Solar in Fargo, ND
With Xcel Energy Minnesota's electricity at about 17.0¢ per kWh and 1,304 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Fargo home today: about a 14.8-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 14.8 yrsNorth Dakota: 20.3 yrs
- 25-year net
- $14,660after paying $17,500
- Sun
- 1,304kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 17.0¢5% below U.S. average
A typical Fargo home, by the numbers
| Utility | Xcel Energy Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 767 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 5.6 kW, about 13 panels, 7,304 kWh a year (79% of use) |
| Cost | $17,500 |
| First-year savings | $1,196 |
| Payback | 14.8 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (Xcel Energy Minnesota) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 2.1% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Fargo
- Owner-occupied homes
- 44%
- Single-family detached
- 35%
- Median home value
- $282k
- Median year built
- 1991
- Population
- 131,627
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 78%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 25,116 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Fargo
Public installation records for North Dakota don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in North Dakota.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Fargo
Is solar worth it in Fargo, ND?
For a typical home in Fargo, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 5.6 kW system costs about $17,500 after state incentives, saves about $1,196 in year one and pays back in about 14.8 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Fargo?
About 1,304 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 North Dakota average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Fargo?
Most homes in Fargo are served by Xcel Energy Minnesota, at about 17.0¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Cass County Electric Cooperative.
How much do solar panels cost in Fargo?
A fair cash price is around $3.00 per watt before incentives, so about $17,500 for a 5.6 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- West Fargo 15.1 yrs
- Grand Forks 18.3 yrs
- Bismarck 21.4 yrs
- Minot 20.8 yrs
- Dickinson 21.5 yrs
- Williston 22.1 yrs
- All of North Dakota
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.