Solar Costs & Savings
The complete financial picture for going solar: what it costs, what it saves, how the tax credit works, how to finance it, and what it does to your home value. Every dollar figure on this site uses real 2026 market data and NREL production models.
Start with How Much Do Solar Panels Cost for current pricing. Then Are Solar Panels Worth It for the full payback analysis. The Solar Savings Calculator ties everything together — input your numbers and see your exact ROI, payback period, and 25-year savings.
All 19 Articles
Solar Tax Credit Calculator: How Much Is The 30% Federal ITC Worth? (2026)
Calculate your federal solar tax credit (ITC). The 30% credit covers the full installed cost through 2032. Learn how it works, the step-down schedule, common mistakes, and state credits that stack.
Read article →Solar ROI Calculator: Calculate Your Return On Investment (2026)
Calculate the total return on investment for solar panels over 25 years. Typical ROI is 150-400%. Learn the formula, what drives returns, and how solar compares to other investments.
Read article →Solar Payback Period Calculator: When Do Solar Panels Pay For Themselves?
Calculate how many years until your solar panels pay for themselves. The US average is 6-10 years. See payback by state, what shortens it, and what extends it.
Read article →Solar Panel Cost Per Watt: What Is A Good Price In 2026?
Cost per watt ($/W) is the standard metric for comparing solar quotes. The US average is $2.50-$3.20/W installed in 2026. Learn what drives $/W, historical trends, and what counts as a good price.
Read article →Solar Panel Cost Calculator: Estimate Your Total Price (2026)
Use our solar panel cost calculator to estimate your total system price in 2026. Learn what goes into the cost, how to read a solar quote, and red flags to watch for.
Read article →Solar Loan Vs Cash Vs Lease Vs PPA: Which Financing Is Best? (2026)
Compare cash, solar loans, leases, and PPAs for financing solar panels. Cash gives the highest ROI. Loans keep the tax credit. Leases require zero down. Here is when each makes sense.
Read article →Net Metering By State: Which States Still Offer Full Retail Credit? (2026)
Net metering policies for all 50 US states in 2026. Find out if your state offers full retail credit, reduced rates, or no net metering — and how it affects your solar payback.
Read article →Cost Of Solar Panels By State: Average Prices Per Watt (2026)
Solar installation costs for every US state in 2026. Compare $/W prices, after-ITC costs, electricity rates, and payback periods. Arizona and Texas are cheapest at $2.50/W; New York and Massachusetts are most expensive at $3.10–$3.20/W.
Read article →Cost Of A 5 kW Solar System: Price, Production, And Payback (2026)
A 5 kW solar system costs $12,500–$16,000 installed ($8,750–$11,200 after the 30% federal tax credit). It produces 6,000–12,000 kWh/year and covers 55–100% of the average home.
Read article →Cost Of A 1 kW Solar System (2–3 Panels): Price, Output, And Is It Worth It?
A 1 kW solar system costs $3,000–$4,500 installed ($2,100–$3,150 after the 30% federal tax credit). Learn what it produces, who it's for, and whether the economics work at this size.
Read article →Cost Of A 10 kW Solar System: Price, Production, And Payback (2026)
A 10 kW solar system costs $25,000–$32,000 installed ($17,500–$22,400 after the 30% federal tax credit). It produces 12,000–24,000 kWh/year — enough to cover most homes entirely with excess for net metering.
Read article →Solar Tax Credit 2026: How The Federal ITC Works + State Incentives (Calculator)
The federal solar tax credit (ITC) is 30 % of your total system cost through 2032 — a $22,000 system gets a $6,600 credit. Not a deduction: a dollar-for-dollar reduction of your federal tax bill. Interactive calculator with state incentives, step-by-step claiming guide (IRS Form 5695), ITC timeline through 2035, income limits (none), leasing implications, commercial credits, and state-by-state incentive overview.
Read article →Solar Savings Calculator: ROI, Payback Period And 25-Year Savings (Free Tool)
Calculate your exact solar savings, payback period, and ROI with our all-in-one calculator. Input your system size, cost, electricity rate, sun hours, tax credit, and financing to see 25-year total savings, monthly savings, and a year-by-year breakdown showing when your system pays for itself. Average US homeowner saves $35,000–$50,000 over 25 years with a 6–9 year payback.
Read article →Solar Panel Financing: Lease vs Buy vs PPA — Which Is Best? (2026 Guide)
Buying solar (cash or loan) saves $39,000–$44,000 over 25 years and you keep the 30% tax credit. Leasing saves $18,000–$24,000 but the company keeps the credit and the lease complicates home sales. PPA saves $20,000–$28,000 at a fixed per-kWh rate. Full comparison of cash, loan, lease, and PPA with 25-year cost analysis, financing options, and the home-sale impact.
Read article →Solar Panel Cost Per kWh: What Does Solar Electricity Actually Cost? (LCOE Explained)
Residential solar electricity costs $0.05–$0.10 per kWh over 25 years — less than half the U.S. average grid rate of $0.165/kWh. And unlike grid rates that rise 3%/year, solar cost per kWh is locked in at installation. Full LCOE calculation, state-by-state comparison, historical trend, and the formula to compute your own.
Read article →How Much Do Solar Panels Save On Your Electricity Bill? (+ Net Metering Explained)
Solar panels save the average US homeowner $100–$200 per month by reducing electricity bills 60–100 %. Net metering credits excess solar production sent to the grid, offsetting nighttime usage. Full guide to how solar lowers your bill, net metering mechanics, selling power back to the grid, grid-tied vs off-grid vs hybrid systems, and when to add a battery.
Read article →How Much Do Solar Panels Cost? 2026 Prices Per Watt, Per Panel & Per System
Solar panels cost $2.50–$3.50 per watt installed in 2026. A typical 8 kW system: $24,800 before incentives. Individual panels: $130–$250 each. The federal 30% tax credit ended in 2025. Full cost-per-watt breakdown, system pricing by size, Tesla pricing, home value impact, and historical price trends.
Read article →Do Solar Panels Increase Home Value? (+ Insurance, Roof Damage And Resale Guide)
Solar panels add an average of 4.1 % ($32,800 for an 8 kW system) to home value according to Zillow research. Homeowners insurance typically increases $10–$25/month. Properly installed panels do not damage your roof. Owned solar adds value; leased solar complicates home sales. Full guide with data by state, insurance coverage details, roof damage facts, and safety.
Read article →Are Solar Panels Worth It? ROI Calculator + Full Savings Breakdown (2026)
Solar panels pay back in 6–13 years and return 10–20 % annually for the remaining 15+ years. At average U.S. rates an 8 kW system saves $25,000–$75,000 over 25 years — even without the federal tax credit (ended 2025). Full state-by-state savings table, payback calculator, and the honest 'when solar is NOT worth it' scenarios.
Read article →More Topics
How solar panels convert sunlight to electricity, panel types (monocrystalline, polycrystalline, thin-film), datasheet specs (STC, NOCT, NMOT), efficiency, voltage, and everything you need to understand before buying.
Free solar calculators for system sizing: how many panels for your house, output by system size, rooftop fit, tilt angle optimization, and daily kWh production. NREL PVWatts-based formulas.
Battery sizing calculator, LiFePO4 guide, MPPT vs PWM charge controllers, wiring panels to batteries, charge time calculators, and Tesla Powerwall specs. Everything for battery-based solar systems.
Complete solar panel installation guide: DIY vs professional, step-by-step process, permits, roof mount vs ground mount, series vs parallel wiring, and string inverter vs microinverter comparison.
How to maintain solar panels for maximum lifetime production: cleaning, monitoring, degradation tracking, performance in snow and clouds, and when to call a professional.
Solar sizing guides for specific applications: RV and campervan solar, EV charging, air conditioner sizing, well pump systems, and Tesla charging. Interactive calculators included.