Solar Panels Cost $10k-$20k in Blue Earth County, MN | November, 2024
High Power Bills?
Reduce or replace your electricity bill with solar
No data available
How much do solar panels cost in Blue Earth County, MN in 2024?
No data available
It averages out to $3.63/W to go solar in the month of November, 2024 in Blue Earth County, MN.
Expect costs to be $3,630, on average, for every 1000 watts (or 1 kW) of solar energy your solar system can generate. We can come to this conclusion by applying this rate price cost per watt above. After receiving the 30% federal tax credit, you will spend about $12,705, in Blue Earth County, for a 5 kW solar system. Please consider, a 5kW system might not be sufficient to ensure your energy requirements are met.
Choose your county from the menu on the left to find the typical roof size and maximum residential solar capacity for homes in your area. You can review the price, payback period, and 20-year average savings for a 5 kW system in your county below.
Average out-of-pocket cost for a 5 kW system The upfront amount spent to buy and install solar.
Blue Earth County: $12,705US Average: $12,523
Average Payback Period The number of years until you break even on the solar investment.
Blue Earth County: 7 yearsUS Average: 7 years
Average Net 20-year savings The total amount of money saved over 20 years minus the out-of-pocket cost.
Blue Earth County: $17,125US Average: $16,169
Solar Potential in Blue Earth County
Estimated system size and solar electricity production per median viable roof in Blue Earth County.
Roof size 715sq. ft.
Capacity 10kW DC
Electricity 11.3kkWh AC per yr.
Electricity Costs in Blue Earth County, MN & What that Means for Your Solar Panel Pricing
For Blue Earth County energy consumers, the typical electric bill is 146.98 per month, with a usage of 926 kWh. This number also factors in the energy needs of apartments and smaller homes.
As of November 2024, the mean rate for electricity per kWh in Blue Earth County, MN amounts to 15.87¢.
After incentives, an 8 kW setup will cost around $20,328.
Go Solar for less than your cell phone bill.
Average solar panel costs by system size in Blue Earth County
Presented on the left, you will find a price breakdown for multiple solar panel system sizes set up in Blue Earth County. When you select a larger solar system, the cost is greater, but it also yields more significant electricity savings and a greater income tax credit.
The breakdown of costs and benefits for solar panels, presented in the calculator down and to the right, is based on an average electric bill of $146.98 in Blue Earth County. For results that are more personalized, change the $146.98 to align with your average electricity bill.
System Size
Roof Size Min. space required
Electricity Value Annual Production
Est. Price
System Size 4kW
Roof Size Min. space required
286 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $927 a year
Est. Price
$10,164
Savings from a 4kWthis system
Est. yearly production 5,795 kWh
Est. monthly savings $77
Full payback in 6 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 2.62 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 120 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 6,478 mi less a year
System Size 5kW
Roof Size Min. space required
358 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $1,159 a year
Est. Price
$12,705
Savings from a 5kWthis system
Est. yearly production 7,244 kWh
Est. monthly savings $97
Full payback in 7 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 3.27 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 150 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 8,098 mi less a year
System Size 6kW
Roof Size Min. space required
429 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $1,391 a year
Est. Price
$15,246
Savings from a 6kWthis system
Est. yearly production 8,692 kWh
Est. monthly savings $116
Full payback in 9 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 3.93 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 180 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 9,717 mi less a year
System Size 7kW
Roof Size Min. space required
501 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $1,623 a year
Est. Price
$17,787
Savings from a 7kWthis system
Est. yearly production 10,141 kWh
Est. monthly savings $135
Full payback in 10 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 4.58 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 210 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 11,337 mi less a year
System Size 8kW
Roof Size Min. space required
572 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $1,854 a year
Est. Price
$20,328
Savings from a 8kWthis system
Est. yearly production 11,590 kWh
Est. monthly savings $147
Full payback in 12 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 4.98 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 229 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 12,325 mi less a year
Blue Earth County Solar Panel Installation Incentives & Rebates | 2024
With the REAP Grant, up to 100% and no less than 80% of the installation costs for solar or wind turbines may be covered for rural small business owners and farmers. Believe you fit the criteria? Verify your eligibility with our REAP Grant eligibility tool.
For residential solar projects, most people are eligible for the 30% federal income tax credit, making solar a practical solution in various parts of the country. On top of that, there are many state and local incentives to further promote the adoption of solar energy.
Minnesota has 20 solar rebate and incentive programs provided by various utilities and government agencies.
Solar incentives in MNIncentive Description Value
Rochester Public Utilities - Solar Rebate Program
Value:Up to $500
Residential and business customers of RPU, the municipal electric utility for the city of Rochester, may be entitled to rebates on new solar photovoltaic devices and components. New system installations will yield a $500 incentive regardless of their rated capacity. Systems should meet all city, state, and federal standards and be interconnected to the grid under a net metering contract. To apply, customers must first schedule an energy audit to verify quantitative efficiency improvement. Additional information is available from the RPU website.
Owatanna Public Utilities - Solar Rebate Program
Value:Up to $500
Commercial and residential customers of OPU, the municipal power utility for the city of Owatonna, may be entitled to rebates on solar PV systems and water heaters. Rebates add to existing federal tax incentives. New PV installations will yield a $500 rebate regardless of their rated capacity. Water heaters yield a rebate based on the area of the panels; the current rate is $15 per square foot. To qualify, systems should meet all city, state, and federal standards and be interconnected to the grid under a net metering contract. Interested customers should schedule an energy audit with an OPU participating solar contractor.
Marshall Municipal Utilities - Solar Thermal Water Heater Rebate Program
Value:Up to $2,000
Residential customers of MMU, the municipal utility for the city of Marshall, may be eligible for special rebates on new solar water heaters. The incentive amount will depend on the physical size of the solar panels. Currently, MMU will pay $20 per square foot up to $2,000. Rebates add to state-level tax credits and exemptions. Additional information is available from the MMU website.
Austin Utilities - Solar Rebate Program
Value:Up to $1
Residential and commercial customers of AU, the municipal electric utility for the city of Austin, may be eligible for rebates on new solar PV systems and water heaters. Qualifying systems should meet all state and federal standards, be installed by a certified solar contractor, and be interconnected to the grid under a net metering arrangement. Should a system meet these qualifications, owners can earn a rebate of $500 for PV or $15/square foot of water heater collector area. Application forms are available from the AU website.
Minnesota Power - SolarSense Solar Rebate Program
Value:Up to $10,000
Minnesota Power customers may be entitled to rebates on new solar photovoltaic systems. To qualify, a system must meet all state and federal standards, be installed by a certified solar contractor, and be interconnected to the grid under a net metering contract. The incentive amount is determined through an NREL tool which considers the system's rated capacity and other design characteristics. Current rates are 56 cents/estimated kilowatt hour of production in the first year of the system's use. Minnesota Power must preapprove all incentives. Customers must therefore apply for the rebate before purchasing their system. Additional information is available from the website.
Value of Solar Tariff
Value:Varies
Net metering in Minnesota is set to be replaced by a Value of Solar (VOST) tariff program standardized by the Department of Commerce. No utility has implemented such a program as of 2021, though Xcel Energy is exploring retail-rate tariffs in a similar vein to VOST. VOST operates as an "inflow-outflow" program. Customers are technically billed for all electricity they generate, including excess generation (EG) sent to the grid. Rather than paying for all generated energy, however, they will only owe the cost of their "nettable energy" in that cycle. Nettable energy is equal to total power generated at the standard billed cost minus EG at a different "credit rate." As with net metering, should generation exceed consumption, the remaining credits will be applied to subsequent cycles. VOST contracts last for 20 years; credit rates are fixed for the length of the contract. "Virtual VOST" provisions exist to compensate microgrid subscribers in proportion.
Farm Opportunities Loan Program
Value:Varies
New sustainable farm equipment may be eligible for special financing through Minnesota's Farm Opportunity Loan Program. The program is administered by the state Rural Finance Authority in conjunction with various funding partners. Loans can cover up to 80% of purchase and installation costs. The RFA assumes responsibility for servicing 45% of the principal up to $45,000. Interest on the RFA portion is 3%; the remaining 55% will accrue interest at the current market rate. Additional information is available from the RFA website.
Dakota Electric Association - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Value:Varies
Residential and commercial customers of the Dakota Electric Association may be entitled to rebates on a variety of energy-efficient improvements. Available rebate offers will vary from time to time. Current offers include rebates on large appliances, lighting, insulation/weatherization, central/room HVAC, and new solar PV or geothermal heat systems. Rebate amounts depend on the type of project and how much efficiency it will add to the property. Additional information is available from the cooperative website.
Xcel Energy - Renewable Development Fund Grants
Value:Varies
NOTE: This program appears to be defunct as of 2013. Xcel Energy has administered a Renewable Development Fund since 1999. The fund's annual budget amounts to $9 million, the result of a state-set rate per nuclear waste reservoir at the Prairie Island, Minnesota plant. Additional funding comes from a surcharge on Xcel customer bills in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Grant programs supported by the fund usually take the form of requests for proposals (RFPs). Xcel details grant revenue and spending in an annual report submitted to the state legislature, and grant recipients produce similar supplementary reports on their projects' environmental impact. Additional information is available from the Xcel website.
Owatonna Public Utilities - Residential Conserve and Save Rebate Program
Value:Varies
Residential customers of OPU, the municipal utility for the city of Owatonna, may be eligible for rebates on energy-efficient appliances. Qualifying appliances will vary from time to time, but currently include fridge/freezers and room air conditioners certified by ENERGY STAR. To qualify for a rebate, the owner must recycle their previous appliance. OPU will cover any fees incurred from the recycling of appliances as a part of the rebate. Additional information is available from the OPU website.
Community-Based Energy Development (C-BED) Tariff
Value:Varies
Utilities in Minnesota are required to participate in Community-Based Energy Development tariff programs (C-BED) to support the construction and onboarding of new renewable energy facilities, including solar and wind farms. C-BED contracts last for 20 years. During the term, the state will pay utilities at a fixed rate for the energy they produce. The underlying goal is for utilities to more easily recoup the costs for their renewable facilities. Additional information is available from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission website.
Value-Added Stock Loan Participation Program
Value:Varies
The Minnesota Rural Finance Authority (RFA) operates a stock financing program to aid farmers in purchasing shares of nearby wind farms or biomass energy facilities. Loans are offered by private banking partners, though the RFA sets loan terms and low interest rates for up to 45% of the principal. Qualifying applicants must not be worth more than $450,000. Additional information is available from the RFA website.
Minnesota Power - Power Grant Program
Value:Varies
Minnesota Power manages a large-scale energy efficiency grant program. Up to $50,000 in awards may be available to businesses and farmers investing in energy efficiency improvements, including new renewable energy systems and experimental technologies. Grants depend on the applicant's need and projected energy savings. They are supplemented by rebates of $200/kW of the improvements' rated capacity. Additional information is available from the Minnesota Power website.
Fix-Up Loan
Value:Varies
Minnesota homeowners making energy efficiency or accessibility improvements may be eligible for special loans from the state Housing Finance Agency (MHFA). "Fix-Up Loans" have a maximum of $15,000 in principal at market-rate interest. Applicants have direct access to MHFA lending partners and can negotiate loan terms. They may also use the contractors and builders of their choice. Lending partners differ between the 11-county Twin Cities area and the rest of the state. Additional information is available from the MHFA website.
Rural Minnesota Energy Board PACE Program
Value:Varies
The St. Paul Port Authority operates a PACE program in Duluth, Mankato, and certain Twin Cities suburbs and exurbs. Property owners will have access to an open market of local lenders offering competitive loans and terms for energy efficiency improvements. Effectively, funding comes from the government; repayment will therefore take the form of a tax lien senior to the property's mortgage. Residential structures are not eligible for PACE loans due to regulatory concerns from the FHFA. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are prohibited from acquiring a mortgage with an active PACE lien. Additional information is available from the Port Authority website.
Minnesota PACE Program (MinnPACE)
Value:Varies
The St. Paul Port Authority operates a PACE program in Duluth, Mankato, and certain Twin Cities suburbs and exurbs. Property owners will have access to an open market of local lenders offering competitive loans and terms for energy efficiency improvements. Effectively, funding comes from the government; repayment will therefore take the form of a tax lien senior to the property's mortgage. Residential structures are not eligible for PACE loans due to regulatory concerns from the FHFA. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are prohibited from acquiring a mortgage with an active PACE lien. Additional information is available from the Port Authority website.
Interconnection Standards
Value:Varies
Distributed generation and interconnection practices are standardized by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Standards were last updated in 2019 and continue to be amended regularly. Unlike states which use tiers and levels to organize energy systems, Minnesota uses permit processes as benchmarks. Systems at a qualifying capacity level may be eligible for a "Fast Track" permit review. All systems must follow recognized standards such as those set by IEEE or UL. Customers may be required by their utility to carry liability insurance coverage or install additional safety features.
Renewable Development Fund (RDF)
Value:Varies
Xcel Energy has administered a Renewable Development Fund since 1999. The fund's annual budget amounts to $9 million, the result of a state-set rate per nuclear waste reservoir at the Prairie Island, Minnesota plant. Additional funding comes from a surcharge on Xcel customer bills in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Funding supports incentive programs and other initiatives to adopt renewable energy. The University of Minnesota's Institute for the Environment also taps into the fund for its own research. Additional information is available from the Xcel website.
Xcel Energy - Solar*Rewards Program
Value:Varies
Solar*Rewards is the formal name for Xcel Energy's net metering and distributed generation tariff incentive programs nationwide. Under Minnesota law, renewable energy customers hold ownership of renewable energy credits (RECs) they generate. With a Solar*Rewards contract, the customer agrees to sell all RECs to the utility for a fixed amount of time and have a bidirectional meter installed on their system to track energy sent back to the grid. In exchange, the utility will provide fair compensation for both excess generation and credits accrued. To qualify for incentives, a new PV system must pass an engineering audit and not exceed 20 kW of DC capacity. Leased systems do not qualify for Solar*Rewards contracts. Additional information is available from the Xcel website.
Marshall Municipal Utilities - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
Value:Varies
Residential customers of MMU, the municipal utility for the city of Marshall, may be eligible for rebates on new energy-efficient systems and appliances. Available rebate offers will vary from time to time. Current offers include incentives for ENERGY STAR-certified fridge/freezers, washer/dryers, dishwashers, central/room HVAC, water heaters, dehumidifiers, and solar/geothermal systems (through a separate program). Customers may also receive financial assistance to certify their entire home with ENERGY STAR through an initiative targeted at new construction. Additional information is available from the MMU website.
Are solar panels worth it in Blue Earth County, MN?
If you expect to own your residence longer than the solar system's payback period, solar panels are a wise investment in Blue Earth County. A 5 kW solar system in Blue Earth County, MN could potentially save you $22,570.2 over the course of 20 years, with the break even point typically at 7 years.
The cost of not having solar panels in Blue Earth County, MN
The absence of solar panels or an alternative energy backup means that you miss out on the savings noted earlier and depend on your electric utility for electricity. Recent news examples have indicated that full reliance on your utility provider is not always ideal.
Lately, customers in Blue Earth County have typically encountered 0.76 utility outages per year. On average, the length of an outage is 73.96 minutes. Major events like heavy rain and flooding, overloaded power grids, or construction accidents can cause these durations to rise considerably.
Take a look at the info below to see the number of current electricity customers without power in Blue Earth County.
A solar panel system could lessen the burden of future outages, even if it lacks a backup battery.
Power Outages
Currently, 0 customers are being tracked in Blue Earth County.
What impacts the cost of solar panels in Blue Earth County, MN?
Your Energy Needs - Even if the initial expense is higher, the price per watt decreases with larger solar panel systems. Many consumers realize it's a good idea to install a solar system that can generate enough power to fully cover their electric bill, because it helps them save more money.
Make & Model - Solar panels and mounting equipment, similar to many other products, come in a variety of makes and models. Because the installer you select might have particular brand preferences, selecting a highly rated company is especially important. The selection of superior equipment can greatly better the long-term experience for buyers.
Solar Panel Type - Monocrystalline panels are broadly acknowledged as the standard in the industry, and for good cause. Although they are costlier, they provide increased energy. Many installers use panels crafted from this material.
Your Property - Elements like sloping terrain, trees, or other impediments might complicate the installation process. Today, many solar installers can assess your home with satellite images and factor in these factors in the preliminary cost estimate.
Labor Rates - Variations in employee wages across companies lead to expenses that are passed on to the consumers. Companies paying higher wages usually garner better reviews for their work and customer service.
Permitting & Interconnection - The fees for local permitting and utility interconnection, which differ by area, will impact the cost of your installation. That said, reputable local installers will be able to incorporate these numbers into your preliminary quotes so there are no surprises.
See what solar panels cost in other Blue Earth County cities
Solar systems for selling electricity back to the grid.
Blue Earth County, MN Solar Panel Cost FAQs
The typical cost per watt for solar panels in Blue Earth County, MN as of November, 2024 is $3.63/W. After federal tax credits, the installation of a 5 kW solar panel system in Blue Earth County, MN is estimated to cost $12,705.
Various utility providers and government organizations in Minnesota are offering 20 rebates and incentives at this time. Additionally, the vast majority qualify for the 30% federal tax credit.
Although cash payments offer the greatest savings, many financing options for solar panels now exist that are also cost-effective. Many installers will include information about their financing partners in the initial quotes they provide.
Yes, in Blue Earth County, MN, the average time for 5 kWsolar panel systems to pay for themselves is 7 years, leading to electricity savings of $22,570.2 over a 20-year period.