5 guides · updated October 22, 2026
Balcony Solar Savings: Real Numbers and Payback
Savings depend on three numbers: how much sun reaches the panels, what you pay per kWh, and how much of the power you use as it is produced. Our savings calculator uses state sunshine estimates and EIA electricity prices. The guides below show the math so you can check it.
Savings guides
What a kit really saves in your state, and when it pays off.
Savings4 min readHow much does balcony solar save per month? Real numbers by stateAn 800 W balcony solar kit saves about $6 to $18 a month in most US states, more in California and Hawaii. Production, savings and payback by state.Read guide Savings3 min readIs balcony solar worth it? Honest pros and consWhen plug-in balcony solar pays off and when it doesn't: power prices, sun, space, landlord rules, batteries, and how it compares with other options.Read guide Savings2 min readPlug-in solar vs rooftop solar: cost and savings comparedRooftop solar costs about $31,000 and covers most of your bill; a plug-in kit costs under $2,000 and covers 5 to 15%. Payback and who should pick each.Read guide Savings2 min readWhat can an 800 W balcony solar kit power?An 800 W plug-in kit can cover a fridge, router, TV and laptop on a sunny day, but not a central AC or an oven. Appliance by appliance, with watts and kWh per day.Read guide Savings2 min readWill plug-in solar make my meter run backwards?What your electric meter does when a plug-in solar kit exports power: smart meters, old dials, why exports usually aren't credited, and zero-export settings.Read guide