Minnesota solar calculator
Size a Minnesota home solar system from your electric bill — kW, panel count, roof area, true cost with no federal credit for 2026 installs, and payback.
Quick answer: At $0.175/kWh and 4.3 peak sun hours, a $200/month bill needs about 11.48 kW — 28 × 410 W panels covering ~56 m². Gross cost is ~$37,138 with no federal credit for systems installed after 2025, offsetting $2,400 a year for a ~15.5 year payback.
Your details
Ballpark, not gospel. Ballpark, not gospel. Sized at 78% real-world output with the Minnesota sun-hour average — confirm shading, roof angle and your utility's net-metering terms with a local installer before buying. The savings math values all generation at your retail rate; co-op and municipal customers should confirm any extra fees, since those utilities can add them.
The 30% credit ended — what changed
The residential clean energy credit (26 U.S.C. § 25D) gave homeowners a 30% credit on solar installed from 2022 through 2025. The July 2025 tax law ended it: no credit is available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. That is why every figure on this page is ~30% higher than pre-2026 guides show. If your system went live by the end of 2025, tick the box above to see the credit applied; leased systems may still benefit because the leasing company claims the commercial credit. Source: IRS — Residential Clean Energy Credit.
Typical Minnesota system sizes by monthly bill
| Monthly bill | System size | Panels (410 W) | Net cost (no 2026 federal credit) | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | 5.74 kW | 14 | $18,569 | 15.5 years |
| $200 | 11.48 kW | 28 | $37,138 | 15.5 years |
| $300 | 17.22 kW | 42 | $55,707 | 15.5 years |
Computed at $0.175/kWh, 4.3 peak sun hours and $3.24/W installed, with no federal credit for 2026 installs. Run your exact bill above.
Solar in Minnesota: the details
Solar cost in Minnesota
Solar is expensive to install in Minnesota. The EnergySage marketplace averaged about $3.24 per watt installed in 2026, with market quotes typically landing $2.75–$3.72/W — in the upper half of the $2.50–$3.50/W national band. A typical ~11 kW Minnesota system grosses around $35,500 before any local utility incentive, with no federal credit for 2026 homeowner installs.
What moves the number: roof complexity, panel tier, and how competitive the quote market is in your metro. Get at least three quotes — spreads of $0.50/W between installers are common.
Export rules: getting paid for surplus power
Minnesota keeps full retail-rate net metering for systems under 40 kW under Minn. Stat. 216B.164: monthly one-to-one netting at the average retail utility energy rate, with a year-end true-up at avoided cost.
The politics: a 2026 bill to end net metering for co-op customers (SF 4504) passed the Senate but died without becoming law — so the 1:1 regime stands statewide.
Practical takeaway: co-ops and municipal utilities may still add extra fees on top of net metering, so confirm the full fee schedule with your utility — and size to your annual usage so the avoided-cost true-up doesn't strand credits.
Minnesota solar incentives
Minnesota has no statewide solar rebate or credit, but it exempts solar from two taxes:
Sales-tax exemption — home solar systems are exempt from the 6.875% state sales tax.
Property-tax exemption — the value solar adds to your home is exempt from property tax.
Is solar worth it in Minnesota?
Verdict: marginal at 2026 prices. A $200/month bill pencils to a ~15.5-year payback — the sticker price (~$3.24/W, the highest in this batch) is the drag. Full 1:1 retail net metering under 40 kW and the sales- and property-tax exemptions are genuine tailwinds; get aggressive quotes and size to your usage.
Questions people actually ask
Straight answers, no fluff. Then run your own numbers above.
How many solar panels do I need in Minnesota?
It follows your bill. At the Minnesota average of $0.175/kWh and 4.3 peak sun hours, a $200/month bill needs about a 11.48 kW system — roughly 28 × 410 W panels covering ~56 m² of roof.
What is the average cost of solar panels in Minnesota in 2026?
The EnergySage marketplace averaged about $3.24 per watt installed in 2026, with market quotes typically $2.75–$3.72/W — in the upper half of the $2.50–$3.50/W national band. A typical ~11 kW system grosses around $35,500, with no federal credit for 2026 homeowner installs.
Does Minnesota have net metering?
Yes — for now. Minnesota keeps full retail-rate net metering for systems under 40 kW under Minn. Stat. 216B.164: monthly one-to-one netting at the average retail utility energy rate, with a year-end true-up at avoided cost. A 2026 bill to end net metering for co-op customers (SF 4504) passed the Senate but died without becoming law — though co-ops and municipals may still tack on extra fees.
Does Minnesota offer any solar tax credit or rebate?
No statewide rebate or credit, but Minnesota exempts home solar from the 6.875% state sales tax and from property tax on the value solar adds to the home.
Is the 30% federal solar tax credit still available?
Not for homeowner purchases anymore. The residential clean energy credit (26 U.S.C. § 25D) is not available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025, under the July 2025 tax law (Public Law 119-21). Systems installed by the end of 2025 can still claim 30%, and leased systems may still benefit because the leasing company claims the commercial credit instead. (Source: IRS — Residential Clean Energy Credit.)
Is solar worth it in Minnesota?
The calculator puts a $200/month bill at a ~15.5-year payback with no federal credit — marginal at 2026's high install prices (~$3.24/W). The bright spots are full 1:1 retail net metering under 40 kW and the sales- and property-tax exemptions; the drag is the sticker price. Get aggressive quotes and size to your usage.
Figures last checked October 2026. Sources: EIA Electric Power Monthly (July 2026: 17.52¢/kWh), NREL PVWatts/NSRDB (~4.3 peak sun hours), DSIRE, Minnesota Public Utilities Commission; IRS — Residential Clean Energy Credit.
More US solar calculators
Compare other states: Texas, Florida, California, Arizona, North Carolina, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey. And the national US solar calculator for country averages.
Comparing quotes? The solar cost calculator breaks down cost per watt and the solar ROI calculator maps your payback year by year. Going deeper: installation cost guide, how net metering works, how much you can save with solar and the solar batteries guide.