Solar installations cost $15,000-$35,000 with payback periods of 5-12 years depending on location and incentives. Use our live calculator below to get your exact cost in seconds. . NLR analyzes the total costs associated with installing photovoltaic (PV) systems for residential rooftop, commercial rooftop, and utility-scale ground-mount systems. NLR's PV cost benchmarking work uses a bottom-up. . Research from a 2021 U. Department of Energy (DOE) study projects solar energy to rise from 4% of our nation's total energy production to 45% by 2050, potentially requiring nearly 10. This is about 30% larger than the state of Maryland. High-efficiency monocrystalline silicon panels are often preferred for their superior performance in limited space scenarios. . Prices stabilized in 2024-2025, and heading into 2026, we're seeing costs hold steady around $2.