Solar panels in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
The calculator opens on Bordeaux. France’s largest region has steady output, above average: here is where it is strongest.
Nouvelle-Aquitaine produces a median of 1,259 kWh per kWp a year, above the national median of 1,185, by our calculation on the European Commission’s PVGIS data. Its twelve départements are remarkably even: all exceed the French median, from Creuse (1,199 kWh) to Lot-et-Garonne (1,296). The Atlantic coast is best exposed, and La Rochelle reaches 1,327 kWh per kWp, more than Bordeaux (1,283). The Limousin plateau, higher and cooler, lags behind. For a 4,500 kWh household with 3 kWp, payback is 16.6 years in Bordeaux, 16.4 years in La Rochelle and 16.9 years in Limoges: less than a year between the best and the weakest large city. In this region, the choice of size and the price on the quote matter more than the commune.
Pays for itself in · 3 kWp in Bordeaux
16.6 years
Net result over 20 years: +€1,233
| Output per year | 3,826 kWh |
| Used on site (45 %) | 1,726 kWh |
| Bill saving, year 1 | €345 |
| Surplus sold (2,100 kWh) | €23 |
| Standing-charge surcharge (export) | −€12 |
| Gain in year 1 | €357 |
| Share of your bill covered | 38 % |
| Price used (estimate) | €6,000 |
| Best-value size (estimated prices) | 2 kWc |
Month-by-month output in Bordeaux (3 kWp)
December: 181 kWh; July: 420 kWh. PVGIS average 2005-2023.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
The twelve départements
| Département | Median kWh/kWp | Communes: from… to… | 3 kWp pays back in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lot-et-Garonne (47) | 1,296 | 1,246 – 1,304 | 16.6 years |
| Charente-Maritime (17) | 1,295 | 1,264 – 1,368 | 16.6 years |
| Gironde (33) | 1,283 | 1,245 – 1,331 | 16.6 years |
| Dordogne (24) | 1,264 | 1,232 – 1,299 | 16.7 years |
| Charente (16) | 1,261 | 1,212 – 1,290 | 16.8 years |
| Landes (40) | 1,256 | 1,227 – 1,304 | 16.8 years |
| Deux-Sèvres (79) | 1,248 | 1,236 – 1,291 | 16.8 years |
| Corrèze (19) | 1,246 | 1,160 – 1,279 | 16.8 years |
| Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64) | 1,229 | 1,130 – 1,332 | 16.9 years |
| Vienne (86) | 1,228 | 1,208 – 1,263 | 16.9 years |
| Haute-Vienne (87) | 1,220 | 1,174 – 1,251 | 17.0 years |
| Creuse (23) | 1,199 | 1,172 – 1,221 | 17.4 years |
Payback at the median ranges from 16.6 years in Charente-Maritime to 17.4 years in the Creuse: a small gap for a region stretching from the Vienne to the Pyrenees. Poitou (Poitiers: 1,230 kWh per kWp) and Limousin form the least productive block, the Aquitaine south-west and the coast the most productive.
A region of detached houses
Outside city centres, most projects involve houses with large roofs. The temptation is to cover the whole south-facing slope. Yet surplus earns just 1.1 c€/kWh: in Bordeaux, for a 4,500 kWh household, 6 kWp gives a 20-year result of -€770, against €1,233 for 3 kWp. The 6 kWp page shows the usage level at which the larger system wins.
How many years until your panels pay for themselves?
Pays for itself in
16.6 years
| Output per year | 3,826 kWh |
| Gain in year 1 | €357 |
| Installed price (estimate) | €6,000 |
| Net over 20 years | +€1,233 |
Département median, roof at 30° due south, surplus sold at 1.1 c€/kWh.
The Landes forest and shade
In the Landes and the Gironde, many houses are surrounded by pines. PVGIS accounts for terrain, not trees: a row of pines to the south can remove a large share of winter and late-day output. Have shading measured before settling the size, and if need be prefer a clear east or west slope.