Solar in Richmond, KY
With Kentucky Utilities (KU)'s electricity at about 12.8¢ per kWh and 1,330 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Richmond home today: about a 20.2-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 20.2 yrsKentucky: 18.7 yrs
- 25-year net
- $4,737after paying $15,955
- Sun
- 1,330kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 12.8¢29% below U.S. average
A typical Richmond home, by the numbers
| Utility | Kentucky Utilities (KU) |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 1,164 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 5.3 kW, about 12 panels, 7,049 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Cost | $15,955 |
| First-year savings | $805 |
| Payback | 20.2 years |
| Exported power | 7.534¢/kWh (Kentucky Utilities (KU)) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 2.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Richmond
- Owner-occupied homes
- 38%
- Single-family detached
- 40%
- Median home value
- $215k
- Median year built
- 1994
- Population
- 37,111
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 84%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 3,372 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Richmond
Public installation records for Kentucky don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Kentucky.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Richmond
Is solar worth it in Richmond, KY?
For a typical home in Richmond, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 5.3 kW system costs about $15,955 after state incentives, saves about $805 in year one and pays back in about 20.2 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Richmond?
About 1,330 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 Kentucky average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Richmond?
Most homes in Richmond are served by Kentucky Utilities (KU), at about 12.8¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Blue Grass Energy Cooperative, Clark Energy Cooperative, Inter County Energy Cooperative.
How much do solar panels cost in Richmond?
A fair cash price is around $2.85 per watt before incentives, so about $15,955 for a 5.3 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Nicholasville 20 yrs
- Lexington 20 yrs
- Georgetown 20.5 yrs
- Frankfort 22.2 yrs
- Jeffersontown 20.6 yrs
- Louisville 20.5 yrs
- Independence 19.1 yrs
- Elizabethtown 18.9 yrs
- All of Kentucky
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.