Calculator › Detroit, Michigan
Solar panels in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit receives 3.86 peak sun hours a day and 1,408 kWh/m² of solar energy a year. That is measured satellite data for Detroit's coordinates, not a national average — and it changes the panel count.
Detroit solar data
3.86peak sun hours/day
1,408annual irradiance (kWh/m²)
1.27kWh/day from one 400 W panel
465kWh/year from one 400 W panel
Monthly solar irradiance in Detroit
| Month | Peak sun hours/day | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| January | 1.42 | 0.1 |
| February | 2.84 | 0.2 |
| March | 3.22 | 0.3 |
| April | 4.96 | 0.4 |
| May | 6.00 | 0.5 |
| June | 5.95 | 0.5 |
| July | 5.90 | 0.5 |
| August | 5.25 | 0.4 |
| September | 4.36 | 0.4 |
| October | 3.48 | 0.3 |
| November | 1.58 | 0.1 |
| December | 1.19 | 0.1 |
Source: NASA POWER daily point API, parameter ALLSKY_SFC_SW_DWN (global horizontal irradiance), year 2024. Coordinates 42.3314, -83.0458.
How many solar panels does Detroit need?
For a typical US household using 900 kWh a month, Detroit needs about 24 panels of 400 W (9.41 kWp), with a south-facing roof. That is more panels than the same household would need in a city with 4.5 peak sun hours.