he cost of solar panels can vary significantly based on several factors, including your location, the quality of the panels, the size of the system you need, and any available incentives or rebates. However, to give you a rough estimate:
The average cost of solar panels in the U.S. before tax credits was around $2.81 to $3.22 per watt. A typical home might need a system size of around 6 kilowatts (6,000 watts) to cover its energy needs, but the size of the system you’ll need for a 2,000 square foot house can depend on many factors such as the amount of sunlight your house gets, the orientation of the solar panels, the efficiency of the solar panels, and your household energy consumption.
Let’s take a 6-kilowatt system as an example, using the price per watt given above:
6,000 watts * $2.81/watt = $16,860 6,000 watts * $3.22/watt = $19,320
So, the cost before any tax credits or incentives would be roughly between $16,860 and $19,320.
Remember that there are various incentives, like the federal solar tax credit (which was 26% of the cost of the system as of my last update in 2021) and possibly local or state incentives, that can significantly reduce this cost.
To get an accurate price for your specific situation, you would need to get a quote from a solar installer who can evaluate your home’s solar potential and your energy needs.