Typical home: Not worth it

Solar in Alabaster, AL

With Alabama Power's electricity at about 18.3¢ per kWh and 1,381 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Alabaster home today: about a 17.3-year payback.

Payback, typical home
17.3 yrsAlabama: 18.8 yrs
25-year net
$11,869after paying $18,690
Sun
1,381kWh per kW per year
Electricity
18.3¢2% above U.S. average

A typical Alabaster home, by the numbers

UtilityAlabama Power
Electricity use1,129 kWh a month
Best-value system4.9 kW, about 11 panels, 6,769 kWh a year (50% of use)
Cost$18,690
First-year savings$974
Payback17.3 years
Exported power3¢/kWh (Alabama Power)

Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.2% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.

Solar production per kW in Alabaster

kWh per kW each month, south-facing at 20° tilt. PVWatts v8 with local typical-year weather.

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan90
Feb84
Mar119
Apr133
May144
Jun134
Jul135
Aug132
Sep118
Oct114
Nov97
Dec82

Homes in Alabaster

Owner-occupied homes
87%
Single-family detached
86%
Median home value
$262k
Median year built
1994
Population
33,917
Roofs suitable for solar†
79%

Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 8,961 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).

Installers working in Alabaster

Public installation records for Alabama don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Alabama.

Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.

Questions about solar in Alabaster

Is solar worth it in Alabaster, AL?

For a typical home in Alabaster, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 4.9 kW system costs about $18,690 after state incentives, saves about $974 in year one and pays back in about 17.3 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.

How much solar power does a system produce in Alabaster?

About 1,381 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 2% less than the Alabama average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.

Who is the electric utility in Alabaster?

Most homes in Alabaster are served by Alabama Power, at about 18.3¢ per kWh on average.

How much do solar panels cost in Alabaster?

A fair cash price is around $3.60 per watt before incentives, so about $18,690 for a 4.9 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.

Nearby

Data: PVWatts (National Laboratory of the Rockies), EIA-861 2025 adjusted to 2026, U.S. Census ACS, LBNL Tracking the Sun, state policy research as of October 2026.