Ballpark Lab
Kentucky solar estimate

Solar Panel Cost in Kentucky (2026)

Installed solar in Kentucky runs about $2.55 per watt — roughly 1% below the national average of $2.58/W. With the federal residential tax credit (25D) gone as of 2026, payback here rests on a $0.14/kWh power price and 4.4 daily peak sun hours.

Worked example: a typical $150/month home in Kentucky

A $150/month electric bill in Kentucky works out to about 13,043 kWh a year. Sizing a cash-purchase system to cover 100% of that:

System size
10.4 kW
Panels
26
Annual offset
102%
Gross cost
$29,020
Federal credit (25D)
$0
Expired 12/31/2025 — $0
State incentive
$0
Net cost
$29,020
Payback
15.0 yr
25-year savings
$27,993

Last updated June 30, 2026

Kentucky solar numbers

Installed price
$2.55 / watt
Electricity price
$0.14 / kWh
Peak sun hours
4.4 hrs/day
State incentive
0%
Net-metering value
75% of retail

$/W: industry pricing surveys · electricity: U.S. EIA, 12-month average through April 2026 · sun hours: NREL.

Local context: Kentucky moved to net billing below retail, trimming the value of exported solar.

Kentucky credits exported power at about 75% of the retail rate (NEM 3.0-style), so a battery to store and self-use your generation usually improves the return here.

Estimate your own Kentucky system

Adjust the bill, ownership, and battery options below — it's pre-set to Kentucky's pricing and sun hours.

Tell us about your home

Average monthly electric bill$210
Estimated system cost
$34,121$44,319
14.4 kW36 panels
Low $34kMost likely ~$39,220High $44k
Federal tax credit
— expired Dec 2025, we won't pretend otherwise
$0
State & utility incentives
$0
Est. annual savings
$2,170
Payback period
~14.7 yr
Net cost
$34k–$44k
25-year net savings
+$39,722
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Monthly shape modeled with NREL PVWatts® v8 (NSRDB 2020 TMY) — updated July 18, 2026.

Electricity 13.8¢/kWh — U.S. EIA, 12-month average through April 2026.

iA ballpark estimate for planning — not a final quote.

Data: U.S. EIA · OpenEI URDB · Google Solar · NREL PVWatts · DSIRE · IRS · ENERGY STAR · industry surveys see all sources

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