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Solar panels in Radford, Virginia: 1,301 kWh per kW per year

A south-facing kilowatt of panels in Radford makes about 1,301 kWh a year, 4.8% below the Virginia median. No current utility price is on file for Radford, so the numbers below use the statewide average.

1,301

kWh / kW / year

PVWatts, south-facing

4.87

Peak sun hours / day

annual average irradiance

10,408

kWh / yr from 8 kW

a common home system

17.55¢

VA price

July 2026

Monthly solar production per kW in Radford, VirginiaKilowatt-hours per month for a 1 kW south-facing system. Peak in May, low in Dec.050100150Jan87Feb90Mar106Apr123May129Jun126Jul128Aug118Sep113Oct112Nov93Dec77
NREL PVWatts v8, 1 kW DC, fixed roof mount, azimuth 180°, tilt 25°, 14% losses. May makes about 1.7× Dec.

Seasonality

Monthly solar production in Radford

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: 14.9%. Elevation about 573 m. Compare every town on the city list, or see how roof direction, tilt and shade change the number.

Payback in Radford

Solar cost and payback for an average home in Radford

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

9.2 kW

System size

$25,576

Est. cost

$2,123

Year-1 savings

11.0 yrs

Break-even

$64,426

25-yr savings

$38,850

Net benefit

undiscounted

Questions

Questions about solar in Radford

How much electricity does a solar system produce in Radford?
About 1,301 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 10,408 kWh a year. East- or west-facing roofs make less; the calculator applies those factors.
Who is the electric utility in Radford?
EIA does not list a current utility for Radford in its territory file. Check your bill.
Is solar worth it in Radford?
For an average Virginia home (1,000 kWh a month), the default assumptions give a 9.2 kW system costing about $25,576 with a break-even around 11.0 years and $38,850 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 1051898.csv typical-year weather dataset for grid cell 1051898, 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 Radford

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.