Typical home: Not worth it

Solar in Moline, IL

With MidAmerican Energy's electricity at about 11.5¢ per kWh and 1,350 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Moline home today: about a 21.8-year payback.

Payback, typical home
21.8 yrsIllinois: 13.5 yrs
25-year net
$2,767after paying $13,070
Sun
1,350kWh per kW per year
Electricity
11.5¢36% below U.S. average

A typical Moline home, by the numbers

UtilityMidAmerican Energy
Electricity use744 kWh a month
Best-value system3.3 kW, about 8 panels, 4,456 kWh a year (50% of use)
Cost$13,070
First-year savings$511
Payback21.8 years
Exported powerFull retail net metering (MidAmerican Energy)

Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.

Solar production per kW in Moline

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

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan73
Feb92
Mar117
Apr116
May134
Jun148
Jul150
Aug136
Sep126
Oct104
Nov79
Dec75

Homes in Moline

Owner-occupied homes
67%
Single-family detached
69%
Median home value
$146k
Median year built
1956
Population
42,197
Roofs suitable for solar†
69%

Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 12,362 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).

Older housing stock. Many homes here were built before 1975. Have the roof and electrical panel checked before signing; a roof or panel upgrade can add thousands. Roof first?

Installers working in Moline

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

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

Questions about solar in Moline

Is solar worth it in Moline, IL?

For a typical home in Moline, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 3.3 kW system costs about $13,070 after state incentives, saves about $511 in year one and pays back in about 21.8 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.

How much solar power does a system produce in Moline?

About 1,350 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 1% more than the Illinois average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.

Who is the electric utility in Moline?

Most homes in Moline are served by MidAmerican Energy, at about 11.5¢ per kWh on average.

How much do solar panels cost in Moline?

A fair cash price is around $3.40 per watt before incentives, so about $13,070 for a 3.3 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.