What is the solar score for Indiana?

Indiana has a solar score of 17/100 (Marginal), ranking #49 of 51. The composite blends solar irradiance (4.4 kWh/m²/day, 40%), incentive density (30%), and modeled payback (30%).

How long does it take for solar panels to pay for themselves in Indiana?

The estimated payback for a 6 kW system in Indiana is 15.8 years, ranking #35 of 51 for speed to break-even. At a $16,800 system cost and $1,064/year modeled savings, that implies +$9,800 net over 25 years before rate escalation.

How much does a solar system cost in Indiana?

A 6 kW residential system in Indiana averages $16,800 before incentives, or $2.80 per watt. Indiana has 1 tracked state and utility incentive programs that can lower net cost.

How much electricity do solar panels produce in Indiana?

A 6 kW system in Indiana produces an estimated 7,709 kWh/year, based on average irradiance of 4.4 kWh/m²/day. Actual output varies with roof orientation, shading, and panel efficiency.

What solar incentives are available in Indiana?

Indiana offers 1 solar incentive programs including tax exemption. Net metering here is classified as none.

Does Indiana have net metering for solar?

Indiana's net-metering policy is classified as "none." The state does not currently mandate net metering, which can lengthen payback.

State solar profile · #49 of 51

Solar in Indiana: mid payback · average sun

Name: Indiana Solar Data, Cost, Incentives & ROI
Creator: PlainSolarData
Published: 2024-10-01
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Indiana sits in the middle of the payback pack at 15.8 yr (#35), so irradiance (4.4 kWh/m²/day) and the 1 tracked programs matter more than ranking alone.

4.4
kWh/m²/day irradiance: 13.8¢
avg electricity rate: 15.8 yr
payback (#35): 1
incentive programs

17 Marginal

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EIA Form 860 nameplate strip

Nameplate IN · Indiana score #49/51

Indiana | 17/100 | 15.8 yr payback | 2.5 GW

IRR 17/100
STRIP #49/51
FORM860 4.4 kWh
MW 13.8c/kWh
SCORE 15.8 yr
RANK 2.5 GW
SUN 1 programs
RATE near Michigan

Stamps derive from this state's NREL irradiance, EIA Form 860 / Electric Power Monthly nameplate, and DSIRE incentive row (score, rank, sun, rate, payback, capacity, programs, peer), not a quote or site assessment. Modeled figures use a typical 6 kW system; your roof, shading, and utility tariff decide the real return. See our disclaimer. Verify with EIA Form 860 → · Read with methodology → · ROI calculator guide → · Personalized estimate → · All state rows → · States ranked → · Payback vs U.S. avg (14.2 yr): 1.6 yr slower

DE

15
OK

16
MO

16
MS

16
IN

16
MN

16

What this shows Indiana sits at 15.8 years among nearest payback peers (1.6 yr slower vs the 14.2-yr U.S. average).

Mid-pack 25-year ROI · Indiana

$16,800

system cost

$1,064/yr

modeled savings

15.8 yr

break-even

+$9,800

25-year net

Mid-band math for Indiana: $16,800 system cost vs $1,064/yr savings. Incentive stacking usually decides the edge case. Run a personalized estimate →

Installed solar capacity in Indiana, 2012–2024

Total solar nameplate capacity in Indiana reported to the EIA, utility-scale and reported distributed systems. The number of reporting facilities grew 54x (2 to 108) between 2012 and 2024, and the average site size grew from 2 MW to 23 MW per site, a shift toward larger utility-scale installations.

Indiana now has about 2.5 GW of installed solar capacity across 108 reported facilities.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, installed solar nameplate capacity As of 2024

Indiana's national sun-vs-payback seat

Irradiance 4.4 kWh/m²/day (below the 4.8 national mean) vs 15.8-yr payback (mid band vs 14.2-yr mean). Crosshairs mark those means.

Indiana (highlighted): 4.4 kWh/m²/day, 15.8-yr modeled payback - slower than the national average.

Source: PlainSolarData model, NREL irradiance + EIA rates As of 2024

Solar & grid details

Net-metering policy: none
Renewable portfolio standard: Voluntary (10% by 2025)
Installed cost / watt: $2.80/W
Annual production (6 kW): 7,709 kWh
Installed capacity (EIA 2024): 2.5 GW

Top incentive programs

1 programs available for Indiana residents

Tax exemption IN Solar Property Tax Deduction · Property tax deduction

All Indiana solar incentives (1)

Tax exemption

IN Solar Property Tax Deduction

Property tax deduction

Indiana homeowners can deduct the assessed value of solar systems from property taxes.

Score and payback neighbors for Indiana

Two non-geographic peer sets for Indiana: composite score neighbors and payback-year neighbors (deduped so each row links a distinct comparison).

Similar composite solar score

Nearest nationwide matches on the NREL/EIA/DSIRE blend (17/100 here).

Michigan · score 18/100
Ohio · score 18/100
West Virginia · score 18/100
Idaho · score 20/100

Similar modeled payback

Nearest payback-year peers nationwide (15.8 yr modeled here).

Minnesota · 15.9 yr payback
Mississippi · 15.7 yr payback
Missouri · 15.6 yr payback
Oklahoma · 15.5 yr payback

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published composite scores and modeled 6 kW payback years; rankings above use the same fields but sort the full corpus.

Solar resource from NREL; electricity rates and installed capacity from the U.S. EIA; incentive programs from DSIRE. See our methodology.

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher. · Updated July 2026