Solar Panels in Ellsworth Air Force Base, SD: Cost, Payback & Savings
A typical 8.4 kW home solar system in Ellsworth Air Force Base costs about $30,240 and doesn't pay for itself within 25 years, losing roughly $454 overall at South Dakota's average electricity price of 14.5¢/kWh. Power you send back to the grid earns only about 3.0¢/kWh here, which is built into these numbers.
Monthly solar production in Ellsworth Air Force Base
Estimated output of a 8.4 kW south-facing roof system. Jun is the strongest month (1,341 kWh); Dec the weakest (587 kWh).
Solar production (kWh) Typical home use, 994 kWh/month
Solar payback calculator for Ellsworth Air Force Base
Pre-filled with Ellsworth Air Force Base's sunshine and South Dakota's average electricity price. Enter your own bill and an installer's price per watt to see your payback.
Leave export credit blank where the utility offers full net metering. Where exports earn less, solar used at home as it's produced is worth the full price and the rest earns the export credit.
How Ellsworth Air Force Base compares
- Each kW of panels here produces about 1,459 kWh a year — 4% more than the South Dakota median and 6% more than the US median city (1,371 kWh).
- Payback ranks #15 of 20 South Dakota places we cover.
- Sunshine varies little across a state; electricity price, installed cost and how utilities credit exported power drive most of the difference between states.
Net metering, tax credits and incentives in 2026
South Dakota pays less than retail for exported solar power. Under Avoided-cost purchase, power you send to the grid earns about 3.0¢/kWh, against 14.5¢ for power you buy. We assume 40% of a no-battery system's output is used at home as it's produced (worth the full price) and the rest is exported, so each solar kWh is worth about 7.6¢. Using more of your solar yourself, by running appliances midday or adding a battery, raises that.
South Dakota utilities mostly don't offer net metering and pay avoided cost for exports, about 2-4¢. Source.
There is no federal tax credit for buying home solar installed in 2026. The 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, so the costs and paybacks on this page include no federal credit.
South Dakota and local utilities may still offer rebates, performance payments, property-tax or sales-tax exemptions. Search the DSIRE incentives database for South Dakota and ask installers which programs they apply for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is solar worth it in Ellsworth Air Force Base, SD?
For a typical home, savings do not repay the system within 25 years at today's prices. Over 25 years the estimated net loss is $454. Verdict: hard to justify on savings alone. Your own payback depends on your roof, your bill and the quotes you get.
How many solar panels do I need in Ellsworth Air Force Base, SD?
A home using 994 kWh a month (the South Dakota average) needs about 21 panels of 400 W — a 8.4 kW system — to cover its annual use. Divide your own yearly kWh by 1,459 to get the kW you need.
How much do solar panels cost in Ellsworth Air Force Base, SD?
At 3.60 dollars per watt, a 8.4 kW system costs about $30,240 before any state or utility incentives. There is no federal tax credit for systems installed in 2026.
How much sun does Ellsworth Air Force Base get?
Ellsworth Air Force Base averages 5.2 peak sun hours per day, so each kilowatt of panels produces about 1,459 kWh a year.
Does South Dakota have net metering?
Not full retail net metering. Under Avoided-cost purchase, exported solar power earns about 3.0¢ per kWh, versus 14.5¢ for power bought from the grid. Solar you use at home as it's produced still saves the full price.
How much does electricity cost in South Dakota?
Residential electricity in South Dakota averages 14.5¢ per kWh, and a typical home uses 994 kWh a month (EIA).
Solar payback in nearby places
- Box Elder25+ yrs
- Rapid Valley25+ yrs
- Rapid City25+ yrs
- Sturgis25+ yrs
- Spearfish25+ yrs
- Belle Fourche25+ yrs
- Pierre25+ yrs
- Huron25+ yrs