What is the solar score for Kentucky?

Kentucky has a solar score of 21/100 (Marginal), ranking #44 of 51. The composite blends solar irradiance (4.5 kWh/m²/day, 40%), incentive density (30%), and modeled payback (30%).

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

The estimated payback for a 6 kW system in Kentucky is 17.7 years, ranking #46 of 51 for speed to break-even. At a $16,500 system cost and $930/year modeled savings, that implies +$6,750 net over 25 years before rate escalation.

How much does a solar system cost in Kentucky?

A 6 kW residential system in Kentucky averages $16,500 before incentives, or $2.75 per watt. Kentucky has 2 tracked state and utility incentive programs that can lower net cost.

How much electricity do solar panels produce in Kentucky?

A 6 kW system in Kentucky produces an estimated 7,884 kWh/year, based on average irradiance of 4.5 kWh/m²/day. Actual output varies with roof orientation, shading, and panel efficiency.

What solar incentives are available in Kentucky?

Kentucky offers 2 solar incentive programs including net metering, tax credit. Net metering here is classified as full.

Does Kentucky have net metering for solar?

Kentucky's net-metering policy is classified as "full." Homeowners receive full retail credit for excess solar exported to the grid.

State solar profile · #44 of 51

Solar in Kentucky: slow payback · modest sun

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

Kentucky's 17.7-yr modeled payback (#46 of 51) is on the slow side of the corpus; rates (11.8¢/kWh) and 2 programs decide whether sun (4.5 kWh/m²/day) still pays.

4.5
kWh/m²/day irradiance: 11.8¢
avg electricity rate: 17.7 yr
payback (#46): 2
incentive programs

21 Marginal

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EIA nameplate inventory

Nameplate KY · Kentucky score #44/51

Kentucky | 21/100 | 17.7 yr payback | 430 MW

PROG 21/100
NEM #44/51
PHOTO 4.5 kWh
BOOK 11.8c/kWh
VS-AVG 17.7 yr
GW 430 MW
IRR 2 programs
STRIP near Iowa

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 → · Net-metering guide → · Personalized estimate → · All state rows → · States ranked → · Payback vs U.S. avg (14.2 yr): 3.5 yr slower

AK

17
SD

17
AR

17
KY

18
LA

18
ND

18

What this shows Kentucky sits at 17.7 years among nearest payback peers (3.5 yr slower vs the 14.2-yr U.S. average).

Slow-band 25-year ROI · Kentucky

$16,500

system cost

$930/yr

modeled savings

17.7 yr

break-even

+$6,750

25-year net

Slow-band math: $16,500 in vs $930/yr out. Check net-metering (full) and program stack before treating the 25-year net as settled. Run a personalized estimate →

Installed solar capacity in Kentucky, 2016–2024

Total solar nameplate capacity in Kentucky reported to the EIA, utility-scale and reported distributed systems. The number of reporting facilities grew 15x (1 to 15) between 2016 and 2024, and the average site size grew from 10 MW to 29 MW per site, a shift toward larger utility-scale installations.

Kentucky now has about 430 MW of installed solar capacity across 15 reported facilities.

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

Kentucky's national sun-vs-payback seat

Irradiance 4.5 kWh/m²/day (below the 4.8 national mean) vs 17.7-yr payback (slow band vs 14.2-yr mean). Crosshairs mark those means.

Kentucky (highlighted): 4.5 kWh/m²/day, 17.7-yr modeled payback - slower than the national average.

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

Solar & grid details

Net-metering policy: full
Renewable portfolio standard: None
Installed cost / watt: $2.75/W
Annual production (6 kW): 7,884 kWh
Installed capacity (EIA 2024): 430 MW

Top incentive programs

2 programs available for Kentucky residents

Net metering KY Net Metering · Avoided cost rate Tax credit KY Renewable Energy Tax Credit · Up to 30% of installation cost

All Kentucky solar incentives (2)

Net metering

KY Net Metering

Avoided cost rate

Kentucky provides net metering at avoided cost rate for systems up to 30 kW.

Tax credit

KY Renewable Energy Tax Credit

Up to 30% of installation cost

Kentucky offers a state income tax credit for qualifying renewable energy systems.

Slower-payback neighbors for Kentucky

Two non-geographic peer sets for Kentucky: 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 (21/100 here).

Iowa · score 21/100
Idaho · score 20/100
Mississippi · score 23/100
Nebraska · score 23/100

Similar modeled payback

Nearest payback-year peers nationwide (17.7 yr modeled here).

Louisiana · 17.8 yr payback
Arkansas · 17.2 yr payback
North Dakota · 18.2 yr payback
South Dakota · 17.1 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