Bartholomew County Rural E M C and solar
Bartholomew County Rural E M C is an electric cooperative serving about 11,493 homes in Indiana. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 15.4¢9% below Indiana average
- Typical bill
- $1841,192 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~35%Reduced export credit
- Typical payback
- 17.6 yrs5.4 kW, cash
Export rules for Bartholomew County Rural E M C customers
Reduced export credit (Indiana rule).
Indiana ended net metering for new customers in mid-2022. Under 'Excess Distributed Generation' (EDG) billing, solar you use at home offsets retail, but any electricity sent to the grid is credited at about 1.25 times the utility's wholesale energy price (AES Indiana: about 5.4 cents/kWh as of July 2026).
Solar for a typical Bartholomew County Rural E M C home
| System | 5.4 kW (50% of 1,192 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $17,270 |
| First-year savings | $916 |
| Payback | 17.6 years |
| 25-year net | $10,252 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 59
- Share of customers
- 0.5%
- Residential solar capacity
- 1 MW
- Residential customers
- 11,493
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Bartholomew County Rural E M C and solar
Does Bartholomew County Rural E M C have net metering?
Bartholomew County Rural E M C follows Indiana's rules: Indiana ended net metering for new customers in mid-2022. Under 'Excess Distributed Generation' (EDG) billing, solar you use at home offsets retail, but any electricity sent to the grid is credited at about 1.25 times the utility's wholesale energy price (AES Indiana: about 5.4 cents/kWh as of July 2026).
How much does electricity cost with Bartholomew County Rural E M C?
Residential customers paid an average of 14.5¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 15.4¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,192 kWh a month, a bill of about $184.
Is solar worth it with Bartholomew County Rural E M C?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 5.4 kW system costing about $17,270 pays back in about 17.6 years, with $10,252 net over 25 years.
How many Bartholomew County Rural E M C customers have solar?
About 59 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.5% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Bartholomew County Rural E M C (EIA ID 1283). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.