Solar in Eau Claire, WI
With Northern States Power's electricity at about 16.1¢ per kWh and 1,332 kWh of sun per kW, solar is a close call for a typical Eau Claire home today: about a 14.7-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 14.7 yrsWisconsin: 13.2 yrs
- 25-year net
- $16,736after paying $18,800
- Sun
- 1,332kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 16.1¢10% below U.S. average
A typical Eau Claire home, by the numbers
| Utility | Northern States Power |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 726 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 5.9 kW, about 14 panels, 7,856 kWh a year (90% of use) |
| Cost | $21,200, or $18,800 after state incentives |
| First-year savings | $1,267 |
| Payback | 14.7 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (Northern States Power) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 2.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Eau Claire
- Owner-occupied homes
- 54%
- Single-family detached
- 55%
- Median home value
- $248k
- Median year built
- 1975
- Population
- 70,322
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 123
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 72%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 16,595 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Eau Claire
Companies with the most installations in Eau Claire's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Olson Solar Energy 74 installs
- Next Step Energy 24 installs
- All Energy Solar 10 installs
- Jolma Electric 4 installs
- Full Spectrum Solar 3 installs
- Green Energy 2 installs
- Skyline Solar 2 installs
- Freedom Forever 1 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Eau Claire
Is solar worth it in Eau Claire, WI?
For a typical home in Eau Claire, solar is a close call at 2026 prices: a 5.9 kW system costs about $18,800 after state incentives, saves about $1,267 in year one and pays back in about 14.7 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Eau Claire?
About 1,332 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 Wisconsin average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Eau Claire?
Most homes in Eau Claire are served by Northern States Power, at about 16.1¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Dunn County Electric Cooperative.
How much do solar panels cost in Eau Claire?
A fair cash price is around $3.50 per watt before incentives, so about $21,200 for a 5.9 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- La Crosse 14.9 yrs
- Wausau 13.5 yrs
- Stevens Point 13.5 yrs
- Superior 19.2 yrs
- Oshkosh 13.4 yrs
- Neenah 11.9 yrs
- Madison 11.5 yrs
- Appleton 11.6 yrs
- All of Wisconsin
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.