Solar in Reno, NV
With NV Energy North (Sierra Pacific)'s electricity at about 13.8¢ per kWh and 1,667 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Reno home today: about a 18.8-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 18.8 yrsNevada: 17 yrs
- 25-year net
- $3,538after paying $10,100
- Sun
- 1,667kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 13.8¢24% below U.S. average
A typical Reno home, by the numbers
| Utility | NV Energy North (Sierra Pacific) |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 663 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3 kW, about 7 panels, 5,000 kWh a year (63% of use) |
| Cost | $10,100 |
| First-year savings | $586 |
| Payback | 18.8 years |
| Exported power | 8¢/kWh (NV Energy North (Sierra Pacific)) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 1.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Reno
- Owner-occupied homes
- 50%
- Single-family detached
- 50%
- Median home value
- $548k
- Median year built
- 1990
- Population
- 273,212
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 94%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 63,167 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Reno
Public installation records for Nevada don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Nevada.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Reno
Is solar worth it in Reno, NV?
For a typical home in Reno, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $10,100 after state incentives, saves about $586 in year one and pays back in about 18.8 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Reno?
About 1,667 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 5% less than the Nevada average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Reno?
Most homes in Reno are served by NV Energy North (Sierra Pacific), at about 13.8¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Reno?
A fair cash price is around $2.70 per watt before incentives, so about $10,100 for a 3 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Sparks 18.8 yrs
- Carson 18.8 yrs
- Pahrump 13.6 yrs
- Las Vegas 13.3 yrs
- Summerlin South 13 yrs
- North Las Vegas 13.1 yrs
- Spring Valley 13.1 yrs
- Winchester 13.3 yrs
- All of Nevada
Data: PVWatts (National Laboratory of the Rockies), EIA-861 2025 adjusted to 2026, U.S. Census ACS, LBNL Tracking the Sun, state policy research as of October 2026.