South Dakota solar companies
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Wolf River Electric
Isanti, MN · no South Dakota office published · over eight years in solar
EcoGen rating · 37/100Google 4.9 ★ (960 reviews)- Workmanship
- 25 years on labor, parts and workmanship on its Complete Confidence page (written around Maxeon systems); a separate page offers 10 years, labor only
- Roof penetrations
- 25 years on roof penetrations (Complete Confidence page)
- Batteries
- Enphase IQ 10C, Tesla Powerwall 3 and FranklinWH
- Ways to pay
- Cash or loans with terms up to 25 years; a lease appears on its quote form with no terms
- Solar since
- Not published as a year; says over eight years of industry experience
License not checked yet: we could not check this company in the South Dakota license records yet. Ask for its license number and look it up before you sign.
Phone: (763) 229-6662Website: wolfriverelectric.com
View Wolf River Electric profileHow this rating adds up
- Licensing0/30
- Warranty protection20/35
- Local presence5/15
- Track record4/10
- Options8/10
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Black Hills Solar
Rapid City, SD · South Dakota office in Rapid City
EcoGen rating · 26/100- Workmanship
- Warranty labor and service are included in its contract; no term published
- Roof penetrations
- Not published
- Batteries
- Tesla Powerwall 3 (it says it is a Tesla Premier Certified Installer) and 48-volt systems from Sol-Ark, HomeGrid, SimpliPhi, Fortress Power and Blue Planet Energy
- Ways to pay
- Payment by check, usually 50% down and the rest at completion; no lease or in-house financing (it links to third-party loan options)
- Solar since
- Not published as a year; its founder has more than 15 years of hands-on solar experience
License not checked yet: we could not check this company in the South Dakota license records yet. Ask for its license number and look it up before you sign.
Rapid City office (visits by appointment): 1950 Samco Rd, Suite 7, Rapid City, SD 57702 DirectionsWebsite: blackhillssolar.com
Visit Black Hills Solar websiteHow this rating adds up
- Licensing5/30
- Warranty protection0/35
- Local presence15/15
- Track record0/10
- Options6/10
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All Energy Solar
St. Paul, MN · no South Dakota office published · solar since 2009
EcoGen rating · 25/100Google 4.8 ★ (1,356 reviews)- Workmanship
- A workmanship guarantee is mentioned; no term published
- Roof penetrations
- Not published
- Batteries
- Tesla Powerwall and Enphase
- Ways to pay
- Cash, third-party loans and its EnergyLock prepaid lease; partner leases and PPAs are listed only for IL, MA and NH
- Solar since
- 2009
License not checked yet: we could not check this company in the South Dakota license records yet. Ask for its license number and look it up before you sign.
Phone: (800) 620-3370Website: allenergysolar.com
View All Energy Solar profileHow this rating adds up
- Licensing0/30
- Warranty protection0/35
- Local presence5/15
- Track record10/10
- Options10/10
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Wind & Solar World
Upham, ND · no South Dakota office · solar since 2007
EcoGen rating · 23/100- Workmanship
- Not published
- Roof penetrations
- Not published
- Batteries
- Generac PWRcell
- Ways to pay
- Cash and solar loans (lender for homes not named); it also advertises PPAs, which South Dakota does not allow for homes
- Solar since
- 2007
License not checked yet: we could not check this company in the South Dakota license records yet. Ask for its license number and look it up before you sign.
Phone: (701) 526-3385Website: windandsolarworld.com
View Wind & Solar World profileHow this rating adds up
- Licensing0/30
- Warranty protection0/35
- Local presence5/15
- Track record10/10
- Options8/10
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Holsen Solar
Fargo, ND · no South Dakota office published · solar since 2018
EcoGen rating · 22/100Google 4.1 ★ (11 reviews)- Workmanship
- An in-house warranty on all labor and materials; no term published
- Roof penetrations
- Not published
- Batteries
- Tesla Powerwall, FranklinWH aPower and EG4
- Ways to pay
- Loans through unnamed financing partners; cash purchase implied but not listed as a plan
- Solar since
- 2018 (founded in Fargo)
License not checked yet: we could not check this company in the South Dakota license records yet. Ask for its license number and look it up before you sign.
Phone: (218) 787-6527Website: holsensolar.com
View Holsen Solar profileHow this rating adds up
- Licensing5/30
- Warranty protection0/35
- Local presence5/15
- Track record4/10
- Options8/10
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The Solar Guys
Gillette, WY · no South Dakota office · solar since 2019
EcoGen rating · 14/100Google 5.0 ★ (559 reviews)- Workmanship
- Its homepage description mentions a 25-year warranty; no terms published
- Roof penetrations
- Not published
- Batteries
- No battery service or model named on its pages; it advertises off-grid systems, and its EcoGen profile names Enphase, EG4 and Q-Cells as its brands
- Ways to pay
- Cash, in-house financing on terms up to 25 years (lender not named) and a LightReach lease
- Solar since
- 2019 (“since we started in 2019”)
License not checked yet: we could not check this company in the South Dakota license records yet. Ask for its license number and look it up before you sign.
Website: thesolarguys.org
View The Solar Guys profileHow this rating adds up
- Licensing0/30
- Warranty protection0/35
- Local presence5/15
- Track record4/10
- Options5/10
Request South Dakota solar quotes
Ready to compare South Dakota prices?
Enter your ZIP code to ask solar providers that serve your area for quotes. Compare each quote with the checklist below.
Solar providers that serve your area may contact you, and they pay EcoGen for the introduction. Providers can include installers, solar marketplaces and lead exchanges, and more than one may contact you. How we make money.
Need to know
- We rated 6 South Dakota solar companies on licensing, warranties, local presence, track record and options. The top three: Wolf River Electric (3, Average), Black Hills Solar (3, Average) and All Energy Solar (3, Average).
- South Dakota has no net metering. Power you use at home saves the full rate, but extra power sells for 2.48 to 4.871 cents per kWh at the regulated utilities, and co-ops set their own terms. Size the system to your daytime use.
- There is no statewide general contractor license. The wiring must be done under a licensed South Dakota electrical contractor. The Electrical Commission verifies licenses by phone (605.773.3573) or email.
What solar costs in South Dakota
The price is a cash price before incentives. South Dakota has no net metering, and there is no federal credit for systems you own installed after December 31, 2025. Batteries and roof work cost extra. Compare each quote’s price per watt with these numbers.
Source: EcoGen Solar Cost Index, September 2026 Edition, prices as of September 25, 2026. Full breakdown: South Dakota solar panel prices.
Solar incentives, tax breaks and rebates in South Dakota
- Net metering
- None. The Public Utilities Commission says South Dakota does not pay for solar power at a net metered rate.
- Export price
- The six state-regulated utilities pay 2.48 cents per kWh (Black Hills Energy) to 4.871 cents per kWh (Otter Tail Power) for extra power.
- Monthly charges
- Published charges run from $1.33 a month at Otter Tail Power to $20.00 a month at MidAmerican Energy. Xcel Energy pays for no more than 2,000 kWh a month.
- Property tax
- The first $50,000 of a solar system's assessed value, or 70% of it if that is more, is free of property tax. There is no form to file.
- Co-ops and cities
- Sioux Valley Energy credits 1.61 cents per kWh. Missouri River Energy Services, supplier to Brookings, Pierre and Watertown, filed 3.45 cents per kWh for 2026.
- State tax credit
- None. South Dakota has no state income tax, so there is no state tax credit for solar.
- Leases
- A lease is allowed if it gives you all rights to operate, maintain and control the system. A company may not sell you the power by the kWh.
- Federal credit
- The federal tax credit ended for home systems finished after December 31, 2025.
Who qualifies, deadlines and sources: South Dakota solar incentives.
What to check with your utility
Xcel Energy
- Pays 3.16 cents per kWh for extra power (Rate Code E50), since January 1, 2026.
- A metering charge of $3.75 a month; extra power above 2,000 kWh a month earns nothing.
- Asks for a service agreement of at least 12 months and liability insurance of at least $300,000 per occurrence.
Black Hills Energy
- Pays 2.48 cents per kWh (Schedule 3), unchanged since August 1, 2019: the lowest of the six regulated utilities.
- Charges for the extra meter, but the rate sheet gives no amount. Ask for it.
- A rate case filed February 19, 2026 (Docket EL26-003) was still open. Ask if Schedule 3 changes.
NorthWestern Energy
- Pays 2.547 cents per kWh (Rate No. 73), since April 1, 2025.
- A customer charge of $2.00 a month and a 12-month minimum agreement.
- Do not count on the $4.29 per kW capacity payment; it needs 65% of full power in summer peak hours.
Otter Tail Power
- Pays 4.871 cents per kWh (Section 12.01): 4.571 cents for the power plus 0.3 cents for the REC, which goes to Otter Tail.
- A customer charge of $1.33 a month; prices for bills from April 1, 2026.
- A time-of-day option (Section 12.02) also exists. Ask which one your agreement uses.
MidAmerican Energy and Montana-Dakota Utilities
- MidAmerican pays 2.26 to 4.61 cents per kWh by season and hour, since August 15, 2026, and charges $20.00 a month.
- Montana-Dakota pays 3.416 cents per kWh (Rate 95) since January 1, 2026, with a metering charge of 7 cents a day.
Sioux Valley Energy and other co-ops
- Co-ops and city utilities set their own terms; the PUC does not approve their prices.
- Sioux Valley Energy credits 1.61 cents per kWh from February 2026 bills. Get your co-op's terms in writing.
Check the company and its warranty
Three names can appear in one solar deal: the company that sells, the company that signs the contract and the licensed people who do the work. Check that they fit together.
- Contract company: look up its license on the South Dakota Electrical Commission electrical contractor license (South Dakota has no statewide general contractor license). The name must match your contract.
- Electrical connection: Wiring a solar system into a home is electrical work that must be done under a licensed South Dakota electrical contractor; the only exception is an owner wiring their own owner-occupied home or farmstead under a homeowner permit (https://dlr.sd.gov/electrical/homeowner_wiring.aspx). Ask who does it.
- Warranty documents: ask for the workmanship warranty, the roof coverage terms and each equipment warranty before you sign.
Before your first sales call, read questions to ask your solar installer and how to read a solar quote.
Compare your South Dakota quotes
Ask every company to quote the same basics. Then the differences you see are real.
From quote to permission to operate
Some steps overlap, and timing depends on your town, your utility and equipment supply. Ask each installer for a written schedule for your project.
Proposal and site check
The installer looks at your roof, shading and electrical panel and gives you a written proposal.
You and the installerDesign and applications
After you sign, the installer finishes the design and applies to your utility for the connection.
Installer; you sign the formsPermits and utility review
Your town or county reviews the building and electrical permits. The utility reviews the connection.
Permit office and utilityInstallation and inspection
The crew installs the system. A licensed electrician connects it, and the inspector checks the work.
Installer crew, electrician and inspectorPermission to operate
The utility approves the system and updates your meter if needed. Turn the system on only after this step.
Utility
How we rate South Dakota solar companies
Each company gets up to 100 points from facts anyone can check: its own website and South Dakota’s public license records, read October 14, 2026. Facts a company does not publish earn no points. We could not check South Dakota’s license records for these companies yet, so none of them gets points for a checked state license. No company pays for its rating, and we do not use customer star reviews.
- Licensing (30 points): an active state license, a licensed electrician and license numbers printed on its website.
- Warranty protection (35 points): workmanship warranty length, roof-penetration coverage in writing and any production guarantee.
- Local presence (15 points): an office in South Dakota and South Dakota named as a service area.
- Track record (10 points): years installing solar.
- Options (10 points): batteries and the number of ways to pay.
Stars: 85 points or more is 5 (Top-rated), 72 is 4.5 (Excellent), 60 is 4 (Very good), 45 is 3.5 (Good), below 45 is 3 (Average). We did not inspect installations, collect customer quotes or test customer service.
South Dakota solar company FAQs
How do I check a South Dakota solar installer?
Ask for the company’s South Dakota electrical contractor license number and confirm it with the Electrical Commission, by phone at 605.773.3573 or by email. The state has no general contractor license, so the electrical license is the key check. Then read the written workmanship warranty and ask who files the utility agreement.
Does South Dakota have net metering?
No. The Public Utilities Commission says the state does not pay for solar at a net metered rate. Regulated utilities buy extra power at their own filed prices, from 2.48 cents per kWh at Black Hills Energy to 4.871 cents at Otter Tail Power. Co-ops and city utilities set their own terms.
Is there a South Dakota solar tax credit or rebate?
No. South Dakota has no state income tax, so there is no state tax credit, and we found no state rebate. The federal credit ended for home systems finished after December 31, 2025. The one state benefit is a property tax exemption on the first $50,000 of the system’s assessed value, or 70%.
Can I lease solar panels in South Dakota?
Yes, if the lease gives you all rights to operate, maintain and control the system, the Public Utilities Commission says. A company cannot sell you the power by the kWh, because only your assigned utility may sell electricity at retail. Compare a lease’s total cost with a cash or loan quote before you sign.
Will the companies on this page contact me?
Not because they appear here. This page is an editorial comparison. If you request quotes, the providers that serve your area may contact you. They can include installers, marketplaces and lead exchanges. Our page on how we make money explains how EcoGen is paid.
More South Dakota solar guides
- South Dakota solar costs
- South Dakota solar incentives
- Is solar worth it in South Dakota?
- South Dakota solar guide
- Free solar panels in South Dakota
- Questions to ask your solar installer
- How to read a solar quote
- Solar scams and red flags
- Questions to ask your solar installer
- How to read a solar quote
- Solar scams and red flags
- Solar financing: cash, loan, lease or PPA
Request South Dakota solar quotes
When your shortlist is ready, enter your ZIP code to ask providers that serve your area for quotes.
Solar providers that serve your area may contact you, and they pay EcoGen for the introduction. Providers can include installers, solar marketplaces and lead exchanges, and more than one may contact you. How we make money.
