Solar in Prior Lake, MN
With Xcel Energy Minnesota's electricity at about 17.0¢ per kWh and 1,343 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Prior Lake home today: about a 16.4-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 16.4 yrsMinnesota: 16.8 yrs
- 25-year net
- $13,168after paying $19,425
- Sun
- 1,343kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 17.0¢5% below U.S. average
A typical Prior Lake home, by the numbers
| Utility | Xcel Energy Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 615 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 4.9 kW, about 11 panels, 6,583 kWh a year (89% of use) |
| Cost | $19,425 |
| First-year savings | $1,120 |
| Payback | 16.4 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 Prior Lake
- Owner-occupied homes
- 86%
- Single-family detached
- 70%
- Median home value
- $451k
- Median year built
- 1998
- Population
- 28,016
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 96%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 8,005 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Prior Lake
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 Prior Lake
Is solar worth it in Prior Lake, MN?
For a typical home in Prior Lake, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 4.9 kW system costs about $19,425 after state incentives, saves about $1,120 in year one and pays back in about 16.4 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Prior Lake?
About 1,343 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 Minnesota average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Prior Lake?
Most homes in Prior Lake are served by Xcel Energy Minnesota, at about 17.0¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative, Dakota Electric Association.
How much do solar panels cost in Prior Lake?
A fair cash price is around $3.75 per watt before incentives, so about $19,425 for a 4.9 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Shakopee 16.2 yrs
- Savage 16.6 yrs
- Burnsville 16.3 yrs
- Eden Prairie 16.3 yrs
- Bloomington 16.5 yrs
- Lakeville 16.5 yrs
- Chaska 16.5 yrs
- Chanhassen 16.2 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.