Solar in Roanoke, VA
With Appalachian Power's electricity at about 18.4¢ per kWh and 1,288 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Roanoke home today: about a 11.7-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 11.7 yrsVirginia: 12.3 yrs
- 25-year net
- $44,499after paying $28,245
- Sun
- 1,288kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 18.4¢2% above U.S. average
A typical Roanoke home, by the numbers
| Utility | Appalachian Power |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 1,084 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 10.1 kW, about 23 panels, 13,013 kWh a year (100% of use) |
| Cost | $28,245 |
| First-year savings | $2,327 |
| Payback | 11.7 years |
| Exported power | 14¢/kWh (Appalachian Power) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.0% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Roanoke
- Owner-occupied homes
- 52%
- Single-family detached
- 62%
- Median home value
- $191k
- Median year built
- 1958
- Population
- 98,355
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 81%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 31,408 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 Roanoke
Public installation records for Virginia don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Virginia.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Roanoke
Is solar worth it in Roanoke, VA?
For a typical home in Roanoke, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 10.1 kW system costs about $28,245 after state incentives, saves about $2,327 in year one and pays back in about 11.7 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Roanoke?
About 1,288 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 7% less than the Virginia average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Roanoke?
Most homes in Roanoke are served by Appalachian Power, at about 18.4¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by City of Salem.
How much do solar panels cost in Roanoke?
A fair cash price is around $2.95 per watt before incentives, so about $28,245 for a 10.1 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Cave Spring 11.4 yrs
- Salem 12.8 yrs
- Blacksburg 11.6 yrs
- Lynchburg 11.4 yrs
- Danville 10.8 yrs
- Staunton 12.6 yrs
- Charlottesville 12.9 yrs
- Harrisonburg 12.6 yrs
- All of Virginia
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.