Dayton Energy Guide: Solar, Batteries, Backup Power and EV

In short: AES Ohio serves Dayton and Beavercreek. Its customers averaged about 8.4 hours without power in 2024, almost five times the 1.8 hours on normal days, after a July windstorm and the remnants of Hurricane Helene, which hit 136,000 customers (EIA, AES Ohio). Standard-offer homes paid about 15.3¢ per kWh, and few have solar yet.

This page covers backup power, solar, batteries and EV charging in Dayton and Beavercreek. Ohio’s net metering rule, contractor licensing and state prices are in our Ohio energy guide.

Dayton at a glance

• AES Ohio (listed by EIA as Dayton Power and Light): about 15.3¢ per kWh on average in 2024 for homes buying supply from AES Ohio; 503 minutes of outages per customer with major events, 106 without (EIA-861, 2024). About 72% of its home customers buy supply from another company.
• Home solar: only 388 net-metered home solar systems on AES Ohio’s lines in 2024, against about 11,000 on AEP Ohio’s (EIA-861).
• Sun: about 4.0 kWh per square meter per day (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020). Our rough estimate: about 1,160 kWh a year per kW of panels, as in Cincinnati.
• Top hazards: Montgomery County is “very high” for ice storms and “relatively high” for tornadoes, strong wind, hail, lightning, flooding, cold waves and winter weather; Greene County, home to Beavercreek, is “relatively high” for ice storms, strong wind and cold waves (FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025).
• Public charging: 237 ports at 91 locations in Dayton and 30 in Beavercreek (AFDC, October 3, 2026).

Your utility and what it means

AES Ohio owns the wires and restores outages; you can buy the supply part from AES Ohio’s standard offer or from a supplier certified by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, and compare offers on PUCO’s Energy Choice Ohio site.

• Net metering: after your interconnection is approved, AES Ohio installs a net meter. If you export more than you use in a month, you get a generation credit for the excess based on its Standard Offer Rate, unless you have a net metering contract with another supplier.
• Fees: AES Ohio charges a one-time $95 fee to swap your meter for a net meter, plus an application fee. It says AES Ohio-related charges for a home average about $130 in total (AES Ohio net metering page, October 2026).
• Size: under Ohio’s rule, a system should not exceed 120% of your past year’s use.
• Other programs: we found no AES Ohio battery or EV charger program to confirm; ask the utility.

Backup power in Dayton

2024 was a hard year on AES Ohio’s lines. A windstorm on July 14 with gusts over 60 mph affected 48,000 customers. Then the remnants of Hurricane Helene arrived on September 27 with sustained winds over 55 mph; 136,000 customers lost power, crews replaced 126 poles and 89 transformers, and the last were restored on October 3. AES Ohio ranks Helene among the ten worst storms in its history. Add Montgomery County’s “very high” ice storm rating, and Dayton homes should plan for outages that last days.

For multi-day outages, a natural gas standby generator runs longest without refueling; a portable generator with a transfer switch costs less. A home battery covers essentials quietly for about a day, longer with solar. A portable power station handles phones, Wi-Fi and medical devices. Compare them in backup power options, and size them with the generator sizing tool and battery backup calculator.

Safety: the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says to run a generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust away from doors, windows and vents, and never in a garage. Use battery-backed carbon monoxide alarms. Wiring a generator in takes a transfer switch or interlock from a licensed electrician and a permit; see generator installation.

Solar in Dayton

By our rough estimate, a kW of panels in Dayton makes about 1,160 kWh a year on a flat surface, among the best in Ohio; a south-facing, unshaded roof usually does better. A 6 kW system would make roughly 7,000 kWh. Used at home as it is made, that would be worth up to about $1,070 a year at AES Ohio’s 2024 average of 15.3¢. Exports are credited at the generation rate only, so a system sized to your own use pays back fastest. These are estimates, not promises.

Solar is still rare on AES Ohio’s lines, so ask installers how many AES Ohio connections they have done. Model your roof with the solar potential tool, test quotes in the solar savings calculator, and read solar installation and how net metering works.

Batteries in Dayton

With long storm outages in 2024 and exports credited below retail, a battery earns its place two ways: backup for the fridge, furnace blower, sump pump and internet, and storing midday solar for the evening. For a Helene-length outage of several days, pair it with solar or a generator. We found no confirmed utility or state battery rebate. See home battery installation and home battery cost.

EV charging in Dayton

Dayton has 237 public ports and Beavercreek 30 (AFDC, October 3, 2026). At AES Ohio’s 2024 average of 15.3¢ and about 30 kWh per 100 miles, home charging costs roughly $4.60 per 100 miles by our estimate; a supplier’s price changes that. A Level 2 charger needs a licensed electrician and an electrical permit; see EV charger installation and the EV charging cost calculator.

Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Dayton: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.

Permits and inspections

• City of Dayton: the Division of Building Inspection issues building and electrical permits; see its permit process FAQ.
• Beavercreek: ask the city which building department reviews solar, generator and EV charger work.
• Utility approval: AES Ohio must approve the interconnection before solar or a grid-tied battery is switched on; apply through its interconnection page.
• Electrical work and HOAs: use a licensed electrician, and get written HOA approval before you sign.

Cities we cover

• Dayton
• Beavercreek

Get help

Tell us about your project and we will connect you with a licensed, independent installer who serves the Dayton area. It is free, there is no obligation, and only the installer you choose gets your details. Read how it works.

Dayton energy FAQ

Is AES Ohio the same as Dayton Power and Light?

Yes. AES Ohio is the name The Dayton Power and Light Company uses, and federal data such as EIA’s still lists it as Dayton Power and Light. It delivers power in Dayton and Beavercreek, and you can buy the supply part from it or from a certified supplier.

How much does AES Ohio charge to connect solar?

AES Ohio charges a one-time $95 fee to exchange your meter for a net meter, plus an application fee, and says its charges for a typical home total about $130. Your installer’s price, city permits and any electrical upgrades are separate. Check the AES Ohio net metering page for current fees.

How long were Dayton outages after Hurricane Helene?

Helene’s remnants hit on September 27, 2024 and affected 136,000 AES Ohio customers; AES Ohio restored the last of them on October 3. That storm, plus a July windstorm, pushed 2024 outage time to about 503 minutes per customer, against 106 on normal days (EIA).

Where do I get a permit for a generator or EV charger in Dayton?

Inside the city, the Division of Building Inspection issues electrical and building permits. Beavercreek residents should ask their city. Either way, a licensed electrician should install the transfer switch, interlock or charger circuit and arrange the inspection.

Sources

Utilities, prices, outages and solar counts: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 data for 2024. AES Ohio net metering page, Helene restoration release (October 7, 2024) and EEI award release, read October 3, 2026. City of Dayton Division of Building Inspection pages, found October 3, 2026 (the city site did not load for us that day). Sun: NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020. Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Charging: Alternative Fuels Data Center, October 3, 2026. Generator safety: CPSC.