In Columbus, AEP Ohio is the wires utility, but Ohio is deregulated, so you pick your own generation supplier. AEP Ohio credits the solar you export at the generation-only rate, roughly 10 to 11 cents per kWh, not the full retail rate near 19.5 cents. Power you use on-site avoids the full retail rate, which is where most of the savings sit.
If you live in Columbus or Franklin County, this page explains how rooftop solar actually pays off here in 2026. Ohio runs on a deregulated retail market, so the company that delivers your power and the company that generates it can be two different businesses. AEP Ohio owns the poles and wires for most of Columbus and stays your utility no matter which supplier you choose. That split matters for solar, because it changes how your exported power is credited. Below you will find the verified local rate, how AEP Ohio net metering works, Columbus permitting, Ohio SRECs, and the federal tax credit that ended after December 31, 2025.
Columbus solar at a glance
Here are the numbers that drive a solar decision in Columbus, each tied to a primary source. Treat the rate, the generation credit, and SREC values as figures that move over time, so confirm the current numbers before you sign.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Wires utility | AEP Ohio delivers power to most of Columbus and Franklin County, regardless of your supplier |
| Retail market | Deregulated: you choose your generation supplier, or take AEP Ohio’s Standard Service Offer |
| Ohio residential rate | About 19.5 cents per kWh (EIA, May 2026), near the U.S. average of about 18.4 cents |
| Net-metering credit | Exports credited at the generation-only Standard Service Offer rate, not full retail |
| SRECs | Ohio has an active SREC market, but values have been low; treat any quote as a snapshot |
| Permitting | City of Columbus Building and Zoning Services in the city; Franklin County EDP in unincorporated areas |
| Sun resource (ZIP 43215) | A 6 kW system models to about 7,860 kWh a year (NREL PVWatts) |
Sources: the state rate is from the EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (May 2026), the production estimate is from NREL’s free PVWatts calculator for ZIP 43215, and Ohio’s net-metering rule is set by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
What Columbus solar is worth: a MySolarFY estimate
A typical 6 kW rooftop system in Columbus is modeled to make about 7,860 kWh a year (NREL PVWatts). At Ohio’s residential rate of about 19.5 cents per kWh, the power you use on-site is worth roughly $1,530 a year in avoided electricity. Every kWh you export instead is credited lower, at AEP Ohio’s generation rate near 10 to 11 cents, so the value tilts toward using your own solar as you make it.
This is a MySolarFY estimate that multiplies PVWatts output by the EIA state rate; it is not a quote. Your real numbers depend on roof, usage, supplier, and system size.
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How AEP Ohio credits your solar: the net-metering reality
AEP Ohio credits exported solar at its generation rate, near 10 to 11 cents per kWh, not the full retail rate near 19.5 cents. The power you use on-site is worth far more than the power you export. Under Ohio’s net-metering rule, an investor-owned utility like AEP Ohio credits the solar you send to the grid at the generation-only portion of the Standard Service Offer, not the full retail rate (PUCO net metering). In practice that export credit has run near 10 to 11 cents per kWh, while the full retail rate you avoid by using your own solar is closer to 19.5 cents. There is no dollar buy-back check at retail value here, so the math rewards sizing a system to your own usage rather than oversizing it to push extra power onto the grid. For the mechanics of how export credits work in general, see how net metering credits your solar exports. Confirm AEP Ohio’s current credit rate and rider structure before you commit, since the generation rate resets on a schedule.
| What happens to your solar | How it is valued |
|---|---|
| Power you use as you make it | Avoids the full retail rate, about 19.5 cents per kWh |
| Power you export to the grid | Credited at the generation-only SSO rate, about 10 to 11 cents per kWh |
| SRECs your system earns | Sold separately on Ohio’s market; recent values have been low |
Because the retail rate is what your solar offsets first, the case for solar in Columbus rests on how much of your own power you can use. To weigh payback, see the financial case for whether solar panels are worth it, and for the wider state picture read our Ohio solar guide and the Ohio solar cost breakdown.
Ohio SRECs: an extra, but a small one
Ohio still has an SREC market, but do not count on it for much. Your system earns one Solar Renewable Energy Credit for roughly every 1,000 kWh it produces, which you can sell on the Ohio market through a broker or aggregator (SRECTrade Ohio). The catch is price: Ohio SREC values have traded low in recent periods, a small fraction of what tighter markets like New Jersey or Maryland pay. Treat any quoted SREC income as a snapshot that can change, not a fixed part of your payback. If you finance through a lease or PPA, the SRECs usually go to the company that owns the panels, not to you.
Permits and interconnection in Columbus
Where your home sits decides who issues the permit. Inside the City of Columbus, rooftop solar permits go through Columbus Building and Zoning Services at 111 N. Front Street, and a city-registered electrical contractor, not the homeowner, pulls the electrical permit after plan review. In unincorporated Franklin County, the county’s Economic Development and Planning department handles it, and its combined PV Systems Form serves as the building permit, electrical permit, and zoning check in one, with a rough inspection during the build and a final inspection at completion. After local inspection passes, AEP Ohio must approve interconnection and set a meter before you can switch the system on. A licensed local installer normally handles this whole paperwork chain for you, which is one reason it pays to compare installers who already know the Columbus and Franklin County process.
The federal tax credit changed for 2026
The 30% federal homeowner credit is gone for new purchases. The federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (IRS). A Columbus homeowner who buys solar in 2026 with cash or a loan cannot claim that 30% credit. A separate commercial credit (Section 48E) can apply to leased and PPA systems, but the business that owns the system claims it, not you. Ohio net metering and the SREC market were not changed by the federal law. For a fuller explanation, see our guide on what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026.
Is your Columbus home a good fit?
A sunny, mostly unshaded roof is the biggest factor. Solar pays off best in Columbus when your roof gets good midday sun, your yearly power use is high, and you use most of your solar as you make it rather than exporting it. A south-facing roof with little shade helps, since Columbus sits at a moderate sun resource, about 7,860 kWh a year from a 6 kW system by PVWatts. If you rent, have heavy shade, or plan to move soon, the numbers get tighter. The fastest way to see your own picture is to compare quotes from licensed installers who serve Franklin County and know AEP Ohio’s process. Before you sign anything, read our list of questions to ask a solar installer.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the electric utility for solar in Columbus, Ohio?
For most of Columbus and Franklin County, AEP Ohio is the regulated distribution, or wires, utility, and it stays your utility no matter which generation supplier you pick. Ohio is a deregulated retail market, so you can buy your electricity generation from a competitive supplier or take AEP Ohio’s Standard Service Offer, but AEP Ohio still delivers the power and runs the net-metering and interconnection process for rooftop solar. Confirm your own address, since a small number of Columbus-area homes sit outside AEP Ohio territory.
Does AEP Ohio pay full retail for solar I send to the grid?
No. Under Ohio’s net-metering rule, AEP Ohio credits the solar you export at the generation-only portion of the Standard Service Offer, which has run near 10 to 11 cents per kWh, not the full retail rate closer to 19.5 cents. The power you use on-site as you make it still avoids the full retail rate, so that self-used power is worth more than exported power. There is no retail-value annual buy-back check here. Confirm the current generation credit with AEP Ohio, since that rate resets on a schedule.
What happened to the federal solar tax credit?
The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. A Columbus homeowner who buys solar in 2026 with cash or a loan cannot claim it. A separate commercial credit (Section 48E) can apply to leased and PPA systems, but the business that owns the system claims it, not the homeowner. Ohio net metering and the SREC market were not affected by that federal change.
Are Ohio SRECs worth much for a Columbus home?
Ohio has an active SREC market, so your system earns about one credit per 1,000 kWh it produces, which you sell through a broker or aggregator. But Ohio SREC prices have traded low in recent periods, well below tighter markets in other states, so treat any quoted SREC income as a snapshot that can change rather than a reliable part of your payback. If you lease or sign a PPA, the SRECs usually go to the company that owns the panels, not to you.
How much power will solar make in Columbus?
A typical 6 kW rooftop system in Columbus, ZIP 43215, models to about 7,860 kWh a year using NREL’s PVWatts calculator, which works out to a capacity factor around 15%. Your real output depends on roof direction, tilt, shade, and system size, so run your own address through PVWatts or ask an installer for a site-specific estimate. Columbus sits at a moderate sun resource, lower than the Southwest but workable for solar when the rest of the numbers line up.
Do I qualify for solar if I lease or sign a PPA in Columbus?
Many homeowners can go solar with no up-front cost through a lease or power purchase agreement, where a company owns the panels and you pay a lower or fixed rate for the power. The trade-off is that the company that owns the system usually keeps the SRECs and any tax benefits, and lease or PPA terms often run 20 to 25 years with a possible annual price escalator, so total payments can exceed a cash purchase. If you want the net-metering value and SRECs in your own name, owning the system through cash or a loan is the path that captures them. Compare offers before you sign.
Reviewed by the MySolarFY team. Figures were verified against the linked EIA, NREL PVWatts, PUCO, SRECTrade, City of Columbus, Franklin County, and IRS sources as of August 2026; the electricity rate, AEP Ohio’s generation credit, and Ohio SREC prices all move over time, so confirm current terms with AEP Ohio and the PUCO before you decide. MySolarFY does not provide tax or financial advice; consult a licensed professional about your own situation. Learn more about the MySolarFY team and how we work.
MySolarFY is a free service that matches homeowners with licensed solar installers. We are not an installer, financing company, or government program. “No up-front cost” refers to qualifying lease or PPA financing, where eligible homeowners may have no out-of-pocket cost at installation. Lease and PPA terms typically run 20 to 25 years, may include an annual price escalator, and total payments may exceed the cost of a cash purchase; on a lease or PPA the SRECs and bill credits often go to the company that owns the system, not the homeowner. Homeowners do not get the federal residential credit that ended after December 31, 2025. Solar panels are not free and monthly payments apply. Eligibility, savings, incentives, and rates vary and are not guaranteed. See our full disclaimer.
