South Dakota solar installation & market data
The South Dakota solar market at a glance.
South Dakota has about 640 solar systems totalling 4.2 MW, as reported by its utilities through July 2026. 1 MW of residential solar was added in the trailing twelve months, down 58.5% on the twelve months before. 0.2% of owner-occupied homes have gone solar. SolarDNA tracks 3 individual installations here, from 0 installers.
South Dakota's SolarDNA Market Score: 20 out of 100.
South Dakota scores 20 out of 100 on SolarDNA's Market Score, a 0-to-100 scale benchmarked against every other state market. That is higher than 2% of U.S. states. Grade F (Weak).
The score combines 5 subscores, each computed from observed market data:
- Velocity (0): trailing-12-month growth in solar added versus the prior twelve months, so accelerating markets score higher.
- Cost (50): median installed $/W relative to the national median (a cheaper market scores higher).
- Incentives (25): net-metering coverage, RECs a new system can earn, state tax credit, rebate program and tax exemptions (components listed below).
- Resource (25): annual solar irradiance, so the same system produces more where this score is high.
- Depth (1): proven demand: how many systems are already installed, with a bonus for markets that show adoption without being saturated.
Partial property tax exemption.
Federal: Federal residential credit (25D) ended for systems placed in service after Dec 31, 2025. Third-party-owned systems can still use the commercial credit (48E) through 2027 under construction-start rules.
State-level averages hide wide variation. Here's how to go deeper in the app:
- 1Narrow to a zip codeZip metrics give a far more accurate picture of the exact neighborhoods you are considering.
- 2Apply filtersFilter by score, growth, $/W, adoption and permits to reach the markets that actually match your model.
- 3Benchmark the installersSee who already wins there, how fast they are growing, and what they charge per watt.
How SolarDNA defines these metrics
Solar systems
Solar systems is the market-size figure: the systems utilities report on their lines, plus an estimate (sized from reported capacity) for systems outside net metering. It is current for every state.
How SolarDNA calculates solar systems →Tracked installations
Tracked installations are the individual residential, commercial and utility-scale systems SolarDNA holds a record for. SolarDNA de-duplicates the same system across records. Pricing, installers, equipment and every zip-level figure come from these records.
How SolarDNA calculates tracked installations →Median installed cost
Median installed cost is the middle price per watt (DC) that homeowners paid for a residential system in the trailing twelve months, before incentives. Quartiles show the spread.
How SolarDNA calculates median installed cost →Adoption rate
Adoption rate is the share of owner-occupied homes with a residential solar system. It measures how saturated a market is, not how fast it is growing.
How SolarDNA calculates adoption rate →12-month growth
For a state, growth compares the residential solar capacity added in the trailing twelve months with the twelve months before, from utility-reported totals with one-off reporting corrections smoothed out. For cities and zip codes it compares tracked installations.
How SolarDNA calculates 12-month growth →Battery share
Battery share is the portion of a state's solar customers whose system includes a battery, as reported by utilities.
How SolarDNA calculates battery share →Permits
Permits count the solar building permits filed in the last twelve months. They lead installations by several months, which makes them the earliest read on demand.
How SolarDNA calculates permits →Market Score
SolarDNA's Market Score grades each market from 0 to 100 on solar sales potential, weighing velocity, cost, incentives, solar resource and installer depth. Markets are benchmarked against every other market in the country, and the letter grade is set on a curve: A is the top 10% of markets, C the middle 40%, F the bottom 10%.
How SolarDNA calculates market score →See what a specific South Dakota zip code looks like
Drop in any South Dakota zip code and SolarDNA opens its market card: score, installs, median $/W, growth and permits, benchmarked against the state.
Dive deeper into the South Dakota market
Market size & momentum
Systems, capacity, monthly additions, battery share and solar customers by utility.
- •How many solar systems are there in South Dakota?
- •Is solar still growing in South Dakota?
- •Which utility territories are adding the most?
Pricing & economics
Installed $/W, quartiles, system sizes and simple payback.
- •How much does solar cost in South Dakota?
- •Is $/W falling in South Dakota?
- •What is the median system size?
Growth & adoption
Installs by year, adoption, TAM penetration and battery attach.
- •Is solar demand growing in South Dakota?
- •How saturated is the market?
- •How many systems add a battery?
Installers
The league table: volume, momentum, system size and pricing per installer.
- •Who installs the most in South Dakota?
- •Which installers are growing fastest?
- •What do they charge per watt?
Utilities & incentives
Retail rates by utility, net metering, SREC value and the planned utility pipeline.
- •What are electricity rates in South Dakota?
- •Which utilities offer net metering?
- •How big is the utility-scale pipeline?
How big South Dakota's solar market is, and where it is heading
Totals reported by South Dakota's utilities through July 2026 (latest months are preliminary)
Solar customers by utility in South Dakota
Net-metered solar customers through July 2026
| Utility | Solar customers | Capacity | Added, 12 mo | Growth | With battery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Hills Power, Inc. | 267 | 3 MW | 25 | — | — |
What solar costs in South Dakota
Residential systems, trailing twelve months
How fast South Dakota is going solar
From SolarDNA's installation records, which run through January 1, 2024; current momentum is in the market totals above
Top installers in South Dakota
Ranked by installations in this state
| # | Installer | Installs | 12-mo | Avg kW | $/W |
|---|
Top zip markets in South Dakota
Ranked by installations · click for the zip market
| Zip | Installs | $/W | Growth | Score |
|---|
Utilities and retail rates
Implied residential rate per utility
| Utility | Type | Res. customers | ¢/kWh | Net metering |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern States Power Co - Minnesota | Investor Owned | 92,204 | 13.9 | — |
| Adjustment 2024 | 66,398 | 12.4 | ✓ | |
| Black Hills Power, Inc. | Investor Owned | 60,951 | 14.4 | ✓ |
| NorthWestern Energy - (SD) | Investor Owned | 51,467 | 12.6 | — |
| Sioux Valley SW Elec Coop | Cooperative | 22,213 | 12.9 | ✓ |
| Southeastern Electric Coop Inc - (SD) | Cooperative | 20,160 | 12.4 | ✓ |
| West River Electric Assn Inc | Cooperative | 18,423 | 14.3 | ✓ |
| Watertown Municipal Utilities | Municipal | 11,633 | 9.3 | — |
Other solar markets in South Dakota
Three ways to slice South Dakota's 3 installations
See how the market splits by sector, by battery attach and by installer, updated with every refresh.
See all breakdownsWhen demand peaks in South Dakota
Not enough complete years of monthly data to profile seasonality yet.
See the monthly trendQuick answers about South Dakota's market
🛡 Why trust SolarDNA data?
How many solar installations are there in South Dakota?
How much does solar cost in South Dakota?
Is the South Dakota solar market growing?
What is the solar adoption rate in South Dakota?
Is South Dakota a good market for solar sales?
How many solar installers work in South Dakota?
How many solar permits were filed in South Dakota?
How current is South Dakota's solar data?
There's a lot more inside the SolarDNA app.
- ◇Zip and city market pages
- ◇Installer league tables
- ◇Territory builder
- ◇Solarizer deal estimates
- ◇Permit activity where reported
- ◇Export the data