Where a solar panel produces the most
A kilowatt of panels in New Mexico makes 1,729 kWh a year, against 876 in Alaska, a 2.0x difference from the same hardware. The median state makes 1,283.
The table
| # | State | Output per kW | Modelled at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | 1,729 kWh | Albuquerque |
| 2 | Nevada | 1,689 kWh | Las Vegas |
| 3 | Arizona | 1,688 kWh | Phoenix |
| 4 | Hawaii | 1,606 kWh | Honolulu |
| 5 | California | 1,602 kWh | Los Angeles |
| 6 | Colorado | 1,508 kWh | Denver |
| 7 | Wyoming | 1,495 kWh | Cheyenne |
| 8 | Oklahoma | 1,487 kWh | Oklahoma City |
| 9 | Kansas | 1,451 kWh | Wichita |
| 10 | South Carolina | 1,442 kWh | Charleston |
| 11 | Utah | 1,427 kWh | Salt Lake City |
| 12 | Florida | 1,426 kWh | Jacksonville |
| 13 | Georgia | 1,408 kWh | Atlanta |
| 14 | Louisiana | 1,405 kWh | New Orleans |
| 15 | Idaho | 1,397 kWh | Boise |
| 16 | Texas | 1,389 kWh | Houston |
| 17 | Mississippi | 1,382 kWh | Jackson |
| 18 | Virginia | 1,372 kWh | Virginia Beach |
| 19 | North Carolina | 1,370 kWh | Charlotte |
| 20 | Arkansas | 1,361 kWh | Little Rock |
| 21 | Missouri | 1,337 kWh | Kansas City |
| 22 | Nebraska | 1,333 kWh | Omaha |
| 23 | South Dakota | 1,314 kWh | Sioux Falls |
| 24 | Iowa | 1,313 kWh | Des Moines |
| 25 | Alabama | 1,311 kWh | Huntsville |
| 26 | District of Columbia | 1,283 kWh | Washington |
| 27 | Maryland | 1,282 kWh | Baltimore |
| 28 | Tennessee | 1,282 kWh | Nashville |
| 29 | Connecticut | 1,278 kWh | Bridgeport |
| 30 | Montana | 1,278 kWh | Billings |
| 31 | New Jersey | 1,278 kWh | Newark |
| 32 | Kentucky | 1,276 kWh | Louisville |
| 33 | Delaware | 1,275 kWh | Wilmington |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | 1,265 kWh | Philadelphia |
| 35 | Massachusetts | 1,263 kWh | Boston |
| 36 | Rhode Island | 1,258 kWh | Providence |
| 37 | Wisconsin | 1,256 kWh | Milwaukee |
| 38 | New York | 1,255 kWh | New York |
| 39 | Indiana | 1,249 kWh | Indianapolis |
| 40 | Illinois | 1,239 kWh | Chicago |
| 41 | Maine | 1,235 kWh | Portland |
| 42 | Minnesota | 1,228 kWh | Minneapolis |
| 43 | Ohio | 1,220 kWh | Columbus |
| 44 | New Hampshire | 1,218 kWh | Manchester |
| 45 | Michigan | 1,200 kWh | Detroit |
| 46 | West Virginia | 1,199 kWh | Charleston |
| 47 | North Dakota | 1,185 kWh | Fargo |
| 48 | Vermont | 1,145 kWh | Burlington |
| 49 | Washington | 1,086 kWh | Seattle |
| 50 | Oregon | 1,078 kWh | Portland |
| 51 | Alaska | 876 kWh | Anchorage |
Annual kWh produced per kW of panels, at 20 degrees facing south with 14% system losses, modelled with PVGIS v5.2 (NSRDB radiation data) at each state's largest city. Full method on the methodology page.
Questions
Which state is best for solar panel output?
New Mexico. A 1 kW array at 20 degrees facing south in Albuquerque produces about 1,729 kWh a year, modelled with PVGIS v5.2. An 8 kW system there makes about 13,832 kWh.
Which state gets the least from solar panels?
Alaska, at about 876 kWh per kW a year modelled at Anchorage. Output is only half the payback question, though: a high electricity price can make a cloudy state pay back faster than a sunny one.
How much does a solar panel produce in an average US state?
The median state produces about 1,283 kWh a year per kW of panels, so an 8 kW system makes roughly 10,264 kWh, enough to cover most of a typical American household's annual use.
Three competing quotes beat any amount of comparing panel brands
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