Independent city APCo

Solar panels in Galax, Virginia: 1,387 kWh per kW per year

A south-facing kilowatt of panels in Galax makes about 1,387 kWh a year, 1.5% above the Virginia median. Power here comes from Appalachian Power at 17.16¢ per kWh (2025 average).

1,387

kWh / kW / year

PVWatts, south-facing

5.00

Peak sun hours / day

annual average irradiance

11,096

kWh / yr from 8 kW

a common home system

17.16¢

APCo price

2025 residential avg

NREL PVWatts v8, 1 kW DC, fixed roof mount, azimuth 180°, tilt 25°, 14% losses. Apr makes about 1.6× Dec.

Seasonality

Monthly solar production in Galax

Virginia net metering carries excess credits forward for 12 months, so Apr'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: 15.8%. Elevation about 772 m. Compare every town on the city list, or see how roof direction, tilt and shade change the number.

Payback in Galax

Solar cost and payback for an average home in Galax

Assumes 1,084 kWh a month (≈ $186) at Appalachian Power's 2025 average price, Galax'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

9.4 kW

System size

$26,132

Est. cost

$2,442

Year-1 savings

9.8 yrs

Break-even

$73,747

25-yr savings

$47,615

Net benefit

undiscounted

Utility

Electric utilities serving Galax

Utility	Type	Avg price ¢/kWh	Avg kWh / month	Data year
Appalachian Power	Investor-owned utility	17.16	1,084	2025*

Questions

Questions about solar in Galax

How much electricity does a solar system produce in Galax?

About 1,387 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 11,096 kWh a year. East- or west-facing roofs make less; the calculator applies those factors.

Who is the electric utility in Galax?

Appalachian Power serves Galax, per EIA's service-territory data. APCo's 2025 average residential price was 17.16¢ per kWh.

Is solar worth it in Galax?

For an average APCo home (1,084 kWh a month), the default assumptions give a 9.4 kW system costing about $26,132 with a break-even around 9.8 years and $47,615 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 1044533.csv typical-year weather dataset for grid cell 1044533, about 2 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 Galax

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.