Solar in Grand Forks, ND
With Nodak Electric Cooperative's electricity at about 13.2¢ per kWh and 1,282 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Grand Forks home today: about a 18.3-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 18.3 yrsNorth Dakota: 20.3 yrs
- 25-year net
- $9,391after paying $21,500
- Sun
- 1,282kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 13.2¢26% below U.S. average
A typical Grand Forks home, by the numbers
| Utility | Nodak Electric Cooperative |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 1,538 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 7.2 kW, about 17 panels, 9,231 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Cost | $21,500 |
| First-year savings | $1,221 |
| Payback | 18.3 years |
| Exported power | Avoided-cost export credit (North Dakota rule) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 2.1% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Grand Forks
- Owner-occupied homes
- 46%
- Single-family detached
- 37%
- Median home value
- $250k
- Median year built
- 1984
- Population
- 59,042
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 75%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 11,899 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Grand Forks
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 Grand Forks
Is solar worth it in Grand Forks, ND?
For a typical home in Grand Forks, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 7.2 kW system costs about $21,500 after state incentives, saves about $1,221 in year one and pays back in about 18.3 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Grand Forks?
About 1,282 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 3% less than the North Dakota average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Grand Forks?
Most homes in Grand Forks are served by Nodak Electric Cooperative, at about 13.2¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Xcel Energy Minnesota, Otter Tail Power.
How much do solar panels cost in Grand Forks?
A fair cash price is around $3.00 per watt before incentives, so about $21,500 for a 7.2 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- West Fargo 15.1 yrs
- Fargo 14.8 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.