Solar Panels Cost 2.4k-12k in Lake Elmo, MN | October, 2024

Solar Panels Cost $2.4k-$12k in Lake Elmo, MN | October, 2024

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How much do solar panels cost in Lake Elmo, MN in 2024?

Typically, in Lake Elmo, MN in the month of October, 2024, the cost per each watt for solar panel systems is $3.57/W.

In accordance with the price, you can conclude that for every 1 kW (1000 watts) your solar system can generate you will need to invest $3,570 to get your panels installed. After receiving the 30% federal tax credit, a 5 kW solar panel install in Lake Elmo sets you back $12,495. Be aware that a larger system might be required to fulfill your energy requirements.

To the left,choose your area to find out the average roof size and the average maximum capacity of solar panel systems for homes in your county. Below is a full analysis 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.
Lake Elmo: $12,495US Average: $12,562
Average Payback Period The number of years until you break even on the solar investment.
Lake Elmo: 10 yearsUS Average: 7 years
Average Net 20-year savings The total amount of money saved over 20 years minus the out-of-pocket cost.
Lake Elmo: $6,035US Average: $15,784

Solar Potential in Lake Elmo

Estimated system size and solar electricity production per median viable roof in
Lake Elmo.

Roof size 679sq. ft.
Capacity 9.5kW DC
Electricity 10.8kkWh AC per yr.

Electricity Costs in Lake Elmo, MN & What that Means for Your Solar Panel Pricing

On average, Lake Elmo residents use 594 kWh each month, and the electric bill is $99.52. Bear in mind that this figure incorporates data from both apartments and smaller homes with reduced energy requirements.

In October 2024, the electricity rate in Lake Elmo, MN is on average 16.76¢ per kWh.

Average electricity users in Lake Elmo may want a solar panel system with a generation capacity of 5 kW or more to satisfy their full electricity usage needs. At the moment, a 5 kW solar installation will cost you roughly $17,850upfront, but thanks to the 30% federal tax credit, you receive 30% back, reducing the total to $12,495.

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Average solar panel costs by system size in Lake Elmo

Below on the left side, there is the cost breakdown for multiple sizes of solar panel systems set up in Lake Elmo. Even though a larger solar installation carries a larger expense, it also offers higher electricity savings and larger income tax credits.

In the calculator provided to the right and below, you will find a breakdown of solar panel costs and benefits, calculated with an average $99.52 electric bill for Lake Elmo. Adjust the $99.52 to your average electricity bill payment for results that are tailored to you.

System Size 1kW
Roof Size Min. space required
72 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $246 a year
Est. Price
$2,499
Savings from a 1kWthis system
  • Est. yearly production 1,449 kWh
  • Est. monthly savings $21
  • Full payback in 2 years
Environmental Impacts
  • Reduces CO2 emissions by 0.8 tons a year
  • Equivalent to planting 37 trees a year
  • Equivalent to driving 1,984 mi less a year
System Size 2kW
Roof Size Min. space required
143 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $493 a year
Est. Price
$4,998
Savings from a 2kWthis system
  • Est. yearly production 2,897 kWh
  • Est. monthly savings $41
  • Full payback in 4 years
Environmental Impacts
  • Reduces CO2 emissions by 1.6 tons a year
  • Equivalent to planting 74 trees a year
  • Equivalent to driving 3,969 mi less a year
System Size 3kW
Roof Size Min. space required
215 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $739 a year
Est. Price
$7,497
Savings from a 3kWthis system
  • Est. yearly production 4,346 kWh
  • Est. monthly savings $62
  • Full payback in 6 years
Environmental Impacts
  • Reduces CO2 emissions by 2.41 tons a year
  • Equivalent to planting 110 trees a year
  • Equivalent to driving 5,953 mi less a year
System Size 4kW
Roof Size Min. space required
286 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $985 a year
Est. Price
$9,996
Savings from a 4kWthis system
  • Est. yearly production 5,795 kWh
  • Est. monthly savings $82
  • Full payback in 8 years
Environmental Impacts
  • Reduces CO2 emissions by 3.21 tons a year
  • Equivalent to planting 147 trees a year
  • Equivalent to driving 7,938 mi less a year
System Size 5kW
Roof Size Min. space required
358 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $1,231 a year
Est. Price
$12,495
Savings from a 5kWthis system
  • Est. yearly production 7,244 kWh
  • Est. monthly savings $100
  • Full payback in 10 years
Environmental Impacts
  • Reduces CO2 emissions by 3.91 tons a year
  • Equivalent to planting 179 trees a year
  • Equivalent to driving 9,669 mi less a year

Lake Elmo Solar Panel Installation Incentives & Rebates | 2024

Small businesses and farms in rural areas may see between 80% and 100% of their solar or wind turbine installation costs covered by the REAP Grant. Wondering if you fall into this category? Check your eligibility with our REAP Grant eligibility tool.

Almost all homeowners can benefit from the 30% federal income tax credit for residential solar, making solar energy a sensible option across most parts of the country. Alongside federal incentives, there are many state and local efforts to encourage solar energy adoption.

Several utilities and government agencies in Minnesota currently offer 12 solar rebates and incentives.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Are solar panels worth it in Minnesota?

For homeowners in Lake Elmo planning to remain in their homes after the payback period for solar panels, solar energy is a sensible choice. In Lake Elmo, MN, a 5 kW solar system installation might save you $11,389.8 on average over 20 years, with a typical break even point of 10 years.

The cost of not having solar panels in Lake Elmo, MN

Besides missing out on the aforementioned savings, not having solar panels or a different backup energy source makes you fully reliant on your electric utility for electricity. The news has provided several examples demonstrating that full reliance on your utility is not always ideal.

The utilities in Lake Elmo have averaged about 0.95 outages per customer per year in recent years. Usually, outages have an average duration of 114.46 minutes. However, during critical events like planned maintenance, grid management errors or winter storms, these times can extend dramatically.

A solar panel system, with or without a backup battery or not, could reduce the impact of future power outages you might face.

Power Outages

Currently, 0 customers are being tracked in Washington County.

Learn more

Customers Out:

0

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What impacts the cost of solar panels in Lake Elmo, MN?

Your Energy Needs - Even though larger solar panel systems have a larger initial cost, the cost per watt drops. For most individuals, setting up a system that can produce enough power to reduce their entire electric bill is useful, providing significant savings.

Make & Model - Similar to many other products, there are a variety of makes and models of solar panels on the market. The potential brand preferences of your installer mean that it is it's even more necessary to pick a highly rated company. Choosing superior quality materials generally yields a more favorable long-term experience for the buyer.

Solar Panel Type - For good reasons, monocrystalline panels have emerged as the standard in the industry. Even though they are costlier, they generate additional energy. The majority of installers use panels crafted from this material.

Your Property - Each property and home has its own characteristics. Factors like irregular terrain, trees, or other challenges can make the installation more challenging. Nowadays, solar installers commonly leverage satellite images to evaluate your home and incorporate these considerations into the preliminary cost estimate.

Labor Rates - Companies offer varying pay rates to their employees, which are then passed on to the prices consumers pay. Businesses that invest in higher wages often see higher reviews for their services and customer service.

Permitting & Interconnection - Regional differences in permitting and utility interconnection fees will affect your installation cost. Reliable local installers will incorporate these figures into your preliminary estimates to avoid any surprises.

See what solar panels cost in other MN cities

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Who are the best solar installers in Lake Elmo?

Academy Energy Group

Newburgh, IN(812) 518-2150

Services

  • Auditing of energy requirements for independent energy generation.
  • Solar systems for selling electricity back to the grid.
  • Monitoring of independent energy generation.
  • Reparation of solar arrays.
  • Installation of solar arrays.

Solar Farm

St. Paul, MN(651) 271-8410

Services

  • Installation of solar arrays.
  • Solar systems for selling electricity back to the grid.

Dividend Finance

San Francisco, CA(415) 805-7000

Services

  • Installation of solar arrays.
  • Installation of batteries for energy storage.
  • Expertise in consulting on advantageous financing for solar.

Sundial Energy

St. Louis Park, MN(612) 439-9591

Services

  • Solar systems for selling electricity back to the grid.
  • Installation of batteries for energy storage.
  • Installation of solar arrays.

SunPower Corporation

San Jose, CA(800) 786-7693

Services

  • Installation of batteries for energy storage.
  • Monitoring of independent energy generation.
  • Solar systems for selling electricity back to the grid.
  • Expertise in consulting on advantageous financing for solar.
  • Consulting on all things solar related.
  • Installation of solar arrays.
  • Reparation of solar arrays.

Harvest Solar

Jackson, MI(888) 907-6527

Services

  • Consulting on all things solar related.
  • Expertise in consulting on advantageous financing for solar.
  • Installation of solar arrays.

Sunnova Energy

Houston, TX(866) 786-6682

Services

  • Installation of solar arrays.
  • Installation of batteries for energy storage.
  • Expertise in consulting on advantageous financing for solar.

GRNE Solar

Palatine, IL(312) 859-3417

Services

  • Installation of batteries for energy storage.
  • Consulting on all things solar related.
  • Expertise in consulting on advantageous financing for solar.
  • Installation of solar arrays.

Entegrity

Little Rock, AR(800) 700-1414

Services

  • Expertise in consulting on advantageous financing for solar.
  • Installation of solar arrays.

Ideal Energy

Fairfield, IA(800) 634-4454

Services

  • Reparation of solar arrays.
  • Installation of batteries for energy storage.
  • Expertise in consulting on advantageous financing for solar.
  • Installation of solar arrays.

LightEdison

Denver, CO(888) 966-6377

Services

  • Expertise in consulting on advantageous financing for solar.
  • Installation of solar arrays.
  • Reparation of solar arrays.
  • Installation of batteries for energy storage.

Empire Solar Group

Salt Lake City, UT(800) 467-4562

Services

  • Solar systems for selling electricity back to the grid.
  • Installation of batteries for energy storage.
  • Installation of solar arrays.

Lake Elmo, MN Solar Panel Cost FAQs

  • In October, 2024, the typical price per watt for solar panels in Lake Elmo, MN is $3.57/W. After the federal tax credit, the estimated cost for a 5 kW solar panel system in Lake Elmo, MN is roughly $12,495.

  • Residents of Minnesota can currently take advantage of 12 rebates and incentives offered by various utilities and government bodies. In addition, the 30% federal income tax credit is available to almost everyone.

  • Paying in cash provides the highest savings, but there are several financing options available today for solar panels that are also financially advantageous. Many installers will detail information about financing options in their initial quotes.

  • Yes, in Lake Elmo, MN, the average time for 5 kW solar panel systems to pay for themselves is 10 years, leading to electricity savings of $11,389.8 over a 20-year period.
Alex Zdanov
Last Reviewed By: Alex Zdanov
Published: 2024-10-01