (5.5 hrs)
Low Sun Area (3.5 hrs)
Monthly Generation
772 kWh
491 kWh
Monthly Bill Savings
$108.11
$68.79
10-Year Savings
$12,973
$8,255
Maximizing Your Solar Return
To get the best results from your solar installation, remember these factors:
The Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC): You can currently deduct 30% of your solar installation costs from your federal taxes.
Net Metering: Ensure your utility provider offers net metering, which allows you to sell excess energy back to the grid at retail rates.
Panel Orientation: South-facing roofs typically produce the most energy in the Northern Hemisphere.
function calculateSolar() {
var bill = parseFloat(document.getElementById('monthlyBill').value);
var rate = parseFloat(document.getElementById('elecRate').value);
var size = parseFloat(document.getElementById('systemSize').value);
var sun = parseFloat(document.getElementById('sunHours').value);
var cost = parseFloat(document.getElementById('systemCost').value);
if (isNaN(bill) || isNaN(rate) || isNaN(size) || isNaN(sun) || isNaN(cost)) {
alert("Please enter valid numbers in all fields.");
return;
}
// Standard conversion: Size * Hours * 30 days * efficiency factor (0.78)
var monthlyProdKwh = size * sun * 30 * 0.78;
// Monthly savings cannot exceed the actual bill (assuming no net-billing profit)
var monthlySavingsValue = monthlyProdKwh * rate;
var actualMonthlySavings = Math.min(monthlySavingsValue, bill);
// Payback Period (Years)
var paybackYears = cost / (actualMonthlySavings * 12);
// 25-Year Lifetime Savings (considering 0.5% degradation per year and 2% energy inflation)
var lifetimeSavings = 0;
var currentYearlySavings = actualMonthlySavings * 12;
for (var i = 1; i <= 25; i++) {
lifetimeSavings += currentYearlySavings;
currentYearlySavings = currentYearlySavings * 1.02; // Energy price inflation
}
var netLifetimeReturn = lifetimeSavings – cost;
// Display Results
document.getElementById('solar-result').style.display = 'block';
document.getElementById('monthlyProdText').innerText = monthlyProdKwh.toFixed(0) + " kWh";
document.getElementById('monthlySavText').innerText = "$" + actualMonthlySavings.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('paybackText').innerText = paybackYears.toFixed(1) + " Years";
document.getElementById('lifetimeText').innerText = "$" + netLifetimeReturn.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 0, maximumFractionDigits: 0});
// Scroll to result smoothly
document.getElementById('solar-result').scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' });
}