Solar in St. Cloud, MN
With Xcel Energy Minnesota's electricity at about 17.0¢ per kWh and 1,347 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical St. Cloud home today: about a 16.4-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 16.4 yrsMinnesota: 16.8 yrs
- 25-year net
- $13,264after paying $19,425
- Sun
- 1,347kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 17.0¢5% below U.S. average
A typical St. Cloud home, by the numbers
| Utility | Xcel Energy Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 615 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 4.9 kW, about 11 panels, 6,600 kWh a year (89% of use) |
| Cost | $19,425 |
| First-year savings | $1,123 |
| 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 St. Cloud
- Owner-occupied homes
- 49%
- Single-family detached
- 50%
- Median home value
- $225k
- Median year built
- 1981
- Population
- 70,629
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 69%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 13,696 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in St. Cloud
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 St. Cloud
Is solar worth it in St. Cloud, MN?
For a typical home in St. Cloud, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 4.9 kW system costs about $19,425 after state incentives, saves about $1,123 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 St. Cloud?
About 1,347 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 St. Cloud?
Most homes in St. Cloud are served by Xcel Energy Minnesota, at about 17.0¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Connexus Energy, Stearns Cooperative Electric Association.
How much do solar panels cost in St. Cloud?
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
- Elk River 16.4 yrs
- Ramsey 20.1 yrs
- Maple Grove 16.4 yrs
- Andover 20.1 yrs
- Coon Rapids 16.5 yrs
- Plymouth 16.4 yrs
- Brooklyn Park 16.6 yrs
- Brooklyn Center 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.