Solar in Lincoln, NE
With Lincoln Electric System's electricity at about 11.9¢ per kWh and 1,471 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Lincoln home today: about a 21.8-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 21.8 yrsNebraska: 19.7 yrs
- 25-year net
- $1,888after paying $12,000
- Sun
- 1,471kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 11.9¢34% below U.S. average
A typical Lincoln home, by the numbers
| Utility | Lincoln Electric System |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 839 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3.4 kW, about 8 panels, 5,001 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Cost | $12,000 |
| First-year savings | $595 |
| Payback | 21.8 years |
| Exported power | Avoided-cost export credit (Lincoln Electric System) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 1.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Lincoln
- Owner-occupied homes
- 56%
- Single-family detached
- 55%
- Median home value
- $264k
- Median year built
- 1982
- Population
- 294,856
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 94%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 81,277 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Lincoln
Public installation records for Nebraska don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Nebraska.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Lincoln
Is solar worth it in Lincoln, NE?
For a typical home in Lincoln, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 3.4 kW system costs about $12,000 after state incentives, saves about $595 in year one and pays back in about 21.8 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Lincoln?
About 1,471 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 2% more than the Nebraska average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Lincoln?
Most homes in Lincoln are served by Lincoln Electric System, at about 11.9¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Norris Public Power District, Nebraska Public Power District.
How much do solar panels cost in Lincoln?
A fair cash price is around $3.00 per watt before incentives, so about $12,000 for a 3.4 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Papillion 22.2 yrs
- Fremont 19.8 yrs
- Bellevue 21.9 yrs
- Omaha 16.5 yrs
- Grand Island 25 yrs
- Hastings 20.7 yrs
- Norfolk 24.7 yrs
- Kearney 18.9 yrs
- All of Nebraska
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.