Solar in Buffalo, NY
With National Grid (Upstate New York)'s electricity at about 21.8¢ per kWh and 1,203 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Buffalo home today: about a 9.7-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 9.7 yrsNew York: 6.8 yrs
- 25-year net
- $40,046after paying $16,320
- Sun
- 1,203kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 21.8¢21% above U.S. average
A typical Buffalo home, by the numbers
| Utility | National Grid (Upstate New York) |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 658 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 6.6 kW, about 15 panels, 7,937 kWh a year (101% of use) |
| Cost | $21,320, or $16,320 after state incentives |
| First-year savings | $1,604 |
| Payback | 9.7 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (National Grid (Upstate New York)) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.6% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Buffalo
- Owner-occupied homes
- 43%
- Single-family detached
- 36%
- Median home value
- $164k
- Median year built
- 1938
- Population
- 276,854
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 284
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 89%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 74,524 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Older housing stock. Many homes here were built before 1975. Have the roof and electrical panel checked before signing; a roof or panel upgrade can add thousands. Roof first?
Installers working in Buffalo
Companies with the most installations in Buffalo's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Solar Liberty Energy Systems 104 installs
- Cir Electrical Construction 91 installs
- Nys Essential Power 41 installs
- Sustainable Energy Developments 14 installs
- 3Rd Roc Solar 10 installs
- Wiltshire Renewable Energy Systems 9 installs
- Go Solar Go 3 installs
- Gaf 1 installs
- Alternative Power Solutions Ny 1 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Buffalo
Is solar worth it in Buffalo, NY?
For a typical home in Buffalo, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 6.6 kW system costs about $16,320 after state incentives, saves about $1,604 in year one and pays back in about 9.7 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Buffalo?
About 1,203 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 10% less than the New York average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Buffalo?
Most homes in Buffalo are served by National Grid (Upstate New York), at about 21.8¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by NYSEG.
How much do solar panels cost in Buffalo?
A fair cash price is around $3.20 per watt before incentives, so about $21,320 for a 6.6 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Cheektowaga 8.8 yrs
- Tonawanda Town 9.4 yrs
- West Seneca 8.7 yrs
- North Tonawanda 9.5 yrs
- Niagara Falls 9.4 yrs
- Jamestown 10.1 yrs
- Rochester 8.6 yrs
- Brighton 8.8 yrs
- All of New York
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.