Solar in Minnesota: payback, sun by city and utility-scale capacity
Across 5 Minnesota cities, yearly output runs from 1,302 kWh per kW in Duluth to 1,347 in St. Cloud. Jul is the best month at 156 kWh per kW and Dec the worst at 61. Minnesota pays back in 14.0 years at $3.00 a watt (rank 29 of 51), 0.5 years longer than the middle state. 1,353 kWh per kW (rank 30) at 15.82 ¢ (rank 23 from the top): price of power drives it. Utility-scale solar in Minnesota: 1,921 MW in 543 plants, 5.0% of 2025 generation; 328 MW more under construction or planned.
Sun inside Minnesota: 5 cities, 3% apart
| Minnesota city | kWh per kW a year | Against state point | Sun, kWh/m2 a day | Payback at $3.00 | Residents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis | 1,333 | -1.5% | 4.61 | 14.2 | 426,845 |
| Rochester | 1,328 | -1.8% | 4.56 | 14.3 | 121,638 |
| Duluth | 1,302 | -3.8% | 4.46 | 14.6 | 86,863 |
| St. Cloud | 1,347 | -0.5% | 4.62 | 14.1 | 69,926 |
| Mankato | 1,321 | -2.4% | 4.56 | 14.4 | 44,882 |
Minnesota state point 45.09, -93.47; city points Minneapolis 44.96, -93.27; Rochester 44.01, -92.48; Duluth 46.77, -92.13; St. Cloud 45.53, -94.17; Mankato 44.17, -93.98. Panel and method: solar method.
Output by month in Minnesota cities: 12 rows
| Minnesota month | Minneapolis | Rochester | Duluth | St. Cloud | Mankato |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78.8 | 71.6 | 66.6 | 73.5 | 76.9 |
| Feb | 92.9 | 100.3 | 83.1 | 94.9 | 78.9 |
| Mar | 132.3 | 125.9 | 130.4 | 124.3 | 110.3 |
| Apr | 129.0 | 126.5 | 138.8 | 130.4 | 132.3 |
| May | 133.1 | 130.8 | 144.4 | 138.0 | 138.5 |
| Jun | 140.3 | 143.4 | 139.2 | 151.0 | 144.4 |
| Jul | 156.7 | 152.7 | 157.6 | 161.5 | 157.5 |
| Aug | 136.8 | 136.9 | 141.7 | 139.7 | 132.1 |
| Sep | 118.2 | 119.4 | 108.5 | 114.8 | 113.0 |
| Oct | 90.1 | 95.3 | 78.4 | 93.7 | 101.0 |
| Nov | 65.9 | 64.9 | 57.8 | 63.8 | 72.1 |
| Dec | 58.8 | 60.4 | 55.5 | 61.3 | 63.9 |
Minnesota: 5 cities, best month 162 and worst 56 kWh per kW across them.
CSVBest and worst month in Minnesota: Jul 156, Dec 61 kWh per kW
| Minnesota month | kWh per kW | Price ¢ | Value per kW | kWh per kW per sun unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75.6 | 14.51 | $10.97 | 0.88 |
| Feb | 92.7 | 14.60 | $13.53 | 0.86 |
| Mar | 126.2 | 15.10 | $19.06 | 0.83 |
| Apr | 136.4 | 15.08 | $20.57 | 0.80 |
| May | 137.9 | 15.84 | $21.84 | 0.77 |
| Jun | 144.4 | 17.12 | $24.72 | 0.76 |
| Jul | 156.1 | 16.92 | $26.41 | 0.75 |
| Aug | 143.2 | 16.91 | $24.22 | 0.75 |
| Sep | 123.3 | 17.10 | $21.08 | 0.78 |
| Oct | 90.2 | 16.37 | $14.77 | 0.81 |
| Nov | 66.6 | 15.67 | $10.44 | 0.84 |
| Dec | 60.6 | 14.96 | $9.07 | 0.88 |
Minnesota: December to February give 17% of a year (rank 18 of 51, 1 = most winter); the best month is 2.6 times the worst. Output per unit of sun is highest in Jan (0.88) and lowest in Jul (0.75); PVWatts lowers cell output when the panel is hot, and the sun angle changes with the season. Our runs use one fixed 14% loss figure for every place, so snow or soiling in Minnesota is not modelled separately.
Minnesota: payback 14.0 years, rank 29 of 51
| Measure | Value | Rank of 51 | Median state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Output of 1 kW a year, kWh | 1,353 | 30 | 1,372 |
| Home price, ¢ per kWh | 15.82 | 23 | 15.37 |
| Value of 1 kW a year | $214 | 29 | $222 |
| Payback at $3.00 a watt | 14.0 years | 29 | 13.5 years |
EIA-861 (2024): 23,827 home net-metered systems in Minnesota, 9.2 per 1,000 accounts (rank 35), average 9.0 kW.
Utility-scale solar in Minnesota: 1,921 MW
Minnesota: 1,921 MW of operable utility-scale solar in 543 plants across 51 counties (EIA-860, 2025), rank 20 of 51; 336 W per resident, rank 24. Solar made 5.0% of Minnesota's net generation in 2025 (EIA-923), rank 23, -1.7 points against the national share. Biggest plants: Sherco Solar II in Sherburne County, 237 MW (2025); Sherco Solar I in Sherburne County, 223 MW (2024); North Star Solar Project in Chisago County, 100 MW (2016). By county: Sherburne 525 MW, Chisago 180 MW, Dakota 110 MW, Stearns 96 MW. Proposed: 272 MW under construction (12 plants) and 56 MW planned (4 plants); batteries 23 MW running and 826 MW proposed.
| Minnesota year | MW added | Cumulative share of today's MW |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 152 | 8% |
| 2020 | 124 | 14% |
| 2021 | 81 | 19% |
| 2022 | 51 | 21% |
| 2023 | 146 | 29% |
| 2024 | 353 | 47% |
| 2025 | 261 | 61% |
Sizes and prices per watt in Minnesota
| Minnesota kW | kWh a year | Value a year | Cost at $2.50 | At $3.00 | At $3.50 | t CO2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 5,412 | $856 | $10,000 | $12,000 | $14,000 | 1.8 |
| 6 | 8,119 | $1,284 | $15,000 | $18,000 | $21,000 | 2.8 |
| 8 | 10,825 | $1,712 | $20,000 | $24,000 | $28,000 | 3.7 |
| 10 | 13,531 | $2,141 | $25,000 | $30,000 | $35,000 | 4.6 |
| 12 | 16,237 | $2,569 | $30,000 | $36,000 | $42,000 | 5.5 |
| Minnesota $ per watt | 100% retail | 75% | 50% | 25% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2.00 | 9.3 | 12.5 | 18.7 | 37.4 |
| $2.50 | 11.7 | 15.6 | 23.4 | 46.7 |
| $3.00 | 14.0 | 18.7 | 28.0 | 56.1 |
| $3.50 | 16.4 | 21.8 | 32.7 | 65.4 |
| $4.00 | 18.7 | 24.9 | 37.4 | 74.7 |
Minnesota: 1,353 kWh/kW × 15.82 ¢ = 214 a year per kW; the 30% column (9.8 years at $3.00) is arithmetic only.
CSVNet metering and CO2 in Minnesota
EIA-861 (2024): 23,827 home net-metered systems in Minnesota, 9.2 per 1,000 accounts (rank 35), average 9.0 kW.
6 kW in Minnesota: 8,119 kWh a year displaces 2.8 t CO2 at 0.339 kg per kWh, -0.3 t against the average state.
Minnesota among its neighbours
| Closest to Minnesota | Payback, years | kWh per kW | Price, ¢ | Utility-scale solar, points of generation | Miles away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota (this page) | 14.0 | 1,353 | 15.82 | 5.0 | - |
| Iowa | +1.9 | +20 | -2.10 | -3.3 | 220 |
| Wisconsin | -1.5 | -29 | +2.34 | +1.0 | 252 |
| South Dakota | +2.0 | +47 | -2.44 | -3.0 | 275 |
| North Dakota | +5.1 | -27 | -4.01 | -5.0 | 315 |
Minnesota against its neighbours in the payback ranking
- -1 places, South Carolina -0.3 years against Minnesota
- +0 places, Kansas -0.1 years against Minnesota
- Minnesota, rank 29: 14.0 years
- +2 places, Ohio +0.2 years against Minnesota
- +3 places, Georgia +0.4 years against Minnesota
Minnesota utilities and solar payback
| Minnesota utility | Homes | Price ¢ | Value of 1 kW | Payback at $3.00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern States Power Co - Minnesota | 1,230,057 | 16.98 | $230 | 13.1 yr |
| Adjustment 2024 | 251,565 | 14.09 | $191 | 15.7 yr |
| Connexus Energy | 134,095 | 13.66 | $185 | 16.2 yr |
| ALLETE, Inc. | 125,896 | 15.66 | $212 | 14.2 yr |
| Dakota Electric Association | 108,097 | 14.00 | $189 | 15.8 yr |
| East Central Energy | 55,250 | 16.89 | $228 | 13.1 yr |
| Rochester Public Utilities | 54,943 | 17.91 | $242 | 12.4 yr |
| Wright-Hennepin Coop Elec Assn | 53,714 | 14.59 | $197 | 15.2 yr |
| Otter Tail Power Co | 50,118 | 11.33 | $153 | 19.6 yr |
| Lake Country Power | 47,204 | 17.90 | $242 | 12.4 yr |
| Crow Wing Cooperative Power & Light Comp | 44,698 | 13.33 | $180 | 16.6 yr |
| Minnesota Valley Electric Coop | 43,412 | 13.98 | $189 | 15.9 yr |
Your numbers for Minnesota
Limits in Minnesota
Minnesota: with the old 30% credit (IRS, ended 2025) payback would be 9.8 years instead of 14.0, so the calculator starts at 0%. No Minnesota export rates in our data: output counts at 15.82 ¢. All limits.
Sources for Minnesota
- PVWatts v8 (NLR), 5 Minnesota cities and one state point: 1,353 kWh per kW
- EIA-860 2025 and EIA-923 2025: 1,921 MW of solar in Minnesota
- EIA-861 2024: 23,827 net-metered systems in Minnesota
- EIA retail sales 2025: 15.82 ¢ per kWh in Minnesota
- IRS 25D (ended 2025): 9.8 years in Minnesota with it; licences and periods for Minnesota
More about Minnesota
Minnesota electricity hub, Minnesota EV charging: 1,160 stations, where Minnesota ranks for rooftop solar, 14.0 years against 51 states, Minnesota calculators.
Questions
Where in Minnesota is solar best?
Yes: 3% between Duluth and St. Cloud in yearly output.
Net metering in Minnesota?
23,827 systems, 9.2 per 1,000 accounts, rank 35.
Winter cut in Minnesota solar output?
December to February give 17% of the year; Jul makes 156 kWh per kW and Dec 61.
Minnesota sunshine for solar panels?
1,353 kWh per kW a year at the state point, rank 30 of 51; from 1,302 in Duluth to 1,347 in St. Cloud.
Solar payback in Minnesota?
14.0 years at $3.00 a watt; 11.7 at $2.50; 16.4 at $3.50; 1,353 kWh per kW at 15.82 ¢.
Minnesota electricity from solar, what share?
5.0% of 2025 net generation, rank 23 of 51, -1.7 points against the nation.
Minnesota utility-scale solar capacity?
1,921 MW in 543 plants (EIA-860), 336 W per resident, rank 24; 328 MW proposed.
Minnesota pays half price for exports?
Payback 28.0 years at a 50% retail share.
CO2 displaced in Minnesota?
2.8 t a year on 6 kW at 0.339 kg per kWh.
Federal solar credit in Minnesota: still available?
Ended 2025 (IRS 25D); with it Minnesota payback would be 9.8 years, not 14.0.