Solar in Indianapolis, IN
With AES Indiana's electricity at about 15.6¢ per kWh and 1,332 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Indianapolis home today: about a 18-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 18 yrsIndiana: 16.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $7,697after paying $14,210
- Sun
- 1,332kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 15.6¢13% below U.S. average
A typical Indianapolis home, by the numbers
| Utility | AES Indiana |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 941 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 4.2 kW, about 10 panels, 5,593 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Cost | $14,210 |
| First-year savings | $725 |
| Payback | 18.0 years |
| Exported power | 5.4325¢/kWh (AES Indiana) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.3% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Indianapolis
- Owner-occupied homes
- 56%
- Single-family detached
- 59%
- Median home value
- $225k
- Median year built
- 1973
- Population
- 885,860
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 82%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 249,138 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 Indianapolis
Public installation records for Indiana don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Indiana.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Indianapolis
Is solar worth it in Indianapolis, IN?
For a typical home in Indianapolis, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 4.2 kW system costs about $14,210 after state incentives, saves about $725 in year one and pays back in about 18 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Indianapolis?
About 1,332 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 0% more than the Indiana average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Indianapolis?
Most homes in Indianapolis are served by AES Indiana, at about 15.6¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Duke Energy Indiana, NineStar Connect, Hendricks County Rural E M C.
How much do solar panels cost in Indianapolis?
A fair cash price is around $3.05 per watt before incentives, so about $14,210 for a 4.2 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Lawrence 18 yrs
- Greenwood 17.7 yrs
- Carmel 18.2 yrs
- Brownsburg 18.1 yrs
- Plainfield 17.9 yrs
- Fishers 17.9 yrs
- Zionsville 17.9 yrs
- Westfield 18 yrs
- All of Indiana
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.