Beltrami Electric Cooperative and solar
Beltrami Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 20,929 homes in Minnesota. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 15.8¢2% below Minnesota average
- Typical bill
- $1831,157 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- RetailFull retail net metering
- Typical payback
- 16.4 yrs9.4 kW, cash
Export rules for Beltrami Electric Cooperative customers
Full retail net metering (Minnesota rule).
Minnesota requires utilities to net meter systems under 40 kW; monthly excess is paid or credited at the 'average retail utility energy rate', which is close to retail (excludes fixed charges). This applies to IOUs, co-ops and munis, although co-ops/munis may add a monthly DG fee.
Solar for a typical Beltrami Electric Cooperative home
| System | 9.4 kW (90% of 1,157 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $34,050 |
| First-year savings | $1,986 |
| Payback | 16.4 years |
| 25-year net | $23,172 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 124
- Share of customers
- 0.6%
- Residential solar capacity
- 2 MW
- Residential customers
- 20,929
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Beltrami Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Beltrami Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Beltrami Electric Cooperative follows Minnesota's rules: Minnesota requires utilities to net meter systems under 40 kW; monthly excess is paid or credited at the 'average retail utility energy rate', which is close to retail (excludes fixed charges). This applies to IOUs, co-ops and munis, although co-ops/munis may add a monthly DG fee.
How much does electricity cost with Beltrami Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 15.5¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 15.8¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,157 kWh a month, a bill of about $183.
Is solar worth it with Beltrami Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 9.4 kW system costing about $34,050 pays back in about 16.4 years, with $23,172 net over 25 years.
How many Beltrami Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
About 124 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 0.6% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Beltrami Electric Coop, Inc (EIA ID 1529). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.