Solar in Carolina Forest, SC
With Horry Electric Cooperative's electricity at about 14.3¢ per kWh and 1,484 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Carolina Forest home today: about a 12.4-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 12.4 yrsSouth Carolina: 11.8 yrs
- 25-year net
- $19,984after paying $16,905
- Sun
- 1,484kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 14.3¢20% below U.S. average
A typical Carolina Forest home, by the numbers
| Utility | Horry Electric Cooperative |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 1,072 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 6.9 kW, about 16 panels, 10,242 kWh a year (80% of use) |
| Cost | $20,405, or $16,905 after state incentives |
| First-year savings | $1,438 |
| Payback | 12.4 years |
| Exported power | Net billing (reduced export credit) (South Carolina rule) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 1.9% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Carolina Forest
- Owner-occupied homes
- 70%
- Single-family detached
- 66%
- Median home value
- $337k
- Median year built
- 2007
- Population
- 26,263
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 99%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 7,034 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Carolina Forest
Public installation records for South Carolina don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in South Carolina.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Carolina Forest
Is solar worth it in Carolina Forest, SC?
For a typical home in Carolina Forest, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 6.9 kW system costs about $16,905 after state incentives, saves about $1,438 in year one and pays back in about 12.4 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Carolina Forest?
About 1,484 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 South Carolina average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Carolina Forest?
Most homes in Carolina Forest are served by Horry Electric Cooperative, at about 14.3¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by South Carolina Public Service Authority.
How much do solar panels cost in Carolina Forest?
A fair cash price is around $2.95 per watt before incentives, so about $20,405 for a 6.9 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Myrtle Beach 12.2 yrs
- Conway 12.5 yrs
- Florence 11.7 yrs
- Goose Creek 11.2 yrs
- Mount Pleasant 10.6 yrs
- Sumter 11.6 yrs
- North Charleston 11 yrs
- Charleston 10.8 yrs
- All of South Carolina
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.