Solar in Moorhead, MN
With City of Moorhead's electricity at about 11.8¢ per kWh and 1,306 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Moorhead home today: about a 24.7-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 24.7 yrsMinnesota: 16.8 yrs
- 25-year net
- $241after paying $16,175
- Sun
- 1,306kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 11.8¢34% below U.S. average
A typical Moorhead home, by the numbers
| Utility | City of Moorhead |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 844 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3.9 kW, about 9 panels, 5,095 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Cost | $16,175 |
| First-year savings | $601 |
| Payback | 24.7 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (Minnesota rule) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 2.7% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Moorhead
- Owner-occupied homes
- 58%
- Single-family detached
- 51%
- Median home value
- $249k
- Median year built
- 1983
- Population
- 45,036
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 79%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 9,704 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Moorhead
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 Moorhead
Is solar worth it in Moorhead, MN?
For a typical home in Moorhead, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 3.9 kW system costs about $16,175 after state incentives, saves about $601 in year one and pays back in about 24.7 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Moorhead?
About 1,306 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 Minnesota average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Moorhead?
Most homes in Moorhead are served by City of Moorhead, at about 11.8¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Xcel Energy Minnesota, Lake Region Electric Cooperative.
How much do solar panels cost in Moorhead?
A fair cash price is around $3.75 per watt before incentives, so about $16,175 for a 3.9 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- St. Cloud 16.4 yrs
- Elk River 16.4 yrs
- Ramsey 20.1 yrs
- Andover 20.1 yrs
- Maple Grove 16.4 yrs
- Coon Rapids 16.5 yrs
- Plymouth 16.4 yrs
- Brooklyn Park 16.6 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.