Baldwin County El Member and solar
Baldwin County El Member is an electric cooperative serving about 85,081 homes in Alabama. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 14.5¢12% below Alabama average
- Typical bill
- $1641,131 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~21%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- 20.3 yrs4.6 kW, cash
Export rules for Baldwin County El Member customers
No statewide net metering (Alabama rule).
Alabama has no net metering law. Alabama Power buys any electricity you send to the grid at a low wholesale (avoided-cost) price. It also charges solar customers a monthly 'capacity reservation' fee of about $5.41 per kW of system size, which a federal judge let stand in March 2026.
Solar for a typical Baldwin County El Member home
| System | 4.6 kW (50% of 1,131 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $17,760 |
| First-year savings | $777 |
| Payback | 20.3 years |
| 25-year net | $5,765 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 85,081
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about Baldwin County El Member and solar
Does Baldwin County El Member have net metering?
Baldwin County El Member follows Alabama's rules: Alabama has no net metering law. Alabama Power buys any electricity you send to the grid at a low wholesale (avoided-cost) price. It also charges solar customers a monthly 'capacity reservation' fee of about $5.41 per kW of system size, which a federal judge let stand in March 2026.
How much does electricity cost with Baldwin County El Member?
Residential customers paid an average of 14.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 14.5¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,131 kWh a month, a bill of about $164.
Is solar worth it with Baldwin County El Member?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 4.6 kW system costing about $17,760 pays back in about 20.3 years, with $5,765 net over 25 years.
How many Baldwin County El Member customers have solar?
Baldwin County El Member did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: Baldwin County El Member Corp (EIA ID 1149). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.