Solar in Charleston, SC
With Dominion Energy South Carolina's electricity at about 17.0¢ per kWh and 1,455 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Charleston home today: about a 10.8-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 10.8 yrsSouth Carolina: 11.8 yrs
- 25-year net
- $29,150after paying $18,865
- Sun
- 1,455kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 17.0¢6% below U.S. average
A typical Charleston home, by the numbers
| Utility | Dominion Energy South Carolina |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 1,032 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 7.7 kW, about 18 panels, 11,201 kWh a year (90% of use) |
| Cost | $22,365, or $18,865 after state incentives |
| First-year savings | $1,822 |
| Payback | 10.8 years |
| Exported power | 3.4¢/kWh (Dominion Energy South Carolina) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 1.9% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Charleston
- Owner-occupied homes
- 56%
- Single-family detached
- 48%
- Median home value
- $510k
- Median year built
- 1995
- Population
- 154,338
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 81%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 30,858 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Charleston
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 Charleston
Is solar worth it in Charleston, SC?
For a typical home in Charleston, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 7.7 kW system costs about $18,865 after state incentives, saves about $1,822 in year one and pays back in about 10.8 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Charleston?
About 1,455 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 0% more than the South Carolina average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Charleston?
Most homes in Charleston are served by Dominion Energy South Carolina, at about 17.0¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Berkeley Electric Cooperative.
How much do solar panels cost in Charleston?
A fair cash price is around $2.95 per watt before incentives, so about $22,365 for a 7.7 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Mount Pleasant 10.6 yrs
- North Charleston 11 yrs
- Goose Creek 11.2 yrs
- Summerville 11 yrs
- Hilton Head Island 11.6 yrs
- Bluffton 10.9 yrs
- Sumter 11.6 yrs
- Myrtle Beach 12.2 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.