What is the solar score for Minnesota?

Minnesota has a solar score of 26/100 (Limited), ranking #30 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 Minnesota?

The estimated payback for a 6 kW system in Minnesota is 15.9 years, ranking #36 of 51 for speed to break-even. At a $17,400 system cost and $1,095/year modeled savings, that implies +$9,975 net over 25 years before rate escalation.

How much does a solar system cost in Minnesota?

A 6 kW residential system in Minnesota averages $17,400 before incentives, or $2.90 per watt. Minnesota has 4 tracked state and utility incentive programs that can lower net cost.

How much electricity do solar panels produce in Minnesota?

A 6 kW system in Minnesota 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 Minnesota?

Minnesota offers 4 solar incentive programs including tax exemption, net metering, performance incentive, and more. Net metering here is classified as full.

Does Minnesota have net metering for solar?

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

Is solar payback in Minnesota fast or slow compared to other states?

Minnesota's 15.9-yr modeled payback is faster than 29% of the 51 tracked states, though 35 states model an even shorter break-even. This reflects the same electricity rates, irradiance, and incentive stack already factored into the 15.9-year figure.

State solar profile · #30 of 51

Solar in Minnesota: slow payback · modest sun

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

Minnesota's 15.9-yr modeled payback (#36 of 51) is on the slow side of the corpus; rates (14.2¢/kWh) and 4 programs decide whether sun (4.4 kWh/m²/day) still pays.

4.4
kWh/m²/day irradiance: 14.2¢
avg electricity rate: 15.9 yr
payback (#36): 4
incentive programs

26 Limited

Subscribe (RSS)

NREL/EIA solar strip

Nameplate MN · Minnesota score #30/51

Minnesota | 26/100 | 15.9 yr payback | 1.7 GW

PAY 26/100
CAP #30/51
PROG 4.4 kWh
NEM 14.2c/kWh
PHOTO 15.9 yr
BOOK 1.7 GW
VS-AVG 4 programs
GW near Louisiana

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): 1.7 yr slower

MO

16
MS

16
IN

16
MN

16
MT

16
OH

16

What this shows Minnesota sits at 15.9 years among nearest payback peers (1.7 yr slower vs the 14.2-yr U.S. average).

Slow-band 25-year ROI · Minnesota

$17,400

system cost

$1,095/yr

modeled savings

15.9 yr

break-even

+$9,975

25-year net

Slow-band math: $17,400 in vs $1,095/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 Minnesota, 2013–2024

Total solar nameplate capacity in Minnesota reported to the EIA, utility-scale and reported distributed systems. The number of reporting facilities grew 519x (1 to 519) between 2013 and 2024, and the average site size grew from 2 MW to 3 MW per site, a shift toward larger utility-scale installations.

Minnesota now has about 1.7 GW of installed solar capacity across 519 reported facilities.

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

Minnesota's national sun-vs-payback seat

Irradiance 4.4 kWh/m²/day (below the 4.8 national mean) vs 15.9-yr payback (slow band vs 14.2-yr mean). Crosshairs mark those means.

Minnesota (highlighted): 4.4 kWh/m²/day, 15.9-yr modeled payback - slower than the national average.

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

Minnesota's payback trails most of the country

Minnesota's 15.9-yr modeled break-even trails 71% of the 51 tracked states.

Payback distribution: Minnesota among all 51 states

Modeled 6 kW simple payback, banded in 2-year steps.

16 Around the middle faster than 29% of 51 states

all tracked states, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainSolarData model, NREL irradiance + EIA rates · 2024

Solar & grid details

Net-metering policy: full
Renewable portfolio standard: Mandatory (100% by 2040)
Installed cost / watt: $2.90/W
Annual production (6 kW): 7,709 kWh
Installed capacity (EIA 2024): 1.7 GW
Notable programs: Xcel Solar Incentive Program, Made in Minnesota

Top incentive programs

4 programs available for Minnesota residents

Tax exemption MN Solar Property Tax Exemption · Full property tax exemption Net metering MN Value of Solar Tariff · Value-based rate (~$0.08/kWh) Performance incentive Made in Minnesota Solar Incentive · $0.07-$0.17/kWh for 10 years Rebate Xcel Energy Solar Incentive Program (MN) · $125/kW AC installed

All Minnesota solar incentives (4)

Tax exemption

MN Solar Property Tax Exemption

Full property tax exemption

Minnesota exempts solar energy systems from property tax assessment.

Net metering

MN Value of Solar Tariff

Value-based rate (~$0.08/kWh)

Minnesota allows utilities to compensate solar customers at "value of solar" rate.

Performance incentive

Made in Minnesota Solar Incentive

$0.07-$0.17/kWh for 10 years

Production incentive for solar systems using Minnesota-manufactured components.

Rebate

Xcel Energy Solar Incentive Program (MN)

$125/kW AC installed

Xcel Energy offers upfront rebates for residential solar systems in Minnesota.

States alongside Minnesota on slower payback

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

Closest match: composite solar score

Nearest nationwide matches on the NREL/EIA/DSIRE blend (26/100 here).

Louisiana · score 27/100
Tennessee · score 25/100
Virginia · score 27/100
Alabama · score 24/100

States near this modeled payback

Nearest payback-year peers nationwide (15.9 yr modeled here).

Indiana · 15.8 yr payback
Mississippi · 15.7 yr payback
Missouri · 15.6 yr payback
Montana · 16.3 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