Solar Atlas · Tennessee
Is solar worth it in Nashville, TN?
A 7 kWdc rooftop array in Nashville makes about 9,370 kWh a year (NLR PVWatts, modeled) and pays back in more than 25 years at Nashville Electric Service’s 14.2¢/kWh residential rate (Aug 2025–Jul 2026), with no federal credit. Exports follow NES NESolar Savings buy-back.
36.16°N · 9.5–14.5 h daylight · site signature
- Production
- 1,339 kWh per kWdc per year · capacity factor 15.3% AC
- Residential rate
- 14.2¢/kWh · Nashville Electric Service
- Exported solar
- NES NESolar Savings buy-back · 5.68¢/kWh
- Climate
- humid subtropical (Köppen Cfa) · 16.0 °C mean, 1,283 mm/yr
Source: NLR PVWatts v8.5.0 (NSRDB PSM V3 GOES tmy-2020 3.2.0) — 1 kW, tilt 20°, azimuth 180°, roof mount, 14% losses · fetched 2026-09-24 · modeled, not metered
Source: EIA-861M utility average · Aug 2025–Jul 2026 · EIA Tennessee average Jan–Jul 2026 13.9¢ · utility’s EIA-861 2024 average 13.5¢
Source: Nashville Electric Service customers with on-site solar ≤ 250 kW DC enrolled in NESolar Savings (10 MW program cap, first come first served) · checked 2026-09-25
Source: NOAA NCEI Climate Normals 1991–2020, NASHVILLE INTL AP, TN US (9.3 km away) · fetched 2026-09-24
No federal credit: the homeowner credit (§25D) ended for systems installed after 2025-12-31. A lease or PPA price may reflect the lessor’s §48E credit. 26 U.S.C. §25D(h) and (e)(8)(A) · policy as of 2026-09-24
Make it your answer
Start from your bill. Everything else is prefilled from this page and can be changed.
Your exact roof, or a business
The payback calculator runs hourly PVWatts at your address. The Modeler opens a grid-tied home at Nashville. A business goes to the Quote Studio with the 12.8¢/kWh commercial rate.