In short: Mobile has about 201,400 people and sits in Mobile County. Alabama Power Co serves the county, averaging 16.77¢ per kWh for homes in 2024 (EIA). FEMA rates Mobile County hurricanes “very high”. Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,400 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, which is good for solar.
This page covers what is local to Mobile: 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.
Mobile at a glance
- Place: Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama; about 201,367 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 Mobile).
- Sun: 4.81 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 2.68 in December to 6.54 in May (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,400 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 Mobile County: hurricanes “very high”, lightning “very high” and river and heavy-rain flooding “relatively high” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “relatively high”).
- Public charging: 92 ports at 34 locations in Mobile, 30 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. 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 Mobile
- 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 Mobile 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 Mobile
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,400 kWh a year in Mobile (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 $235 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 6.54 and December the dimmest at 2.68, a 2.4-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. Mobile has 92 public charging ports in the federal station list including 30 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 Mobile: 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 Mobile building or permitting department, or from Mobile County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Mobile, 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, Daphne and Foley, or the whole Alabama energy guide.
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Mobile energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Mobile?
Federal data lists Alabama Power Co as the main utility serving Mobile County. Small areas can be served by a different company or a co-op, so confirm on your bill.
How much power will solar make in Mobile?
About 1,400 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 8,400 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 Mobile 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 Mobile?
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.