Skip to content
Independent city

Solar panels in Martinsville, Virginia: 1,398 kWh per kW per year

A south-facing kilowatt of panels in Martinsville makes about 1,398 kWh a year, 2.3% above the Virginia median. No current utility price is on file for Martinsville, so the numbers below use the statewide average.

1,398

kWh / kW / year

PVWatts, south-facing

5.09

Peak sun hours / day

annual average irradiance

11,184

kWh / yr from 8 kW

a common home system

17.55¢

VA price

July 2026

Monthly solar production per kW in Martinsville, VirginiaKilowatt-hours per month for a 1 kW south-facing system. Peak in May, low in Dec.050100150Jan100Feb105Mar122Apr124May136Jun132Jul135Aug132Sep120Oct111Nov99Dec84
NREL PVWatts v8, 1 kW DC, fixed roof mount, azimuth 180°, tilt 25°, 14% losses. May makes about 1.6× Dec.

Seasonality

Monthly solar production in Martinsville

Virginia net metering carries excess credits forward for 12 months, so May'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: 16.0%. Elevation about 280 m. Compare every town on the city list, or see how roof direction, tilt and shade change the number.

Payback in Martinsville

Solar cost and payback for an average home in Martinsville

Assumes 1,000 kWh a month (≈ $165) at Virginia average, 12 months to July 2026 price, Martinsville'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

8.6 kW

System size

$23,908

Est. cost

$2,158

Year-1 savings

10.2 yrs

Break-even

$64,726

25-yr savings

$40,818

Net benefit

undiscounted

Questions

Questions about solar in Martinsville

How much electricity does a solar system produce in Martinsville?
About 1,398 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 11,184 kWh a year. East- or west-facing roofs make less; the calculator applies those factors.
Who is the electric utility in Martinsville?
EIA does not list a current utility for Martinsville in its territory file. Check your bill.
Is solar worth it in Martinsville?
For an average Virginia home (1,000 kWh a month), the default assumptions give a 8.6 kW system costing about $23,908 with a break-even around 10.2 years and $40,818 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 1067617.csv typical-year weather dataset for grid cell 1067617, 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 Martinsville

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.