Farmers Electric Cooperative and solar
Farmers Electric Cooperative is an electric cooperative serving about 88,221 homes in Texas. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is not worth it.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 12.4¢22% below Texas average
- Typical bill
- $1531,236 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~48%No statewide net metering
- Typical payback
- 17.1 yrs4.9 kW, cash
Export rules for Farmers Electric Cooperative customers
No statewide net metering (Texas rule).
Texas has no statewide net metering. In the deregulated ERCOT market you pick a retail electricity provider, and a few offer 'solar buyback' plans (typically 3-9 c/kWh, some match retail). Municipal utilities and co-ops set their own rules, e.g., Austin Energy's Value of Solar credit.
Solar for a typical Farmers Electric Cooperative home
| System | 4.9 kW (50% of 1,236 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $13,790 |
| First-year savings | $800 |
| Payback | 17.1 years |
| 25-year net | $8,396 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 2,606
- Share of customers
- 3.0%
- Residential solar capacity
- 20 MW
- Residential customers
- 88,221
EIA-861, 2025.
Questions about Farmers Electric Cooperative and solar
Does Farmers Electric Cooperative have net metering?
Farmers Electric Cooperative follows Texas's rules: Texas has no statewide net metering. In the deregulated ERCOT market you pick a retail electricity provider, and a few offer 'solar buyback' plans (typically 3-9 c/kWh, some match retail). Municipal utilities and co-ops set their own rules, e.g., Austin Energy's Value of Solar credit.
How much does electricity cost with Farmers Electric Cooperative?
Residential customers paid an average of 11.9¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 12.4¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 1,236 kWh a month, a bill of about $153.
Is solar worth it with Farmers Electric Cooperative?
For a typical customer, solar is not worth it: a 4.9 kW system costing about $13,790 pays back in about 17.1 years, with $8,396 net over 25 years.
How many Farmers Electric Cooperative customers have solar?
About 2,606 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 3.0% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: Farmers Electric Coop, Inc - (TX) (EIA ID 6182). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.