Solar in Hilton Head Island, SC
With Palmetto Electric Cooperative's electricity at about 14.9¢ per kWh and 1,543 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Hilton Head Island home today: about a 11.6-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 11.6 yrsSouth Carolina: 11.8 yrs
- 25-year net
- $28,219after paying $20,825
- Sun
- 1,543kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 14.9¢17% below U.S. average
A typical Hilton Head Island home, by the numbers
| Utility | Palmetto Electric Cooperative |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 1,210 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 8.5 kW, about 20 panels, 13,119 kWh a year (90% of use) |
| Cost | $24,325, or $20,825 after state incentives |
| First-year savings | $1,882 |
| Payback | 11.6 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 Hilton Head Island
- Owner-occupied homes
- 79%
- Single-family detached
- 47%
- Median home value
- $687k
- Median year built
- 1987
- Population
- 37,911
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 59%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 10,764 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Hilton Head Island
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 Hilton Head Island
Is solar worth it in Hilton Head Island, SC?
For a typical home in Hilton Head Island, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 8.5 kW system costs about $20,825 after state incentives, saves about $1,882 in year one and pays back in about 11.6 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Hilton Head Island?
About 1,543 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 6% more than the South Carolina average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Hilton Head Island?
Most homes in Hilton Head Island are served by Palmetto Electric Cooperative, at about 14.9¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Dominion Energy South Carolina.
How much do solar panels cost in Hilton Head Island?
A fair cash price is around $2.95 per watt before incentives, so about $24,325 for a 8.5 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Bluffton 10.9 yrs
- Charleston 10.8 yrs
- North Charleston 11 yrs
- Summerville 11 yrs
- Mount Pleasant 10.6 yrs
- Goose Creek 11.2 yrs
- Aiken 10.5 yrs
- North Augusta 10.7 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.