Is 10kW enough to run a house?
Yes, a 10 kW solar system is enough to cover the electricity of an average U.S. home in almost every part of the country. It produces about 10,900 to 17,600 kWh a year depending on location, and the average home used 10,380 kWh in 2024. But it only runs the house during a power outage if you add a battery.
What 10 kW produces, city by city
We ran a 10 kW roof-mounted system through NLR's PVWatts calculator in five cities and compared the result with average U.S. home use of 10,380 kWh a year (865 kWh a month, according to the EIA):
| City | 10 kW output per year | Share of average home use |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | 17,550 kWh | 169% |
| Dallas, TX | 15,060 kWh | 145% |
| Atlanta, GA | 14,200 kWh | 137% |
| Columbus, OH | 12,960 kWh | 125% |
| Seattle, WA | 10,880 kWh | 105% |
When 10 kW isn't enough
- Your home uses well above average. Large homes, electric heat, pools and EVs can push use past what 10 kW makes, especially in cloudier northern states.
- You want backup power. Grid-tied panels shut off during an outage for safety. To keep the lights on, you need a battery.
- Your utility pays little for extra power. Panels produce most at midday. If your utility credits exports at a low rate, you'll still buy power at night. Check your state's net metering rules.
A 10 kW system costs about $23,190 to $32,480 before incentives, based on NLR's 2025 benchmark. See our full 2026 solar cost breakdown. Smaller home? See solar cost for a 1,000 sq ft house.
Facts verified
- Average home use: EIA, Today in Energy, May 12, 2025: "Monthly electricity consumption per residential customer averaged 865 kWh in 2024." That's 10,380 kWh a year.
- Output: NLR PVWatts v8, 10 kW, run November 8, 2026. Assumes a south-facing fixed roof mount, 20° tilt and 14% losses.
- Cost: NLR Q1 2025 PV System Cost Benchmark, residential PV-only range of $2,319–$3,248 per kW (2024 dollars).
- Outage shutdown: grid-tied inverters must disconnect when the grid goes down ("anti-islanding") under the IEEE 1547 and UL 1741 standards that U.S. utilities require for interconnection.
- Assumption: annual totals assume net metering or similar crediting. Your hour-by-hour match will differ.
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