Solar Panel Calculator for China
China leads the world in solar deployment, and distributed rooftop systems are common for homes and businesses. This free solar calculator estimates your system size, payback and savings in yuan using local rates and sun hours.
Calculate my solar payback in China →
Solar at a glance in China
Very low install costs keep payback attractive even at moderate tariffs and sun.
| Currency | Chinese yuan (CNY) |
|---|---|
| Typical electricity rate | ¥ 1 per kWh |
| Installed cost | ≈ ¥ 18 per watt |
| Peak sun hours | ≈ 4 hours/day |
| Export / buyback | ≈ ¥ 0 per kWh |
Indicative 2026 starting points — every figure is editable in the calculator, and results depend on your own bill, roof and installer quotes.
A typical 5 kW system in China
At around ¥ 18 per watt, a 5 kW rooftop system costs roughly ¥ 90,000 and produces about 5,694 kWh in its first year at China's 4 peak sun hours a day. Your real numbers depend on your roof, shading, panel choice and how much power you use during the day — run your own figures in the calculator to see your exact payback, net savings and ROI.
How the solar calculator works
- Your setup. China and Chinese yuan are pre-selected, with local electricity rate, install cost and sun hours filled in. Enter your monthly bill, or size the system from your appliances.
- Your roof. Search your address or tap “use my location”, then draw your roof on the satellite map — or just type its area. We check the system fits and read local sun hours from NASA data.
- Your results. Instantly see your payback period, net savings, ROI, system size, year-1 production and lifetime CO₂ offset — compare cash vs. a loan, and download a PDF report.
Common questions — solar in China
How many solar panels do I need in China?
It depends on your electricity use, roof space and local sun hours (about 4 peak sun hours/day here). A 5 kW system of high-wattage panels is a common starting point for a home — enter your bill or appliances and the calculator gives your exact panel count and system size.
Does China have net metering?
Distributed rooftop solar is typically settled through self-consumption plus feed-in for surplus, with rates and rules varying by province. The calculator models your export rate as buyback.
Are there solar subsidies or incentives in China?
National feed-in subsidies have largely wound down; provincial support and low module costs are what drive the economics now.
How much does a solar system cost in China?
A typical 5 kW system is around ¥ 90,000 at about ¥ 18 per watt installed. The calculator prices your exact size.
Work out your system size
Not sure how big a system you need? These guides work back from your monthly usage:
500 kWh/month 1,000 kWh/month 1,500 kWh/month 2,000 kWh/month 2,500 kWh/month 3,000 kWh/month
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