Solar in Tuscaloosa, AL
With Alabama Power's electricity at about 18.3¢ per kWh and 1,379 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Tuscaloosa home today: about a 17.3-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 17.3 yrsAlabama: 18.8 yrs
- 25-year net
- $11,737after paying $18,690
- Sun
- 1,379kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 18.3¢2% above U.S. average
A typical Tuscaloosa home, by the numbers
| Utility | Alabama Power |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 1,129 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 4.9 kW, about 11 panels, 6,758 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Cost | $18,690 |
| First-year savings | $971 |
| Payback | 17.3 years |
| Exported power | 3¢/kWh (Alabama Power) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.2% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Tuscaloosa
- Owner-occupied homes
- 43%
- Single-family detached
- 49%
- Median home value
- $256k
- Median year built
- 1988
- Population
- 111,038
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 83%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 20,966 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Tuscaloosa
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 Tuscaloosa
Is solar worth it in Tuscaloosa, AL?
For a typical home in Tuscaloosa, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 4.9 kW system costs about $18,690 after state incentives, saves about $971 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 Tuscaloosa?
About 1,379 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 Tuscaloosa?
Most homes in Tuscaloosa are served by Alabama Power, at about 18.3¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Black Warrior Electric Member.
How much do solar panels cost in Tuscaloosa?
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
- Northport 17.2 yrs
- Bessemer 17.4 yrs
- Alabaster 17.3 yrs
- Hoover 17.3 yrs
- Homewood 17.5 yrs
- Birmingham 17.5 yrs
- Vestavia Hills 17.6 yrs
- Trussville 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.