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Understand solar in 2026

The rules changed this year — the 30% federal tax credit expired December 31, 2025. Our honest, verified guides explain what it means for your wallet:

• How Much Does Solar Cost in 2026?
• Solar Tax Credit 2026: What Changed
• Solar Incentives 2026 by State
• Is Solar Worth It in 2026?
• Is a Solar Battery Worth It in 2026?

Solar by state

Incentives and net metering vary widely by state. See your state's 2026 picture:

California · Texas · Florida · New York · Louisiana · Mississippi · All states →

Going solar in 2026: what homeowners should know

2026 is a different landscape than the last decade of solar. The biggest change: the 30% federal residential tax credit (Section 25D) expired on December 31, 2025. Homeowners who buy a system with cash or a loan this year no longer get that credit — though a federal benefit still flows through leases and PPAs, where the installer claims the commercial credit and passes savings through lower payments. The practical takeaway: your savings now depend far more on where you live — your state incentives, your utility's net-metering rules, and your electricity rate — than on a single federal number.

What solar actually costs now

A typical home system runs about $2.50–$3.50 per watt — roughly $15,000–$30,000 before incentives. Quick breakdown:

• Cost depends on system size, roof, equipment, and location.
• Most of the price is the inverter, racking, labor, permits, and interconnection — not the panels.
• With the federal credit gone for purchases, sticker price ≈ your real out-of-pocket cost.

Our 2026 cost guide breaks it down by system size and shows what pushes your quote up or down.

What still makes solar worth it

Even without the federal credit, solar still pays off for many homeowners. The case is strongest where three things line up:

• High electricity rates — every utility rate hike makes your panels' output more valuable.
• Good net metering — full retail credit for exports beats "net billing."
• Strong state incentives — NJ, MA, NY, and MD stack net metering with multi-year SREC income and tax exemptions; sun-rich states like AZ and NV lean on production and favorable buyback rates.

See Is Solar Worth It in 2026? and our state-by-state incentives guide.

How your savings are calculated

Your savings come from offsetting the electricity you'd otherwise buy, plus credits for power you export. Two rules shape the math:

• Net metering — how your utility credits exports (full retail is best; "net billing" pays less).
• Performance incentives like SRECs.

Where exports are credited below retail, using your own power as it's produced — and sometimes adding a battery — protects your savings. Payback periods in 2026 typically run 8–15 years for purchased systems, and under 8 in the highest-rate markets.

When solar makes the most sense

• ✅ A clear win if you pay a high electricity rate, use a lot of power, own your home and plan to stay, and have a good, mostly unshaded roof.
• ⚠️ A tougher call where power is cheap, the roof is shaded or needs replacing, or you're moving soon.

The only way to know your real numbers is your own roof, rate, and usage — which is exactly what a quote shows you.