In short: Daphne has about 30,800 people and sits in Baldwin County. Alabama Power Co, Baldwin County El Member Corp and Foley Board of Utilities serves different parts of Baldwin County, so your utility depends on your address; their 2024 home averages range from 13.48¢ to 16.77¢ per kWh (EIA). FEMA rates Baldwin County hurricanes “very high”. Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,430 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, which is good for solar.
This page covers what is local to Daphne: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our Alabama energy guide and the wider area is covered in the Mobile and Baldwin County guide.
Daphne at a glance
- Place: Daphne, Baldwin County, Alabama; about 30,751 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Alabama Power Co (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 16.77¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 117 minutes of power on normal days and 334 counting major storms, with 0.9 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Daphne).
- Utility: Baldwin County El Member Corp (member-owned cooperative). Homes paid an average 13.87¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 20 minutes of power on normal days and 128 counting major storms, with 1.0 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Daphne).
- Utility: Foley Board of Utilities (city-owned). Homes paid an average 13.48¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 64 minutes of power on normal days, with 1.0 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Daphne).
- Sun: 4.90 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 2.73 in December to 6.74 in May (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,430 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 2,880 cooling degree-days and 1,270 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so air conditioning is the big load.
- Top hazards in Baldwin County: hurricanes “very high”, lightning “very high” and tornadoes “relatively high” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively high”).
- Public charging: 14 ports at 8 locations in Daphne, 3 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Alabama Power Co is an investor-owned utility and served about 1,332,911 home customers in 2024; its 16.77¢ average was close to the 16.4¢ statewide average for July 2026. Baldwin County El Member Corp is a member-owned cooperative utility and served about 83,005 home customers in 2024; its 13.87¢ average was below the 16.4¢ statewide average for July 2026. Foley Board of Utilities is a city-owned utility and served about 50,954 home customers in 2024; its 13.48¢ average was below the 16.4¢ statewide average for July 2026. Those are utility-wide averages, not a quote for your address; your own bill is the real number.
For reliability, Alabama Power Co reported 117 minutes per customer without major storms in 2024, less than the statewide figure of 118 (EIA-861). Utility-wide numbers hide a lot: a home at the end of a long rural line usually has more outages than the average.
Net metering, export rates and incentives are set at state level and by each utility. Start with the Alabama guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in Daphne
- Hurricanes (very high): Hurricanes can mean a week without power. A standby generator on natural gas or propane, or a battery with solar, beats a stack of gas cans; check flood height before you site equipment.
- Lightning (very high): Lightning causes short outages and damages electronics. Surge protection and a battery that switches over automatically protect the things you care about.
- Cooling load: an outage in Daphne summer means no air conditioning. A central unit is a big load; a large battery system or standby generator can run it, while a smaller setup keeps fans, a window unit or a mini-split going.
- Short outages: a portable power station covers phones, Wi-Fi, a CPAP and lights; a home battery switches over automatically.
Size your setup with the generator sizing tool and the battery backup calculator, and compare options in backup power. Generator safety (CPSC): outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust away from doors and windows, never in a garage, and battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms inside. A licensed electrician should install any transfer switch, with a permit; see generator installation.
Solar in Daphne
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,430 kWh a year in Daphne (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Alabama Power Co’s 2024 average of 16.77¢, that is about $240 a year per kW if all of it offsets your own use (an estimate, not a promise). Production swings with the seasons: May is the sunniest month at 6.74 and December the dimmest at 2.73, a 2.5-to-1 gap.
Check your own roof with the solar potential tool, see solar costs and net metering vs net billing, and read the steps in solar installation. Hail and storm exposure are worth raising with installers and your insurer.
Batteries and EV charging
A home battery earns its place when outages are frequent, when your utility pays little for exported solar, or when evening prices are high; compare in home batteries and battery costs. Daphne has 14 public charging ports in the federal station list including 3 DC fast, but home charging is cheaper and easier: see the EV charging cost calculator and EV charger installation.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Daphne: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
Solar, generator transfer switches and EV chargers normally need an electrical permit from the Daphne building or permitting department, or from Baldwin County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Daphne, so check the city and county websites or ask your electrician, who will know the process. Hire only a licensed electrician or installer; the Alabama guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: Mobile and Baldwin County energy guide, Mobile and Foley, or the whole Alabama energy guide.
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Daphne energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Daphne?
Alabama Power Co, Baldwin County El Member Corp and Foley Board of Utilities all serve parts of Baldwin County. Which one serves you depends on your street, so check the top of your bill. Their 2024 home price averages differ (Alabama Power Co 16.77¢, Baldwin County El Member Corp 13.87¢, Foley Board of Utilities 13.48¢) so it matters for solar math.
How much power will solar make in Daphne?
About 1,430 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 8,580 kWh. Shade, roof direction and tilt change this; run your address through the solar potential tool for a better number.
Is a generator or a battery better for hurricanes in Baldwin County?
It depends how long the outage lasts. A battery is quiet, automatic and good for short outages and for pairing with solar; a standby generator keeps going as long as it has fuel, which suits multi-day events. Many homes use a battery for everyday outages and add a generator for the rare long one.
Can solar and a battery run my air conditioner during an outage?
Yes if the system is sized for it. A central air conditioner needs a large battery or generator, so many people back up one room or a mini-split instead. Use the battery backup calculator to see the runtime for your appliances.
Do I need a permit for solar or a generator in Daphne?
Almost always an electrical permit for a transfer switch, solar or an EV charger, issued by the city or county where you live. Your licensed electrician or installer normally pulls it. Never connect a generator to your house wiring without a transfer switch.
Sources: EIA Form 861 (2024) for utility prices and outages; NASA POWER climatology (2001 to 2025) for sun and degree-days; FEMA National Risk Index for county hazards; AFDC station locator for public charging; Census Bureau for population. Estimates are ours and are not promises; see our editorial policy. Prices and programs change, so check each program page.