Typical home: Not worth it

Solar in Hoover, AL

With Alabama Power's electricity at about 18.3¢ per kWh and 1,374 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Hoover home today: about a 17.3-year payback.

Payback, typical home
17.3 yrsAlabama: 18.8 yrs
25-year net
$11,691after paying $18,690
Sun
1,374kWh per kW per year
Electricity
18.3¢2% above U.S. average

A typical Hoover home, by the numbers

UtilityAlabama Power
Electricity use1,129 kWh a month
Best-value system4.9 kW, about 11 panels, 6,731 kWh a year (50% of use)
Cost$18,690
First-year savings$970
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 Hoover

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

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan88
Feb92
Mar117
Apr133
May140
Jun132
Jul134
Aug129
Sep118
Oct116
Nov96
Dec80

Homes in Hoover

Owner-occupied homes
71%
Single-family detached
67%
Median home value
$412k
Median year built
1994
Population
92,642
Roofs suitable for solar†
84%

Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 21,754 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).

Installers working in Hoover

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 Hoover

Is solar worth it in Hoover, AL?

For a typical home in Hoover, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 4.9 kW system costs about $18,690 after state incentives, saves about $970 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 Hoover?

About 1,374 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 Hoover?

Most homes in Hoover are served by Alabama Power, at about 18.3¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by City of Bessemer Utilities.

How much do solar panels cost in Hoover?

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.