May hasn’t started yet and Central Texas homeowners are already getting a preview of what’s coming. When July and August heat indexes hit 105 and above, electric bills follow. In San Marcos and Kyle, average summer electric bills frequently run $250 to $350 a month for a standard-sized home. Some higher.
Solar doesn’t eliminate that bill. But it changes the math significantly for homeowners who own their home and plan to stay.
Here’s how to think about it.
The Case for Solar in This Climate
Texas gets more sun than almost anywhere in the country. Central Texas specifically averages around 220 to 230 sunny days per year. For solar production, that’s good. A system that might underperform in Seattle or Chicago tends to hit its rated output reliably here.
The other factor is the utility rate environment. ERCOT, the Texas grid, has seen significant price volatility in the last several years. Homeowners who locked in solar production in 2021 or 2022 are insulated from a portion of those swings. That’s the underlying case: solar converts a variable monthly expense (your electric bill) into a fixed capital investment that produces returns over time.
What the Numbers Actually Look Like
A 8 to 10 kilowatt system on a typical San Marcos home runs in the $20,000 to $28,000 range before incentives. The federal Investment Tax Credit currently covers 30% of that cost for systems installed this year. After the credit, you’re looking at roughly $14,000 to $20,000 depending on system size and installation specifics.
A system that size in Central Texas typically produces enough to offset 70% to 90% of an average household’s annual usage. Some months you produce more than you use. Some months — January, mostly — you don’t. On an annual basis, most homeowners see meaningful reductions.
Payback periods in this market typically run 8 to 12 years. After that, you’re generating power at essentially no cost for the remainder of the system’s life, which runs 25 to 30 years for quality panels.
The Roof Question
Solar and roofing intersect at one important point: condition. You don’t want to install solar panels on a roof that’s five years from needing replacement. The cost to remove and reinstall panels during a roof replacement adds to the project in ways that erode the economics.
The right sequence is to assess your roof first. If it has 15 or more years of useful life remaining, solar makes sense to evaluate seriously. If the roof is aging, address that first.
Divided Sky handles both. We can assess your roof’s condition, give you an honest timeline, and discuss solar in the same conversation. No need to coordinate between two separate contractors.
Service area: San Marcos, Kyle, Buda, New Braunfels, Wimberley, Dripping Springs, Round Rock, and throughout Central Texas. Solar is available statewide.
