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Grayson County APCo

Solar panels in Independence, Virginia: 1,365 kWh per kW per year

A south-facing kilowatt of panels in Independence makes about 1,365 kWh a year, 0.1% below the Virginia median. Power here comes from Appalachian Power at 17.16¢ per kWh (2025 average).

1,365

kWh / kW / year

PVWatts, south-facing

5.09

Peak sun hours / day

annual average irradiance

10,920

kWh / yr from 8 kW

a common home system

17.16¢

APCo price

2025 residential avg

Monthly solar production per kW in Independence, VirginiaKilowatt-hours per month for a 1 kW south-facing system. Peak in Aug, low in Dec.050100150Jan97Feb94Mar119Apr130May126Jun130Jul127Aug133Sep113Oct110Nov98Dec89
NREL PVWatts v8, 1 kW DC, fixed roof mount, azimuth 180°, tilt 25°, 14% losses. Aug makes about 1.5× Dec.

Seasonality

Monthly solar production in Independence

Virginia net metering carries excess credits forward for 12 months, so Aug'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: 15.6%. Elevation about 806 m. Compare every town on the city list, or see how roof direction, tilt and shade change the number.

Payback in Independence

Solar cost and payback for an average home in Independence

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

9.5 kW

System size

$26,410

Est. cost

$2,406

Year-1 savings

10.0 yrs

Break-even

$73,344

25-yr savings

$46,934

Net benefit

undiscounted

Utility

Electric utilities serving Grayson County

UtilityTypeAvg price ¢/kWhAvg kWh / monthData year
Appalachian PowerInvestor-owned utility17.161,0842025*

Questions

Questions about solar in Independence

How much electricity does a solar system produce in Independence?
About 1,365 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 10,920 kWh a year. East- or west-facing roofs make less; the calculator applies those factors.
Who is the electric utility in Independence?
Appalachian Power serves Independence, per EIA's service-territory data. APCo's 2025 average residential price was 17.16¢ per kWh.
Is solar worth it in Independence?
For an average APCo home (1,084 kWh a month), the default assumptions give a 9.5 kW system costing about $26,410 with a break-even around 10.0 years and $46,934 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 1038548.csv typical-year weather dataset for grid cell 1038548, 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 Independence

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.