Solar panels in Occitanie
The calculator opens on Toulouse. From the Garonne to the Mediterranean, the same system does not produce the same amount: here is the gap, in figures.
Occitanie brings together two solar climates. The Mediterranean coast, from the Gard to the Pyrénées-Orientales, is among the most productive areas in France: Gard reaches a median of 1,464 kWh per kWp a year, Montpellier 1,505. The Toulouse basin and the Gers, under Atlantic influence, produce noticeably less: 1,314 kWh per kWp in Toulouse. These figures come from our calculation on the European Commission’s PVGIS data; the regional median is 1,310 kWh, above the national median of 1,185. For a 4,500 kWh household with 3 kWp, payback is 16.5 years in Toulouse and 15.1 years in Montpellier. At the foot of the Pyrenees the gap widens further: in Haute-Garonne some mountain communes go down to 1,025 kWh per kWp. Wherever you are, the household’s daytime usage remains the first driver of payback, ahead of sunshine.
Pays for itself in · 3 kWp in Toulouse
16.5 years
Net result over 20 years: +€1,302
| Output per year | 3,918 kWh |
| Used on site (44 %) | 1,738 kWh |
| Bill saving, year 1 | €348 |
| Surplus sold (2,180 kWh) | €24 |
| Standing-charge surcharge (export) | −€12 |
| Gain in year 1 | €360 |
| Share of your bill covered | 39 % |
| Price used (estimate) | €6,000 |
| Best-value size (estimated prices) | 2 kWc |
Month-by-month output in Toulouse (3 kWp)
December: 185 kWh; July: 430 kWh. PVGIS average 2005-2023.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
The thirteen départements
| Département | Median kWh/kWp | Communes: from… to… | 3 kWp pays back in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gard (30) | 1,464 | 1,319 – 1,561 | 15.2 years |
| Hérault (34) | 1,455 | 1,232 – 1,524 | 15.2 years |
| Pyrénées-Orientales (66) | 1,404 | 1,180 – 1,543 | 15.3 years |
| Aude (11) | 1,335 | 1,190 – 1,480 | 15.5 years |
| Haute-Garonne (31) | 1,320 | 1,025 – 1,356 | 16.5 years |
| Lozère (48) | 1,312 | 1,247 – 1,345 | 16.8 years |
| Tarn-et-Garonne (82) | 1,309 | 1,290 – 1,320 | 16.5 years |
| Gers (32) | 1,307 | 1,271 – 1,328 | 16.5 years |
| Tarn (81) | 1,305 | 1,185 – 1,337 | 16.5 years |
| Aveyron (12) | 1,291 | 1,201 – 1,366 | 16.9 years |
| Lot (46) | 1,285 | 1,230 – 1,305 | 16.6 years |
| Ariège (09) | 1,273 | 1,028 – 1,426 | 16.7 years |
| Hautes-Pyrénées (65) | 1,229 | 1,080 – 1,324 | 16.9 years |
The top of the table is Mediterranean: Gard, Hérault, Pyrénées-Orientales, then the Aude, whose coastal part produces far more than its uplands (from 1,190 to 1,480). The western départements, Gers, Tarn-et-Garonne and Lot, are remarkably even. The widest gaps are in the Pyrenees, in Ariège (from 1,028 to 1,426) as in Haute-Garonne.
More sun, more surplus
In Montpellier, 3 kWp for a 4,500 kWh household uses only 42 % of its output on site, against 44 % in Toulouse. The extra surplus earns just 1.1 c€/kWh: on the coast, a smaller system often gives the same gain for less money. For 4,500 kWh, the best 20-year size in Montpellier is 2 kWp.
How many years until your panels pay for themselves?
Pays for itself in
15.2 years
| Output per year | 4,330 kWh |
| Gain in year 1 | €391 |
| Installed price (estimate) | €6,000 |
| Net over 20 years | +€1,939 |
Département median, roof at 30° due south, surplus sold at 1.1 c€/kWh.
Heating and cooling
On the coast, summer needs (air conditioning, pools) coincide with output and raise self-consumption; inland and in the mountains, winter heating weighs more. Set the calculator’s profile accordingly, and see the self-consumption page for ways to shift usage to the middle of the day.