Solar in Apple Valley, MN
With Xcel Energy Minnesota's electricity at about 17.0¢ per kWh and 1,335 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Apple Valley home today: about a 16.5-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 16.5 yrsMinnesota: 16.8 yrs
- 25-year net
- $13,279after paying $19,750
- Sun
- 1,335kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 17.0¢5% below U.S. average
A typical Apple Valley home, by the numbers
| Utility | Xcel Energy Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 615 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 5 kW, about 12 panels, 6,676 kWh a year (90% of use) |
| Cost | $19,750 |
| First-year savings | $1,136 |
| Payback | 16.5 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (Xcel Energy Minnesota) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 2.7% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Apple Valley
- Owner-occupied homes
- 73%
- Single-family detached
- 51%
- Median home value
- $370k
- Median year built
- 1990
- Population
- 55,679
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 94%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 13,290 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Apple Valley
Public installation records for Minnesota don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Minnesota.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Apple Valley
Is solar worth it in Apple Valley, MN?
For a typical home in Apple Valley, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 5 kW system costs about $19,750 after state incentives, saves about $1,136 in year one and pays back in about 16.5 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Apple Valley?
About 1,335 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 Minnesota average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Apple Valley?
Most homes in Apple Valley are served by Xcel Energy Minnesota, at about 17.0¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Dakota Electric Association.
How much do solar panels cost in Apple Valley?
A fair cash price is around $3.75 per watt before incentives, so about $19,750 for a 5 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Burnsville 16.3 yrs
- Eagan 16.6 yrs
- Lakeville 16.5 yrs
- Rosemount 16.4 yrs
- Savage 16.6 yrs
- Bloomington 16.5 yrs
- Inver Grove Heights 16.7 yrs
- Richfield 16.4 yrs
- All of Minnesota
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.