Solar in Decatur, AL
With Decatur Utilities's electricity at about 12.4¢ per kWh and 1,395 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Decatur home today: about a 23.7-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 23.7 yrsAlabama: 18.8 yrs
- 25-year net
- $1,500after paying $19,310
- Sun
- 1,395kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 12.4¢31% below U.S. average
A typical Decatur home, by the numbers
| Utility | Decatur Utilities |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 1,177 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 5.1 kW, about 12 panels, 7,114 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Cost | $19,310 |
| First-year savings | $712 |
| Payback | 23.7 years |
| Exported power | No statewide net metering (Alabama rule) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.2% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Decatur
- Owner-occupied homes
- 63%
- Single-family detached
- 70%
- Median home value
- $210k
- Median year built
- 1977
- Population
- 57,361
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 76%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 15,701 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Decatur
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 Decatur
Is solar worth it in Decatur, AL?
For a typical home in Decatur, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 5.1 kW system costs about $19,310 after state incentives, saves about $712 in year one and pays back in about 23.7 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Decatur?
About 1,395 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 1% less than the Alabama average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Decatur?
Most homes in Decatur are served by Decatur Utilities, at about 12.4¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by City of Athens, Joe Wheeler Electric Member.
How much do solar panels cost in Decatur?
A fair cash price is around $3.60 per watt before incentives, so about $19,310 for a 5.1 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Athens 24.1 yrs
- Madison 24.1 yrs
- Huntsville 23.4 yrs
- Florence 23 yrs
- Gadsden 17.5 yrs
- Trussville 17.5 yrs
- Birmingham 17.5 yrs
- Homewood 17.5 yrs
- All of Alabama
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.