Solar Panels Cost $14k-$25k in Jefferson County, IN | December, 2024
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How much do solar panels cost in Jefferson County, IN in 2024?
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The current cost per watt of going solar in Jefferson County, IN in December, 2024 is $4.12/W.
Applying the rate, we are able to come to the conclusion that for every 1000 watts (1 kW) your solar panels can produce, you will need to spend $4,120 to have it installed. When you subtract the 30% federal tax credit, you will pay around $14,420, in Jefferson County, for a 5 kW solar panel system. Please consider, a 5kW system may not be sufficient to fulfill your energy needs.
Use the left-hand menu to select your area and find the typical roof size and the maximum production capacity for solar panels on homes in your county. Below is a breakdown of the price, payback period, and 20-year average savings for a 5 kW system in your county.
Average out-of-pocket cost for a 5 kW system The upfront amount spent to buy and install solar.
Jefferson County: $14,420US Average: $12,523
Average Payback Period The number of years until you break even on the solar investment.
Jefferson County: 8 yearsUS Average: 7 years
Average Net 20-year savings The total amount of money saved over 20 years minus the out-of-pocket cost.
Jefferson County: $15,657US Average: $16,152
Solar Potential in Jefferson County
Estimated system size and solar electricity production per median viable roof in Jefferson County.
Roof size 733sq. ft.
Capacity 10.25kW DC
Electricity 11.9kkWh AC per yr.
Electricity Costs in Jefferson County, IN & What that Means for Your Solar Panel Pricing
For Jefferson County energy consumers, the typical electric bill is 151.07 per month, with a usage of 1,070 kWh. {These numbers encompass apartments and other smaller homes, which usually have lower energy consumption.
The mean rate for electricity in Jefferson County, IN in December, 2024 is 14.12¢ per kWh.
Presently, a 9 kW solar panel system costs $25,956 after the 30% federal income tax credit.
Go Solar for less than your cell phone bill.
Average solar panel costs by system size in Jefferson County
On the left side, you'll see a detailed price breakdown of the various sizes of solar panel systems installed in Jefferson County. More extensive solar installations have a greater cost, yet they also yield higher electricity savings and more generous income tax credits.
Look at the solar panel cost calculator below and to the right to see the cost and benefit details based on an average $151.07 electric bill in Jefferson County. Swap the $151.07 with your typical electricity bill to get more accurate results.
System Size
Roof Size Min. space required
Electricity Value Annual Production
Est. Price
System Size 5kW
Roof Size Min. space required
358 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $1,035 a year
Est. Price
$14,420
Savings from a 5kWthis system
Est. yearly production 7,395 kWh
Est. monthly savings $86
Full payback in 8 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 8.4 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 386 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 20,803 mi less a year
System Size 6kW
Roof Size Min. space required
429 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $1,242 a year
Est. Price
$17,304
Savings from a 6kWthis system
Est. yearly production 8,874 kWh
Est. monthly savings $104
Full payback in 10 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 10.09 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 463 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 24,964 mi less a year
System Size 7kW
Roof Size Min. space required
501 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $1,449 a year
Est. Price
$20,188
Savings from a 7kWthis system
Est. yearly production 10,353 kWh
Est. monthly savings $121
Full payback in 11 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 11.77 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 540 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 29,124 mi less a year
System Size 8kW
Roof Size Min. space required
572 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $1,656 a year
Est. Price
$23,072
Savings from a 8kWthis system
Est. yearly production 11,832 kWh
Est. monthly savings $138
Full payback in 13 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 13.45 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 618 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 33,285 mi less a year
System Size 9kW
Roof Size Min. space required
644 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $1,864 a year
Est. Price
$25,956
Savings from a 9kWthis system
Est. yearly production 13,311 kWh
Est. monthly savings $151
Full payback in 14 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 14.71 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 676 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 36,410 mi less a year
Jefferson County Solar Panel Installation Incentives & Rebates | 2024
Rural entrepreneurs and farmers might find that the REAP Grant pays for 80% to 100% of their costs when installing photovoltaic or wind energy systems. To see if you qualify, use our REAP Grant eligibility tool.
For residential solar projects, most people are eligible for the 30% federal income tax credit, making solar a sensible solution in many parts of the country. Moreover, several state and local efforts are in place to further encourage the adoption of solar energy.
In Indiana, different utilities and government bodies offer 6 solar rebate and incentive programs.
Solar incentives in INIncentive Description Value
Renewable Energy Property Tax Exemption
Value:Varies
Property tax exemptions apply in Indiana for solar, wind, geothermal, and hydroelectric power and thermal devices. (Solar devices installed before January 1, 2012 do not qualify for an exemption.) For most generation systems, exemptions will amount to the currently assessed value of the system (adjusted for depreciation.) Solar thermal, HVAC, or pool heating systems will be exempted at a fixed amount equal to parts and labor costs. Unique to Indiana, should the owner sell their property, exemptions will not apply to the new owner. Qualifying taxpayers may claim the exemption by filing Form 18865 with their county. Additional information is available from the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance website.
Community Conservation Challenge
Value:Varies
NOTE: This program is closed to new applicants. Indiana's Community Conservation Challenge is a grant program managed by the Office of Energy Development. Commercial, industrial, or agricultural property owners may be eligible for $20,000 - $80,000 to install new renewable energy systems or make energy efficiency improvements. Projects that may qualify for funding include green vehicles, HVAC, lighting, solar PV/thermal systems, and wind turbines. At least one community must partner with the property owner, and the completed project should be visible to the public eye. Additional information is available from the OED website.
NIPSCO - Feed-In Tariff
Value:Varies
NIPSCO pays feed-in tariffs to distributed renewable energy customers with systems rated for 3 kilowatts to one megawatt of capacity. Monthly compensation will take the form of a bill credit based on the amount of excess energy sent back to the grid. Unlike net metering, NIPSCO has greater control over how much of a customer's generated energy can be considered "excess." This control is to keep the grid stable. Customers must "opt in" to receive tariffs by filling out an application on the NIPSCO website and paying an administration fee based on system capacity; the current fee is $1 per kilowatt plus $25.
Clean Energy Portfolio Standard
Value:Varies
Indiana has adopted a non-binding renewable portfolio standard called the CHOICE. There have been three clean energy targets set with the final goal of sourcing 10% of the state's energy from renewable sources by 2025. Unique to the CHOICE standard, up to 30% of investments can be in cleaner conventional energy (natural gas, CHP, and clean coal). Participation in the CHOICE is completely voluntary. Interested utilities can register with the state's Utility Regulatory Commission to submit business and project plans. As a utility makes CHOICE investments, they will earn Clean Energy Credits pegging energy capacity to a fixed dollar value. Additional information is available from the CHOICE website.
City of Bloomington - Sustainable Development Incentives
Value:Varies
Special administrative incentives may apply to new construction in Bloomington, IN if it meets certain green building standards. The city has established standards across four areas, including energy efficiency, landscape/water efficiency, public policy (specifically promoting alternative vehicles), and public transportation. Buildings meeting certain minimum quotas for projects in the goal areas may qualify for permit fee waivers and less strict setback requirements. Additional information is available from the Bloomington city website.
City of Indianapolis - Green Building Incentive Program
Value:Varies
Special permitting privileges may apply to new projects in Indianapolis or greater Marion County if designers adhere to certain energy efficiency standards. Qualifying structures should either use on-site solar panels/small wind equipment or be ASHRAE 90.1 certified. Appliances, lighting, and HVAC systems used should be ENERGY STAR certified. Once the builder applies for permits, the structure will be ranked across six sustainability criteria. If it passes minimum standards on at least half of the criteria, 30% of the total permit fees will be refunded. For each additional criterion, another 10% will be added to the total rebate. Additional information is available from the Indianapolis city website.
Are solar panels worth it in Jefferson County, IN?
If you expect to own your residence longer than the solar system's payback period, solar panels are a smart investment in Jefferson County. If you install a 5 kW solar system in Jefferson County, IN, you might save $21,836.8 over 20 years on average, with a break even point at around 8 years.
The cost of not having solar panels in Jefferson County, IN
If you don't install solar panels or an alternative backup power source, you miss out on the previously mentioned savings and your household is entirely dependent on your electric utility for electricity. Complete dependence on your utility is not always ideal, as several recent news reports have illustrated.
Recently, customers in Jefferson County have experienced an average of 1.13 outages per year. The average duration of each outage is 150.62 minutes. During severe events like grid management errors, hurricanes or planned maintenance, these times can grow significantly longer.
View the info below to see the number of current electricity customers without power in Jefferson County.
Whether equipped with a backup battery or not, a solar panel system can help alleviate the stress of possible future outages.
Power Outages
Currently, 0 customers are being tracked in Jefferson County.
What impacts the cost of solar panels in Jefferson County, IN?
Your Energy Needs - The cost per watt is lower with larger solar panel systems, even though the initial cost is larger. Consumers often realize that installing a solar system to offset their electric bill is a good move, leading to the most savings.
Make & Model - There are a variety of makes and models of solar panels and mounting equipment. Because the installer you choose might have specific system preferences, selecting a highly rated installer is especially important. Superior materials generally provide an improved long-term experience for the buyer.
Solar Panel Type - Monocrystalline panels are broadly acknowledged as the standard in the industry, and for good cause. Although the cost is higher, they deliver more energy. The majority of installers use these kinds of panels.
Your Property - Uneven ground, trees, or additional obstacles can increase the difficulty of the installation. Solar installers now have the ability to use satellite images to assess your home and include these elements in the preliminary cost estimate.
Labor Rates - Variations in employee wages across companies result in expenses that are passed on to the consumers. Businesses paying higher wages often garner better reviews for their services and customer service.
Permitting & Interconnection - Local permitting and utility interconnection fees, which change by area, will impact your installation cost. Good local installers will incorporate these figures into your initial estimates to prevent any surprises.
See what solar panels cost in other Jefferson County cities
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Jefferson County, IN Solar Panel Cost FAQs
In December, 2024, the typical price per watt for solar panels in Jefferson County, IN is $4.12/W. In Jefferson County, IN, installing a 5 kW solar panel system will set you back approximately $14,420 after federal tax incentives.
Indiana offers 6 different rebates and incentives from a range of utilities and government organizations. In addition, nearly all people are eligible for the 30%federal tax credit.
Even though cash payments yield the greatest savings, numerous financing options for solar panels today are also advantageous. Financing options are often provided by installers and may be specified in your initial quotes.
Yes, on average, 5 kW solar panels in Jefferson County, IN pay for themselves in 8 years, with homeowners saving approximately $21,836.8 on electricity over 20 years.
Savings from 
Environmental Impacts 
