Electric Consumer

Editor: Katerine G., Editor & Data Researcher · Research & publishing: Electric Consumer Editorial Team · Data retrieved · Sources named on this page: EIA-861, EIA retail sales, EIA-860/923, NREL PVWatts · How we got these numbers · Report an error

Solar in North Dakota: payback, sun by city and utility-scale capacity

11.81 ¢per kWh paid by North Dakota homes in 2025, rank 51 of 51 (1 = highest price): the price that solar output replaces

North Dakota pays back in 19.2 years at $3.00 a watt (rank 50 of 51), 5.7 years longer than the middle state. 1,326 kWh per kW (rank 33) at 11.81 ¢ (rank 51 from the top): sunshine drives it. Across 5 North Dakota cities, yearly output runs from 1,282 kWh per kW in Grand Forks to 1,383 in Bismarck. Jul is the best month at 163 kWh per kW and Dec the worst at 54. Utility-scale solar in North Dakota: 0 MW in 0 plants, 0.0% of 2025 generation; 295 MW more under construction or planned.

North Dakota: payback 19.2 years, rank 50 of 51

Solar measures for North Dakota
MeasureValueRank of 51Median state
Output of 1 kW a year, kWh1,326331,372
Home price, ¢ per kWh11.815115.37
Value of 1 kW a year$15750$222
Payback at $3.00 a watt19.2 years5013.5 years

EIA-861 (2024): 246 home net-metered systems in North Dakota, 0.6 per 1,000 accounts (rank 48), average 5.6 kW.

North Dakota utilities and solar payback

Solar payback by utility in North Dakota
North Dakota utilityHomesPrice ¢Value of 1 kWPayback at $3.00
Montana-Dakota Utilities Co79,35411.72$15519.3 yr
Cass County Elec Coop Inc51,96812.45$16518.2 yr
Nodak Electric Coop Inc20,80312.08$16018.7 yr
Capital Electric Coop, Inc19,53012.31$16318.4 yr
Verendrye Electric Coop Inc14,33610.70$14221.1 yr
Mountrail-Williams Elec Coop11,4057.24$9631.2 yr
Roughrider Electric Cooperativ11,18310.24$13622.1 yr
Northern Plains Electric Coop10,39310.65$14121.2 yr
North Central Elec Coop, Inc6,06110.90$14520.8 yr
Dakota Valley Elec Coop Inc5,72112.01$15918.8 yr
McKenzie Electric Coop Inc5,3827.86$10428.8 yr
McLean Electric Coop, Inc3,71114.25$18915.9 yr

Sizes and prices per watt in North Dakota

Systems of 4 to 12 kW in North Dakota
North Dakota kWkWh a yearValue a yearCost at $2.50At $3.00At $3.50t CO2
45,304$626$10,000$12,000$14,0003.1
67,957$940$15,000$18,000$21,0004.6
810,609$1,253$20,000$24,000$28,0006.2
1013,261$1,566$25,000$30,000$35,0007.7
1215,913$1,879$30,000$36,000$42,0009.3
Payback in North Dakota by price and retail share
North Dakota $ per watt100% retail75%50%25%
$2.0012.817.025.551.1
$2.5016.021.331.963.9
$3.0019.225.538.376.6
$3.5022.329.844.789.4
$4.0025.534.151.1102.2

North Dakota: 1,326 kWh/kW × 11.81 ¢ = 157 a year per kW; the 30% column (13.4 years at $3.00) is arithmetic only.

CSV

Net metering and CO2 in North Dakota

EIA-861 (2024): 246 home net-metered systems in North Dakota, 0.6 per 1,000 accounts (rank 48), average 5.6 kW.

6 kW in North Dakota: 7,957 kWh a year displaces 4.6 t CO2 at 0.584 kg per kWh, +1.6 t against the average state.

Sun inside North Dakota: 5 cities, 8% apart

Solar output in 5 cities of North Dakota
North Dakota citykWh per kW a yearAgainst state pointSun, kWh/m2 a dayPayback at $3.00Residents
Fargo1,304-1.6%4.4919.5129,064
Bismarck1,383+4.3%4.7718.474,146
Grand Forks1,282-3.3%4.4019.858,882
Minot1,316-0.8%4.5319.347,922
Williston1,331+0.3%4.6019.127,964

North Dakota state point 47.31, -99.23; city points Fargo 46.87, -96.83; Bismarck 46.81, -100.77; Grand Forks 47.92, -97.09; Minot 48.24, -101.28; Williston 48.19, -103.65. Panel and method: solar method.

Output by month in North Dakota cities: 12 rows
North Dakota monthFargoBismarckGrand ForksMinotWilliston
Jan67.666.563.956.456.4
Feb78.590.671.077.168.0
Mar118.5121.7116.8111.0117.4
Apr137.8139.1135.3142.1141.5
May131.1148.1144.6152.3157.0
Jun145.4150.8137.4149.5151.5
Jul159.4167.9160.2159.7167.3
Aug145.7152.5145.8151.4154.9
Sep118.1120.7116.7118.7120.3
Oct88.393.286.886.984.8
Nov58.571.853.858.360.4
Dec55.460.549.952.151.1

North Dakota: 5 cities, best month 168 and worst 50 kWh per kW across them.

CSV

Best and worst month in North Dakota: Jul 163, Dec 54 kWh per kW

North Dakota output and value by month
North Dakota monthkWh per kWPrice ¢Value per kWkWh per kW per sun unit
Jan63.79.95$6.340.88
Feb77.610.23$7.940.86
Mar107.711.11$11.970.84
Apr131.711.72$15.440.80
May148.013.10$19.390.78
Jun149.613.71$20.510.76
Jul163.413.31$21.750.75
Aug143.912.97$18.660.75
Sep124.413.66$16.990.78
Oct96.912.82$12.420.82
Nov65.811.93$7.850.85
Dec53.611.02$5.910.87

North Dakota: December to February give 15% of a year (rank 5 of 51, 1 = most winter); the best month is 3.0 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 North Dakota is not modelled separately.

Utility-scale solar in North Dakota: 0 MW

EIA-860 (2025) lists no operable utility-scale solar plant in North Dakota; proposed: 295 MW.

North Dakota among its neighbours

Closest states to North Dakota
Closest to North DakotaPayback, yearskWh per kWPrice, ¢Utility-scale solar, points of generationMiles away
North Dakota (this page)19.21,32611.810.0-
South Dakota-3.1+74+1.57+2.0232
Minnesota-5.1+27+4.01+5.0315
Nebraska-2.3+113+0.53+0.7437
Iowa-3.2+46+1.91+1.7480
Simple solar payback by state at $3.00 a wattNew Mexico: 11.2 yrTexas: 12.9 yrKentucky: 16.9 yrOhio: 14.2 yrGeorgia: 14.4 yrArkansas: 17.0 yrOregon: 17.3 yrPennsylvania: 12.5 yrMissouri: 16.0 yrNorth Carolina: 15.2 yrUtah: 14.9 yrVirginia: 14.6 yrWyoming: 14.5 yrWest Virginia: 16.2 yrNew York: 8.9 yrIndiana: 13.5 yrKansas: 13.9 yrIdaho: 18.5 yrNevada: 12.6 yrIllinois: 13.0 yrVermont: 10.7 yrNew Jersey: 10.0 yrMinnesota: 14.0 yrMaryland: 11.1 yrIowa: 15.9 yrHawaii: 4.3 yrNew Hampshire: 9.7 yrRhode Island: 7.9 yrConnecticut: 8.0 yrMontana: 17.6 yrArizona: 11.2 yrNebraska: 16.9 yrWashington: 21.6 yrSouth Dakota: 16.0 yrCalifornia: 5.5 yrAlabama: 13.5 yrWisconsin: 12.5 yrMississippi: 15.6 yrColorado: 12.3 yrOklahoma: 15.3 yrTennessee: 16.4 yrLouisiana: 16.1 yrMichigan: 11.7 yrMassachusetts: 7.7 yrFlorida: 12.7 yrAlaska: 11.3 yrNorth Dakota: 19.2 yrSouth Carolina: 13.7 yrMaine: 8.5 yrDelaware: 12.7 yrDistrict of Columbia: 9.8 yr

North Dakota against its neighbours in the payback ranking

  • -1 places, Montana -1.6 years against North Dakota
  • +0 places, Idaho -0.6 years against North Dakota
  • North Dakota, rank 50: 19.2 years
  • +2 places, Washington +2.4 years against North Dakota

Your numbers for North Dakota

    Limits in North Dakota

    North Dakota: with the old 30% credit (IRS, ended 2025) payback would be 13.4 years instead of 19.2, so the calculator starts at 0%. No North Dakota export rates in our data: output counts at 11.81 ¢. All limits.

    Sources for North Dakota

    More about North Dakota

    North Dakota electricity hub, North Dakota EV charging: 108 stations, where North Dakota ranks for rooftop solar, 19.2 years against 51 states, North Dakota calculators.

    Questions

    North Dakota utility-scale solar capacity?

    0 MW in 0 plants (EIA-860), 0 W per resident, rank 51; 295 MW proposed.

    North Dakota electricity from solar, what share?

    0.0% of 2025 net generation, rank 51 of 51, -6.8 points against the nation.

    Solar payback in North Dakota?

    19.2 years at $3.00 a watt; 16.0 at $2.50; 22.3 at $3.50; 1,326 kWh per kW at 11.81 ¢.

    Net metering in North Dakota?

    246 systems, 0.6 per 1,000 accounts, rank 48.

    Winter cut in North Dakota solar output?

    December to February give 15% of the year; Jul makes 163 kWh per kW and Dec 54.

    North Dakota sunshine for solar panels?

    1,326 kWh per kW a year at the state point, rank 33 of 51; from 1,282 in Grand Forks to 1,383 in Bismarck.

    Where in North Dakota is solar best?

    Yes: 8% between Grand Forks and Bismarck in yearly output.

    North Dakota pays half price for exports?

    Payback 38.3 years at a 50% retail share.

    CO2 displaced in North Dakota?

    4.6 t a year on 6 kW at 0.584 kg per kWh.

    Federal solar credit in North Dakota: still available?

    Ended 2025 (IRS 25D); with it North Dakota payback would be 13.4 years, not 19.2.

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    11.81 ¢ per kWh paid by North Dakota homes in 2025, rank 51 of 51 (1 = highest price): the price that solar output replaces