Updated November 2026 by Wolf River Electric, a solar company serving homes, farms and businesses across the state.
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How much do solar panels cost in North Dakota in 2026?
Solar is priced per watt of panel capacity. SolarReviews’ 2026 data puts the North Dakota average at $3.44 per watt, including equipment and installation, as of November 2026. Your price depends on your roof or ground mount, your usage and your utility. Here is what the average works out to by system size, with yearly production from our own monitored systems in North Dakota:
| System size | Panels (400 W) | Good fit for | Estimated yearly production | Estimated cost before incentives | Utility power it replaces each year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 kW | 15 | Smaller homes, low usage | About 6,100 kWh | About $20,600 | About $760 |
| 8 kW | 20 | Average usage, gas heat | About 8,100 kWh | About $27,500 | About $1,010 |
| 10 kW | 25 | Larger homes or an EV | About 10,200 kWh | About $34,400 | About $1,270 |
| 12 kW | 30 | High usage | About 12,200 kWh | About $41,300 | About $1,520 |
| 15 kW | 37 to 38 | Electric heat, farms or two EVs | About 15,300 kWh | About $51,600 | About $1,900 |
Averages of real production from Wolf River Electric customers’ systems. Value at North Dakota’s average home electricity rate (U.S. EIA, 2026).
Production uses 407 kWh per panel per year. That is what our monitored Wolf River Electric systems in North Dakota made on average from October 2025 to September 2026. It is a small sample, so treat it as a guide. It is also conservative: SolarReviews’ sample North Dakota quote assumes about 1,380 kWh per kW of panels, well above our real number. The yearly value uses 12.46 cents per kWh, the average North Dakota home rate for January to August 2026, according to EIA.
Ground mounts, trenching, batteries and electrical panel upgrades add to the price. We size every system from 12 months of your electric bills, not from a chart. See how residential solar panel installation works with Wolf River Electric, from the free quote to turning the system on.
How much does one solar panel cost installed?
At the state average of $3.44 per watt, each installed 400 W panel works out to about $1,380, as of November 2026. That covers the panel and its share of the inverters, racking, wiring, permits and labor. The systems in the table above use 15 to 38 panels.
Are solar panels worth it in North Dakota?
It depends on how you pay and how much of the power you use yourself. North Dakota has some of the lowest electric rates in the country: 12.46 cents per kWh for homes from January to August 2026, according to EIA. That is up from 11.67 cents a year earlier, about 7% higher. Cheap power means each kWh of solar replaces fewer dollars than it does in Minnesota or Wisconsin. Here is the math for the 10 kW example above:
| How you pay | Net cost | Utility power replaced each year | Return on net cost | Solar cost per kWh over 25 years | Over 30 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buy with cash | About $34,400 | About $1,270 | About 3.7% | About 13.5 cents | About 11.3 cents |
| Prepaid lease, about 30% off | About $24,100 | About $1,270 | About 5.3% | About 9.5 cents | About 7.9 cents |
Return on net cost is the yearly value of the power divided by what you pay. Cost per kWh spreads your net cost over the power the system makes. Compare it with the 12.46 cents you pay the utility now. At the public average price, a cash purchase lands close to today’s utility rate over 25 to 30 years, so it works more as a hedge against rising rates than a fast saver. A prepaid lease, a high-usage home and a sunny, unshaded roof tip the math toward solar. Shade, a small bill and a system that sends a lot of summer power back at the avoided cost rate tip it the other way. We will tell you which side your home is on.
You are already paying for this power
Most people look at solar as a new expense. It is not. The home in this example will pay the utility about $1,270 a year for this power whether it goes solar or not. Solar replaces it with power from your own roof, so money you were already going to spend pays for the system instead. Here is what that power costs from the utility over time at today’s rate, before any rate increases:
| Years | Paid to the utility at today’s rate |
|---|---|
| 5 years | About $6,300 |
| 10 years | About $12,700 |
| 15 years | About $19,000 |
| 20 years | About $25,400 |
| 25 years | About $31,700 |
| 30 years | About $38,000 |
Compare those totals with the net cost above: about $34,400 for cash or about $24,100 with a prepaid lease. Fixed monthly charges stay on your bill, and extra power sold back at the avoided cost rate is worth less. Higher electric rates raise the savings.
How do Xcel Energy, Otter Tail Power and Montana-Dakota credit your solar?
North Dakota does not have full net metering. State rules require the investor-owned utilities to offer net billing for systems up to 100 kW. Within each monthly bill, the solar power you send out offsets the power you buy at the retail rate. If you send out more than you use in a month, the utility buys the extra at its avoided cost rate, which is far below retail. Here is how it works as of November 2026:
| Utility | How solar is billed | What extra power earns |
|---|---|---|
| Xcel Energy | Net billing for systems up to 100 kW, plus a small monthly metering charge (about $3.25 for single phase) | About 3.6 cents per kWh in Xcel’s 2026 North Dakota filing |
| Otter Tail Power | Net billing for systems up to 100 kW | Its own avoided cost rate, filed with the North Dakota Public Service Commission |
| Montana-Dakota Utilities | Net billing for systems up to 100 kW | Its own avoided cost rate, filed with the North Dakota Public Service Commission |
| Rural co-ops and city utilities | Set their own rules | Varies; we check yours before we size the system |
Because the netting resets every month, a system sized to cover all of your yearly use makes more than you need from May to August. That summer extra earns the avoided cost rate, not retail. Sizing a little below your yearly use, running big loads in sunny hours, or adding a battery keeps more of your solar power at full retail value. Our North Dakota systems made about 64 kWh per panel in July and about 8 kWh per panel in December, so most winter power still comes from the grid.
North Dakota incentives that lower your cost
- Net billing: Xcel Energy, Otter Tail Power and Montana-Dakota Utilities offer net billing for systems up to 100 kW. Extra power each month is bought back at the avoided cost rate.
- Property tax: the value solar adds is exempt from North Dakota property tax for 5 years. Ask your local assessor.
- No state tax credit: North Dakota has no state solar tax credit and no statewide rebate.
- Prepaid leases: for a limited time, a lease or prepaid lease can still pass along savings from the 30% commercial credit (see the next section).
- Size to your own use: because extra power is bought back below retail, the best value comes from using most of what you make, or adding a battery.
See every program in our Midwest solar incentives guide.
What changed in 2026: the federal tax credit
The 30% federal tax credit for homeowner-owned solar ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. If you buy with cash or a loan in 2026, there is no federal credit. A solar lease or prepaid lease lets the leasing company claim the 30% commercial credit and pass savings to you. Farms and businesses can still claim the commercial credit for systems placed in service by the end of 2027. Read what changed with the solar tax credit.
What affects the price of your system
- System size: bigger systems cost more in total but usually less per watt.
- Roof or ground mount: a sound roof facing south, east or west is the simplest install. Ground mounts cost more and suit farms and acreages.
- Roof age: if your roof needs replacing within a few years, do it first. Taking panels off and putting them back later adds cost (see the FAQ below).
- Equipment: panel brand, microinverters or a string inverter, and warranties.
- Electrical work: some homes need a main panel upgrade first.
- Battery backup: adds cost, keeps essentials running in an outage and lets you use more of your own solar power. We quote with and without one.
What do battery backup and a standby generator add to the cost?
Blizzards, ice storms and summer storms can knock out power in North Dakota for hours or days. A grid-tied solar system shuts off when the grid goes down, so backup power needs a battery or a generator. These are Wolf River Electric installed prices, as of November 2026:
| Backup option | Installed price | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla Powerwall 3 | About $12,500 to $20,900 | Stores solar power for nights and outages |
| Enphase IQ Battery 10C | About $11,800 to $19,700 | Includes the automatic transfer switch |
| FranklinWH aPower with aGate (15 kWh) | About $15,400 to $22,000 | Includes the aGate transfer switch |
| Generac home standby generator, 14 to 26 kW | About $13,500 to $17,700 by size | Includes the pad, generator battery, transfer switch, permit and installation. Sales tax and the gas or propane hookup are extra. |
| Portable generator inlet and manual transfer switch | About $2,000 | The budget option if you already own a 240 V portable generator |
| Electrical panel upgrade, only if needed | About $4,500 to $6,000 | Meter, mast and utility-side work is priced separately |
Battery prices run from the price with a prepaid lease plus our 10% discount (low end) to buying outright (high end). A battery needs no fuel, pairs with solar and stores summer power you would otherwise sell back at the avoided cost rate. A generator runs for days on natural gas or propane. See home battery backup and whole house generator cost for details.
Choosing an installer? Use our checklist for choosing the best solar company in North Dakota: the licenses to look up, what to ask, and the red flags to avoid.
North Dakota solar cost questions
How much do solar panels cost in North Dakota?
About $3.44 per watt before incentives as of November 2026, according to SolarReviews. An 8 kW system runs about $27,500 and a 10 kW system about $34,400.
How much does a 10 kW solar system cost in North Dakota?
At the 2026 North Dakota average of $3.44 per watt, about $34,400 before incentives. Based on our monitored North Dakota systems, it makes about 10,200 kWh a year.
Are solar panels worth it in North Dakota?
For many homes, yes, but slowly. Power is cheap in North Dakota, so solar works best with a prepaid lease, high usage, a sunny roof and a system sized to the power you use. A cash purchase at the average price costs about 11 to 13.5 cents per kWh over 25 to 30 years, close to the 12.46 cent utility rate.
Does North Dakota have net metering?
Not full net metering. Xcel Energy, Otter Tail Power and Montana-Dakota Utilities must offer net billing for systems up to 100 kW. Solar offsets your purchases at retail within each month, and extra power is bought at the avoided cost rate, about 3.6 cents per kWh in Xcel’s 2026 filing. Co-ops and city utilities set their own rules.
Is there a solar tax credit in North Dakota in 2026?
North Dakota has no state solar tax credit, and the federal homeowner credit ended after 2025. Leases and prepaid leases can still pass along savings from the commercial credit, and farms and businesses can claim it directly.
What solar incentives does North Dakota have?
A 5-year property tax exemption on the value solar adds, net billing with the investor-owned utilities, and lease savings from the commercial credit. There is no statewide rebate.
How much does a solar battery cost in North Dakota?
As of November 2026, a Tesla Powerwall 3 installed by Wolf River Electric runs about $12,500 to $20,900, an Enphase IQ Battery 10C with its transfer switch about $11,800 to $19,700, and a FranklinWH system with aGate about $15,400 to $22,000. The low end is with a prepaid lease plus our 10% discount, and the high end is buying outright.
What if I need a new roof after solar goes up?
We take the panels off and put them back. As of November 2026, removal runs about $250 per panel and reinstall about $300 to $350 per panel, plus new attachments, racking parts, permits or engineering where needed. See solar panel removal and reinstall. If your roof is near the end of its life, replace it before going solar.
Which utilities do you work with in North Dakota?
We handle interconnection with Xcel Energy, Otter Tail Power, Montana-Dakota Utilities, your co-op or your city utility.
Do solar panels work in a North Dakota winter?
Yes, but they make much less. Our North Dakota systems made about 8 kWh per panel in December and about 64 in July. Panels run efficiently in cold, clear weather, and snow usually slides off tilted panels within a few sunny days. Read more about snow on solar panels.
Get a North Dakota solar quote built from your bills
Wolf River Electric installs solar panels in North Dakota. Our own licensed crews install solar, batteries and generators for homes, farms and businesses. Send us 12 months of bills and we will show you the system size, the price and your expected bill savings, with and without a battery. Comparing states? See the solar panel cost in Minnesota. For South Dakota, see are solar panels worth it in South Dakota, our page on solar panels in South Dakota or our South Dakota solar installation guide. Try the free solar calculator or get my free quote.
Sources: SolarReviews solar cost data for North Dakota (2026, checked November 2026); U.S. EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B (January to August 2026 and 2025); Xcel Energy 2026 North Dakota small power production rate filing (PSC case PU-26-18); North Dakota Public Service Commission net billing rules; Wolf River Electric Enphase production data (October 2025 to September 2026); Wolf River Electric battery, generator, panel upgrade and removal and reinstall pricing as of November 2026 (prices may change without notice); state revenue departments and utility tariffs.
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