Solar panels in South Carolina: cost, payback and the rules that matter
South Carolina homes pay 15.9¢ per kWh for electricity, the 26th highest of 51, up 7.6% in a year. A typical home needs 21 panels. With no federal tax credit they pay for themselves in about 9.8 yrs.
Four facts that decide solar in South Carolina
1. The sun. One kilowatt of panels makes about 1,466 kWh a year in the median South Carolina city, from 1,404 in Greer to 1,473 in Charleston.
2. The price of electricity. Every kWh your panels make is worth what you would otherwise pay: 15.9¢ in South Carolina today.
3. What your utility pays for exports. Most South Carolina utilities still credit exported solar close to the retail rate, but rules differ by utility and change often.
4. Incentives. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (IRC §25D) ended for systems whose installation is completed after December 31, 2025 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act, P.L. SC credit (TC-38): 25% of cost, usable up to $3,500 per year (or 50% of tax liability) with 10-year carryforward. Source
South Carolina's homes
2,117,989 households; 71.9% own their home. 1,286,311 owner-occupied single-family houses: the main market for rooftop solar. The median home was built in 1992; 70.8% heat with electricity.
ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau.
Plan a specific South Carolina home
Solar in every South Carolina city with 50,000+ people
| City | Sun hrs/day | kWh per kW | Best tilt | Typical kW | Payback (NM) | Payback (NB) | Solar ¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | 5.2 | 1,473 | 30° | 8.8 | 9.8 yrs | 16.2 yrs | 8.3 |
| Columbia | 5.2 | 1,432 | 33° | 9.2 | 10.1 yrs | 16.8 yrs | 8.6 |
| North Charleston | 5.2 | 1,472 | 30° | 8.8 | 9.8 yrs | 16.2 yrs | 8.3 |
| Mount Pleasant | 5.2 | 1,470 | 29° | 8.8 | 9.8 yrs | 16.2 yrs | 8.3 |
| Rock Hill | 5.1 | 1,417 | 33° | 9.2 | 10.2 yrs | 16.9 yrs | 8.7 |
| Greenville | 5.1 | 1,405 | 33° | 9.2 | 10.3 yrs | 16.9 yrs | 8.8 |
| Summerville | 5.2 | 1,471 | 31° | 8.8 | 9.8 yrs | 16.2 yrs | 8.3 |
| Goose Creek | 5.2 | 1,466 | 30° | 8.8 | 9.8 yrs | 16.3 yrs | 8.3 |
| Greer | 5.1 | 1,404 | 34° | 9.2 | 10.3 yrs | 17.0 yrs | 8.8 |
NM = exports credited at retail (net metering); NB = exports at ~30% of retail (net billing). Systems sized to the South Carolina average home. $3.00/W, cash, 25 years.
Rule changes that affect South Carolina
All changes and deadlines →- Federal: In-service deadline for the lease/PPA solar credit · Tax credits
- Federal: National data: solar prices fell to a median $3.60 per watt · Prices
- Federal: Construction-start deadline passed for the lease/PPA credit · Tax credits
- Federal: The 30% homeowner solar tax credit is gone · Tax credits
Questions about solar in South Carolina
How much do solar panels cost in South Carolina?
A 8.8 kW system, the size the average South Carolina home needs, costs about $22,000 to $33,000 before incentives in 2026. SC credit (TC-38): 25% of cost, usable up to $3,500 per year (or 50% of tax liability) with 10-year carryforward.
Is solar worth it in South Carolina?
In the median South Carolina city, solar pays for itself in about 9.8 yrs if exported power earns the retail rate, or 16.3 yrs if it earns about 30% of retail. Most utilities here still offer some form of net metering; check yours.
Is there a solar tax credit in South Carolina?
SC credit (TC-38): 25% of cost, usable up to $3,500 per year (or 50% of tax liability) with 10-year carryforward. The 30% federal credit ended for homeowner systems installed after December 31, 2025.
How many solar panels does a South Carolina home need?
About 21 panels of 420 watts for the state-average 1,050 kWh a month. Sunnier cities need fewer: Charleston gets 1,473 kWh per kW a year, Greer 1,404.