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Solar Savings Calculator 2026: Bill, Payback & 25-Yr Savings

Estimate 2026 solar savings from your electric bill, rate, sun hours and net metering. See installed cost, payback and 25-year net savings for your home.

✓ EIA & NREL data ✓ 2026 federal policy applied ✓ Runs in your browser — nothing stored

· By Green Energy Calculators Editorial Team

$1,350 Year-1 savings ($150 bill)
6.0–26.3 yrs Payback range by state (8 kW)
$22,000 Installed cost ($150 bill)

Update an input to refresh the available results. Results depend on the information you provide and may require local utility or program details.

Enter your details
$
Use a 12-month average from your utility bills.
ft²
Unshaded south-, east- or west-facing roof. About 100 sq ft per kW.
4.5 hrs/day
Use the state selector to load your local value. Site average: 4.5 hours (approximate, based on NREL data).
18.19¢/kWh
Check your bill or use the state selector. US residential average used on this site: 18.19¢ (EIA, July 2026 year-to-date).
Share of your bill a right-sized system removes in year 1. Check your utility's solar export rules or DSIRE.
$
Total quote ÷ system watts. $3.00/W is a blended US figure for 2026; many marketplace quotes are near $2.60/W.
$
Only rebates you have confirmed (check DSIRE or your utility). No federal credit applies to 2026 installs.
Your estimated results
Year-1 savings
$1,350
first year, at today's rate
25-year net savings
$24,000
after paying back the net cost
System size
7.3 kW
Installed cost
$22,000
Federal credit (ended 2025)
$0
Net cost after rebates
$22,000
Payback period
16.3 yrs
Annual production
9,896 kWh
⚠️ Estimates only. Get 3+ quotes from local installers for exact pricing. Assumes no federal tax credit (§25D ended for systems installed after Dec 31, 2025), your selected bill-offset share, 3%/yr electricity price increases, 0.5%/yr panel degradation and a 82% production factor.

How much does solar save at different bill sizes in 2026?

A right-sized system saves roughly 55–87% of your electric bill in year one, depending on net metering. At the US average offset (0.75), that is about $900 a year on a $100 bill and $1,800 a year on a $200 bill, with a payback of about 16.3 years when no federal credit applies.

Monthly billSystem sizeInstalled costYear-1 savingsSimple payback25-yr net savings
$1004.9 kW~$14,700~$900~16.3 yrs~$16,000
$1507.3 kW~$22,000~$1,350~16.3 yrs~$24,000
$2009.8 kW~$29,400~$1,800~16.3 yrs~$32,000
$25012.2 kW~$36,700~$2,250~16.3 yrs~$40,000

Assumptions: 18.19¢/kWh (US residential average, EIA, July 2026 year-to-date), 4.5 peak sun hours, 82% production factor, $3.00/W installed, 0.75 bill offset, no federal tax credit, no rebates, 3%/yr rate escalation, 0.5%/yr degradation. These figures update automatically when we refresh EIA data.

How does net metering change your solar savings?

Net metering is the biggest single driver after your electricity rate. The same $150/month home with a 7.3 kW, ~$22,000 system saves very different amounts depending on how your utility credits exported power.

Net-metering situationBill offsetYear-1 savingsSimple payback25-yr net savings
Full retail net metering0.87~$1,566~14.0 yrs~$31,400
US average0.75~$1,350~16.3 yrs~$24,000
Net billing / reduced export0.70~$1,260~17.5 yrs~$21,000
Low export (CA NEM 3.0, HI)0.60~$1,080~20.4 yrs~$14,800
No statewide net metering0.55~$990~22.2 yrs~$11,800

Assumptions: $150/month bill, same inputs as the table above. Low-export states usually have much higher rates and more sun than the national average, which shortens payback there; use the state selector for local values.

Sources: federal policy from the IRS FAQ on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act changes to §25D and related credits; electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA); production assumptions consistent with NREL PVWatts; installed prices from EnergySage and LBNL Tracking the Sun; state net-metering and rebate programs from DSIRE.

Estimate scope & data quality

  1. SEO Quick Estimate Uses the inputs available in this calculator.
  2. Personalized Estimate Use your own bill and location information where this calculator supports it.
  3. Detailed Solar Economics NOT_COMPUTABLE here without a verified tariff, system design, quote, and eligibility record.
Data quality
NOT_AVAILABLE
Result limitation
Calculator output is not a source-complete customer result.

A tariff credit is distinct from annual savings. If a result is NOT_COMPUTABLE or CONFLICT, it must not be replaced with an estimate or treated as canonical.

How to use this calculator

  1. Enter your average monthly electricity bill in dollars (use a 12-month average if you can).
  2. Enter your usable, mostly south-, east- or west-facing roof area in square feet (about 100 sq ft per kW).
  3. Set your daily peak sun hours and electricity rate, or load both from the state selector (US site average: 4.5 hours and 18.19¢/kWh, EIA, July 2026 year-to-date).
  4. Pick your net-metering situation: full retail, net billing, low export (for example California NEM 3.0 or Hawaii) or no statewide net metering.
  5. Enter the installed price per watt from your quotes (default $3.00/W) and any state, utility or local rebate you have confirmed.
  6. Read your year-1 savings, installed cost, payback period and 25-year net savings. No federal tax credit is applied for 2026 installs.

Understanding your results

Year-1 savings = the electricity your system produces (up to your current usage) × your rate × a bill-offset share. The offset share reflects net metering: about 0.87 with full retail net metering, 0.70 with net billing, 0.60 in low-export markets such as California NEM 3.0 or Hawaii, and 0.55 where there is no statewide net metering. Fixed charges and exports credited below retail are why you rarely erase 100% of a bill.

System size is the smaller of what your roof fits (about 100 sq ft per kW) and what covers your annual use: kW = annual kWh ÷ (sun hours × 365 × 0.82). The 0.82 factor covers inverter, wiring, heat and soiling losses, in line with NREL PVWatts defaults.

Installed cost = system watts × your price per watt. The default $3.00/W is a blended US figure; EnergySage marketplace quotes averaged about $2.60/W in 2026 and full-market medians (LBNL Tracking the Sun) run higher. Any rebate you enter is subtracted to give net cost.

Federal tax credit: $0 for 2026 installs. Until Dec 31, 2025, homeowners could claim 30% of the cost under §25D. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21, signed July 4, 2025) ended that credit for systems whose installation is completed after Dec 31, 2025 (IRS FAQ on the OBBB changes). This is not tax advice; confirm your situation with a tax professional.

25-year net savings adds up 25 years of savings with electricity prices rising 3% a year and panel output falling 0.5% a year, then subtracts the net cost. It is shown as a single number; if it is negative, solar does not pay back within 25 years at your inputs.

Frequently asked questions

Direct answers for US homeowners.

At the US site averages (18.19¢/kWh, EIA, July 2026 year-to-date; 4.5 sun hours) a $150/month bill needs a system of about 7.3 kW costing roughly $22,000 at $3.00/W. With average net metering (0.75 offset) it saves about $1,350 in year one, pays back in about 16.3 years, and nets roughly $24,000 over 25 years. Full retail net metering (0.87 offset) raises year-1 savings to about $1,566.

Related guides

In-depth articles on sizing, costs, and energy decisions.

How Many Solar Panels for a $300 Electric Bill? (2026 Guide) Are Solar Panels Worth It in 2026? (Honest US Guide) How Many Solar Panels Do I Need? (2026 Sizing Guide)

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