Going Green - 2024's Best Cities for Solar Energy

 

Our national solar capacity reached record growth in 2023, but which U.S. cities lead the way in solar energy potential? To mark Solar Week — observed the last full week of March — Roof Gnome ranked 2024's Best Cities for Solar Energy. Why Roof Gnome? We connect homeowners with the best solar panel providers, installers, and repairers in their area. We compared over 470 of the biggest U.S. cities based on the solar viability of their roofs, potential solar energy production, as well as projected financial and environmental impact. We also measured average grid energy prices, access to solar equipment and services, and time to recoup solar investments, among 17 total metrics. See the 10 best (and 10 worst) cities for solar energy below, followed by key takeaways. (Don’t see your city below? Check out the full ranking.)

Best Cities for Solar Energy Rank City 1 Phoenix, AZ 2 Houston, TX 3 Los Angeles, CA 4 San Diego, CA 5 6 7 8 9 10 San Antonio, TX Scottsdale, AZ San Jose, CA Mesa, AZ Albuquerque, NM El Paso, TX Worst Cities for Solar Energy Rank City 1 Redmond, WA 2 Kirkland, WA 3 Bellevue, WA 4 Bellingham, WA 5 6 7 8 9 10 Everett, WA Spokane, WA Pittsburgh, PA Federal Way, WA Duluth, MN Auburn, WA

Key Insights: The sunniest U.S. cities — like Phoenix (No. 1), Los Angeles (No. 3), and El Paso, Texas (No. 10) — dominated our ranking. Both Roof Viability and Energy Potential run high among these top performers. Cities with less solar-friendly climates might seem like poor candidates for solar power, but Google’s Project Sunroof data identified extensive infrastructure in cities like New York (No. 13), Chicago (No. 48), and Indianapolis (No. 107) to support solar energy production.  Washington state’s Puget Sound region makes up nearly all of our worst 10 cities — but “worst” is a bit of a misnomer in this case. Clouds dominate the skies in this region much of the year, but Puget Sound residents already enjoy the nation’s most affordable electricity, nearly all of which is generated from renewable resources.   Read the full story here: https://roofgnome.com/blog/studies/best-cities-solar-power-potential/ Other helpful links: Methodology What is Roof Gnome? For solar panels, roof installation, roof repairs, and roof inspections, Roof Gnome can connect you with the best solar and roofing professionals in your area. Roof Gnome is part of the Home Gnome family of home services sites. More from Roof Gnome:  How to Know if Your House is a Good Candidate for Solar Panels How Much Do Solar Panels Cost in 2024? How to Finance Your Solar Panels 15 Things to Consider Before Switching to Solar Panels How to Size Your Solar Power System How to Read Your Solar Electric Bill How to Maintain Solar Panels Best Cities to Own an Electric Car