Solar in St. Paul, MN
With Xcel Energy Minnesota's electricity at about 17.0¢ per kWh and 1,325 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical St. Paul home today: about a 16.6-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 16.6 yrsMinnesota: 16.8 yrs
- 25-year net
- $13,007after paying $19,750
- Sun
- 1,325kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 17.0¢5% below U.S. average
A typical St. Paul home, by the numbers
| Utility | Xcel Energy Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 615 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 5 kW, about 12 panels, 6,627 kWh a year (90% of use) |
| Cost | $19,750 |
| First-year savings | $1,127 |
| Payback | 16.6 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. Paul
- Owner-occupied homes
- 53%
- Single-family detached
- 48%
- Median home value
- $295k
- Median year built
- 1952
- Population
- 307,284
Census ACS 2020–2024.
Older housing stock. Many homes here were built before 1975. Have the roof and electrical panel checked before signing; a roof or panel upgrade can add thousands. Roof first?
Installers working in St. Paul
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. Paul
Is solar worth it in St. Paul, MN?
For a typical home in St. Paul, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 5 kW system costs about $19,750 after state incentives, saves about $1,127 in year one and pays back in about 16.6 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in St. Paul?
About 1,325 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 Minnesota average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in St. Paul?
Most homes in St. Paul are served by Xcel Energy Minnesota, at about 17.0¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in St. Paul?
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
- Roseville 16.4 yrs
- Maplewood 16.5 yrs
- Oakdale 16.5 yrs
- Minneapolis 16.5 yrs
- Inver Grove Heights 16.7 yrs
- Woodbury 16.3 yrs
- Shoreview 16.5 yrs
- Eagan 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.