Typical home: Not worth it

Solar in Smyrna, TN

With Middle Tennessee E M C's electricity at about 12.8¢ per kWh and 1,355 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Smyrna home today: it does not pay back within 25 years.

Payback, typical home
NeverTennessee: 24 yrs
25-year net
−$192after paying $21,170
Sun
1,355kWh per kW per year
Electricity
12.8¢29% below U.S. average

A typical Smyrna home, by the numbers

UtilityMiddle Tennessee E M C
Electricity use1,295 kWh a month
Best-value system5.7 kW, about 13 panels, 7,721 kWh a year (50% of use)
Cost$21,170
First-year savings$792
Paybacknever within 25 years
Exported power2.7¢/kWh (Middle Tennessee E M C)

Cash purchase, no federal credit, 2.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.

Solar production per kW in Smyrna

kWh per kW each month, south-facing at 20° tilt. PVWatts v8 with local typical-year weather.

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan76
Feb85
Mar115
Apr121
May140
Jun145
Jul142
Aug133
Sep125
Oct106
Nov91
Dec75

Homes in Smyrna

Owner-occupied homes
57%
Single-family detached
61%
Median home value
$358k
Median year built
2000
Population
56,692
Roofs suitable for solar†
93%

Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 13,220 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).

Installers working in Smyrna

Public installation records for Tennessee don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Tennessee.

Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.

Questions about solar in Smyrna

Is solar worth it in Smyrna, TN?

For a typical home in Smyrna, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 5.7 kW system costs about $21,170 after state incentives, saves about $792 in year one and does not pay back within 25 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.

How much solar power does a system produce in Smyrna?

About 1,355 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 Tennessee average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.

Who is the electric utility in Smyrna?

Most homes in Smyrna are served by Middle Tennessee E M C, at about 12.8¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Nashville Electric Service.

How much do solar panels cost in Smyrna?

A fair cash price is around $3.60 per watt before incentives, so about $21,170 for a 5.7 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.

Nearby

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.