City of Bowling Green and solar
City of Bowling Green is a municipal utility serving about 27,433 homes in Kentucky. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 12.9¢7% below Kentucky average
- Typical bill
- $117905 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~58%Net billing (reduced export credit)
- Typical payback
- 20.8 yrs4 kW, cash
Export rules for City of Bowling Green customers
Net billing (reduced export credit) (Kentucky rule).
Kentucky requires net metering for systems up to 45 kW, but since SB 100 (2019) the PSC sets the export credit in each utility's rate case. For the big investor-owned utilities, power you send to the grid earns a bill credit of roughly 7-10 cents/kWh, well below the retail rate.
Solar for a typical City of Bowling Green home
| System | 4 kW (50% of 905 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $12,900 |
| First-year savings | $622 |
| Payback | 20.8 years |
| 25-year net | $3,199 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- —
- Share of customers
- —
- Residential solar capacity
- —
- Residential customers
- 27,433
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about City of Bowling Green and solar
Does City of Bowling Green have net metering?
City of Bowling Green follows Kentucky's rules: Kentucky requires net metering for systems up to 45 kW, but since SB 100 (2019) the PSC sets the export credit in each utility's rate case. For the big investor-owned utilities, power you send to the grid earns a bill credit of roughly 7-10 cents/kWh, well below the retail rate.
How much does electricity cost with City of Bowling Green?
Residential customers paid an average of 12.2¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 12.9¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 905 kWh a month, a bill of about $117.
Is solar worth it with City of Bowling Green?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 4 kW system costing about $12,900 pays back in about 20.8 years, with $3,199 net over 25 years.
How many City of Bowling Green customers have solar?
City of Bowling Green did not report residential net-metered solar to EIA for 2025.
Legal name: City of Bowling Green - (KY) (EIA ID 2056). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.