I have had solar for two years now and its great in SC. I will say that had I not had the Feds paying 30 pct and SC paying 25 pct of the total cost back to me in tax credits I likely would not have done it. In June I would have had a $300 electric bill but it was $28 due to solar.
Meanwhile, the utilities are raising rates EVERY year from 5 to 9 pct. Factor that in and if you live in the south or southwest solar is a win.
Same experience here in Sacramento. Counting the federal & state tax credits, we’re breaking even on our 2011 solar system installation after 8 years, with mid-summer electric bills dropping from $300 to about $50 per month. With typical summer peak temps in the high 90s, panels keep adequate efficiency to make it practical and we’re selling a lot of power back.