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Solar Campground & RV Park Calculator

Enter your site mix and common area loads — get solar system size, battery for overnight common areas, per-site cost share, and payback vs. grid and generator.

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Common area loads
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Operation
Solar system for your campground
83.9 kW system — 210 × 400W panels
Total peak load46.1 kW
Annual energy80,767 kWh/yr
Common area battery26 kWh
Est. system cost$260,720
Per-site cost share$13,036 / site
Annual grid savings$10,500/yr
Add'l savings vs. generator$17,769/yr
Rate increase to offset (10yr)$2.14/site/night
Payback (vs. grid)24.8 yrs
Payback (vs. generator)9.2 yrs
Load breakdown: 30A sites 21.6kW · 50A sites 18.0kW · Tent 0.0kW · Bathhouse 3.0kW · Laundry 2.0kW · Office 1.5kW
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How to Use This Calculator

Enter your RV site mix

Start with your site count by type. 30A sites allow up to 3,600W (typical RV air conditioner + TV + fridge); 50A sites allow up to 12,000W (two AC units, large slides, electric heating). The calculator uses realistic utilization factors — 40% for 30A and 30% for 50A — since not all rigs run at full draw simultaneously.

Add your common area loads

Bathhouse, laundry, pool, and the camp office are often the biggest non-site loads. Enter your actual equipment wattage or use the typical defaults. The pool/hot tub toggle adds 3.5kW for a pool pump and filter running average hours. A campground with a large bathhouse and laundry facility can easily add 8-16kW of baseline load.

Select season and location

Seasonal campgrounds need a smaller system because annual kWh production only needs to offset active months. Year-round campgrounds need full annual sizing. Location determines your peak sun hours — the single biggest factor in how many panels you need.

The Formula

30A Site Load (kW) = # Sites × 3.6kW × 40% utilization 50A Site Load (kW) = # Sites × 12kW × 30% utilization Tent Site Load (kW) = # Sites × 0.2kW Total Load (kW) = All site loads + Bathhouse + Laundry + Pool + Office Daily kWh = Total Load × 8 hrs operating average Annual kWh = Daily kWh × 365 × Season Factor System kW = Daily kWh ÷ Peak Sun Hours ÷ 0.80 (efficiency) Panels = System kW × 1000 ÷ 400W (round up) Common Area Battery = (Bathhouse + Office + 2kW lighting) × 4 hrs Payback = System Cost ÷ Annual Savings

The generator comparison is critical for off-grid campgrounds. Generator power costs $0.30-0.45/kWh including fuel, oil, maintenance, and labor — 2-3× grid rates. For remote sites that would otherwise need a generator, solar payback is often 4-6 years instead of 10+.

Example

Pine Ridge — Medium 50-site campground in Dallas

Pine Ridge has 30 thirty-amp sites, 15 fifty-amp sites, 5 tent sites, a 6kW bathhouse, 4kW laundry room, pool, and a 2kW office/store. They operate year-round in Dallas, TX.

30A sites30 × 3.6kW × 40% = 43.2 kW
50A sites15 × 12kW × 30% = 54 kW
Common areas6 + 4 + 3.5 + 2 = 15.5 kW
Total peak load~113 kW
Annual kWh~330,000 kWh/yr

Result

System size~205 kW
Panels needed~513 × 400W panels
Common area battery~32 kWh
Est. system cost~$630,000
Annual savings (grid)~$43,000/yr
Payback~14.6 years

For a campground already on grid, the payback is long but solar adds marketing value ("solar-powered campground"), reduces utility exposure, and protects against rate increases. For off-grid or generator-dependent sites, solar payback drops to 6-8 years.

FAQ

Size depends heavily on site mix and common areas. A small 20-site campground with mostly 30A sites might need a 30-50kW system. A 100-site resort with 50A sites, pool, and full bathhouse can require 300-500kW. The key drivers are your 50A site count (each 50A site can draw 12kW peak) and whether you have electric heating or cooling loads. Most commercial campground solar projects range from $200K to over $1M installed.
It depends on your situation. Grid-connected campgrounds often see 10-15 year paybacks — acceptable for a business with 25+ year system life, especially with commercial ITC (30% tax credit via the Inflation Reduction Act). Off-grid or generator-powered campgrounds see 4-7 year paybacks because generator electricity costs $0.30-0.45/kWh vs. solar's $0.04-0.08/kWh lifetime cost. The marketing value of "solar powered" also commands 5-15% rate premiums with eco-conscious campers.
For grid-tied campgrounds, batteries are optional — the grid handles nighttime loads. For off-grid campgrounds, you need enough battery to power common areas (bathhouse, office, lighting) through the night — typically 4-8 hours. Individual RV sites can use their own batteries; common area battery is sized for 20-50kWh depending on loads. Full overnight autonomy for a large campground (all sites + common areas) requires hundreds of kWh of battery storage, making grid-tie usually more economical.
Yes. Campgrounds operating as for-profit businesses can claim the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) — 30% of the installed system cost through 2032 under the Inflation Reduction Act. A $500,000 solar installation results in a $150,000 federal tax credit. You can also use MACRS 5-year accelerated depreciation for the remaining 70% of cost. Rural campgrounds may qualify for the USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants covering up to 25% of project cost.
Most campgrounds use a combination. Roof-mounted panels go on bathhouses, offices, and laundry buildings — low additional cost since racking attaches to existing structure. Ground-mounted arrays work in open fields, parking areas, or over the camp store. Solar canopies over RV sites are a premium option that provides shade for campers while generating power — they cost more ($8-12/W installed) but add direct value to premium sites and allow higher nightly rates.

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  width="100%" height="700" frameborder="0"
  title="Solar Campground Calculator"></iframe>