Easy Solar Calc

How many solar panels for 2000 kWh per month?

Short answer

2000 kWh a month is 24,000 kWh a year. At Dallas’s PVWatts output of 1,513 kWh per kW, that takes about 15.86 kW of panels — 40 panels of 400 W.

How to work it out

  1. 2,000 kWh × 12 = 24,000 kWh a year
  2. ÷ 1,513 kWh per kW a year = 15.86 kW of panels
  3. 15,863 W ÷ 400 W = 40 panels

Two thousand kWh a month is more than twice the US average. It usually means a large home in a hot climate, electric heat, a pool or more than one electric car — loads worth examining before buying forty panels.

Adjust for your project

From your bill — average 12 months if you can. The 2024 US average was about 863 kWh (EIA).
PVWatts AC output for 1 kW of panels facing south, tilted at the latitude. Pick the closest, or enter your own PVWatts figure.
More options: Offset
%
System size15.86 kW
Panels
40 panels · 400 W
Expected output per year
24,208 kWh
Average output per month
2,017 kWh
Your use per year
24,000 kWh
  • That is a large roof area — a 400 W panel is roughly the size of a door. Check usable south, east and west roof space, or plan a ground mount.
  • PVWatts output assumes a south-facing array tilted at the latitude with no shade. East- or west-facing roofs and shade make less; run PVWatts with your own roof’s tilt and direction for a firmer number.

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Plug-in electricity usage monitorBefore buying a system sized on your bill, find the big loads you could cut — every kWh saved is panels you don’t need.
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

The same home in other cities

The same home in other cities
CitySystem sizePanelsExpected output per year
Phoenix, AZ13.43 kW34 panels24,303 kWh
Los Angeles, CA14.13 kW36 panels24,466 kWh
Denver, CO14.68 kW37 panels24,198 kWh
Miami, FL15.46 kW39 panels24,211 kWh
Dallas, TX15.86 kW40 panels24,208 kWh
Chicago, IL18.35 kW46 panels24,067 kWh
New York, NY18.56 kW47 panels24,308 kWh
Seattle, WA22.41 kW57 panels24,419 kWh

What to know about a 2,000 kWh/month system

  • Find the big loads. Pool pumps, electric resistance heat and old air conditioners are common culprits — a mini split is far more efficient than old window units (how many solar panels to run a mini split). ENERGY STAR notes a pool pump run at half speed uses about one-eighth the energy — see how many solar panels to run a pool pump.
  • Size limits. Utilities and local rules often cap residential system size or change the rules above a threshold; check before designing to 100%.
  • Forty panels is a ground-mount conversation. At roughly door-sized panels, many roofs can’t take this many.
  • Batteries are a separate decision. Covering kWh with panels doesn’t keep the lights on in an outage; that is the home backup battery calculator.

Half the size is on how many solar panels for 1000 kWh per month. An EV’s share of a big bill is on how many solar panels to charge a Tesla Model 3.

Different size? Use the full Solar System Size Calculator.

What you’ll need

  • 400 W residential-size solar panelPremium price

    Fewer, larger panels for a cabin, shed or ground mount. Their higher voltage usually means an MPPT controller.

    See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
  • Plug-in electricity usage monitorBudget price

    Plugs in between the wall and a 120 V appliance and shows real watts and kWh over a day — the honest way to fill in a load list, especially for fridges that cycle on and off.

    See options on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links to products are affiliate links — they cost you nothing extra and help keep these calculators free.

Frequently asked questions

How many solar panels for 2000 kWh per month in Phoenix?

About 13.43 kW — 34 panels of 400 W.

How many solar panels to cover half of 2000 kWh a month?

About 7.93 kW — 20 panels of 400 W at Dallas’s output.

Other common sizes

Sources