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Solar panels in Franklin, Virginia: 1,448 kWh per kW per year

A south-facing kilowatt of panels in Franklin makes about 1,448 kWh a year, 6% above the Virginia median. No current utility price is on file for Franklin, so the numbers below use the statewide average.

1,448

kWh / kW / year

PVWatts, south-facing

5.15

Peak sun hours / day

annual average irradiance

11,584

kWh / yr from 8 kW

a common home system

17.55¢

VA price

July 2026

Monthly solar production per kW in Franklin, VirginiaKilowatt-hours per month for a 1 kW south-facing system. Peak in Jul, low in Dec.050100150Jan100Feb100Mar122Apr139May141Jun143Jul143Aug133Sep123Oct116Nov101Dec87
NREL PVWatts v8, 1 kW DC, fixed roof mount, azimuth 180°, tilt 25°, 14% losses. Jul makes about 1.6× Dec.

Seasonality

Monthly solar production in Franklin

Virginia net metering carries excess credits forward for 12 months, so Jul's surplus offsets Dec's shortfall. Systems are sized to annual usage rather than to the lowest month. How the calculator models net metering; the current rules by utility are on this Virginia incentives page, maintained by the installer behind this site.

Capacity factor: 16.5%. Elevation about 13 m. Compare every town on the city list, or see how roof direction, tilt and shade change the number.

Payback in Franklin

Solar cost and payback for an average home in Franklin

Assumes 1,000 kWh a month (≈ $165) at Virginia average, 12 months to July 2026 price, Franklin's PVWatts production, 3% annual rate growth and $2.78/W installed, no federal credit. Dollars are nominal. Change any of it in the calculator, or compare every utility in Are solar panels worth it in Virginia?

Run it with your bill

8.3 kW

System size

$23,074

Est. cost

$2,158

Year-1 savings

9.8 yrs

Break-even

$64,704

25-yr savings

$41,630

Net benefit

undiscounted

Questions

Questions about solar in Franklin

How much electricity does a solar system produce in Franklin?
About 1,448 kWh per year for every kilowatt of panels on a south-facing roof, according to NREL's PVWatts. An 8 kW system would make roughly 11,584 kWh a year. East- or west-facing roofs make less; the calculator applies those factors.
Who is the electric utility in Franklin?
EIA does not list a current utility for Franklin in its territory file. Check your bill.
Is solar worth it in Franklin?
For an average Virginia home (1,000 kWh a month), the default assumptions give a 8.3 kW system costing about $23,074 with a break-even around 9.8 years and $41,630 net benefit (nominal) over 25 years. Your bill, roof and shade change that; the calculator lets you enter them. The statewide picture is in “Is solar worth it in Virginia?”.
Where does the sun data come from?
NREL PVWatts v8 (8.5.0), using the 1147745.csv typical-year weather dataset for grid cell 1147745, about 1 km from the town center. Inputs: 1 kW DC, fixed roof mount, 180° azimuth, 25° tilt, 14% system losses. Typical-year data doesn't change year to year.

Solar production in towns near Franklin

Sources: NREL PVWatts v8 (8.5.0, typical-year weather); EIA Form 861 2025 utility data and service territories; U.S. Census Bureau place coordinates. Formulas and assumptions on the methodology page.