Ballpark Lab
South Dakota solar estimate

Solar Panel Cost in South Dakota (2026)

Installed solar in South Dakota runs about $2.65 per watt — roughly 3% above 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 4.7 daily peak sun hours.

Worked example: a typical $150/month home in South Dakota

A $150/month electric bill in South Dakota works out to about 12,857 kWh a year. Sizing a cash-purchase system to cover 100% of that:

System size
9.6 kW
Panels
24
Annual offset
102%
Gross cost
$27,940
Federal credit (25D)
$0
Expired 12/31/2025 — $0
State incentive
$0
Net cost
$27,940
Payback
12.7 yr
25-year savings
$39,155

Last updated June 30, 2026

South Dakota solar numbers

Installed price
$2.65 / watt
Electricity price
$0.14 / kWh
Peak sun hours
4.7 hrs/day
State incentive
0%
Net-metering value
100% of retail

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

Local context: No statewide net-metering mandate means value varies by utility in South Dakota.

Estimate your own South Dakota system

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

Tell us about your home

Average monthly electric bill$210
Estimated system cost
$32,608$42,352
13.2 kW33 panels
Low $33kMost likely ~$37,480High $42k
Federal tax credit
— expired Dec 2025, we won't pretend otherwise
$0
State & utility incentives
$0
Est. annual savings
$2,536
Payback period
~12.4 yr
Net cost
$33k–$42k
25-year net savings
+$54,776
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Monthly shape modeled with NREL PVWatts® v8 (NSRDB 2020 TMY) — updated July 18, 2026.

Electricity 14.0¢/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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