A 1 megawatt (1,000 kW) solar system requires 2,000–2,857 solar panels depending on panel wattage. Using 400W panels: 2,500 panels. Commercial and utility installations typically use 400–500W panels. Here's what that looks like: To put it into perspective: ✅ The average U. home uses around 886 kWh per month. A 1 MW solar installation can generate enough energy to power roughly 164 homes annually. Higher wattage panels generate more power per. As a general guide, you will need between 1,666 and 4,000 solar panels to generate 1 MW of electricity. The number of panels you need depends on several factors, including the wattage of the solar panels, sunlight conditions, and how much shade there is.