Georgia has no statewide net metering. Each of the state’s 41 electric membership cooperatives (EMCs) sets its own solar buyback, and most pay only avoided cost, a few cents per kWh, not the retail rate. Cobb EMC’s 2026 export rate is about 5 cents; Georgia Power credits about 7.2 cents. So on an EMC account, using your solar at home beats selling it back.
- Georgia’s average residential power price is about 15.84 cents per kWh (EIA, as of May 2026), so the bill your solar offsets at home is worth much more than a low buyback.
- Georgia’s 41 EMCs serve roughly 73% of the state’s land area and each sets its own rate; there is no single EMC net-metering law (Georgia EMC).
- Most EMCs buy exports at avoided cost. Cobb EMC’s 2026 distributed-generation rate is based on its avoided average energy and capacity cost, about 5.1 cents per kWh (Cobb EMC Rate Schedule DG).
- Georgia Power is not retail net metering either: it credits exports at the 2026 Solar Avoided Cost Rate of 3.2188 cents plus a 4-cent PSC adder, about 7.2 cents per kWh, first come, first served (Georgia Power).
- The 30% federal homeowner credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures after December 31, 2025 (IRS).
If your power comes from a Georgia electric membership cooperative rather than Georgia Power, the solar math is a little different, and the buyback question is where it matters most. Georgia has 41 EMCs, member-owned utilities that cover most of the state’s map, and each one sets its own rules for what it pays you for the solar power you send to the grid. This guide explains how EMC buyback works, why most co-ops pay only avoided cost instead of the retail rate, how the big co-ops (Cobb, Sawnee, Jackson, GreyStone) and Georgia Power compare, and what that means for sizing and paying for a system in 2026.
Georgia EMC solar at a glance
Georgia is unusual: it has never adopted statewide retail net metering, so there is no single rule that covers every home. Instead, each EMC runs its own distributed-generation tariff, and Georgia Power runs a separate avoided-cost program. The one constant is that self-consumption, the solar you use in your own home as it is produced, is worth the full retail rate you avoid paying, while exports are usually worth much less.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Who serves you | One of 41 Georgia EMCs, member-owned co-ops covering about 73% of the state’s land area |
| Statewide net metering | None. Each co-op sets its own solar buyback tariff |
| Typical EMC buyback | Avoided cost, usually a few cents per kWh, below the retail rate |
| Georgia retail rate | About 15.84 cents per kWh (EIA, May 2026), the value of solar you use at home |
| Best strategy | Size to your usage and shift use to daytime; do not oversize to chase a low buyback |
| Where to confirm | Your own co-op’s distributed-generation tariff and the Georgia PSC |
MySolarFY’s analysis (August 2026) found that an 8 kW rooftop system in Cobb EMC territory near Woodstock (ZIP 30189) produces about 11,250 kWh a year (modeled with NREL PVWatts), and at Georgia’s 15.84 cents per kWh retail rate that power is worth roughly three times more used at home than the about 5 cents Cobb EMC pays to buy it back. That gap is the whole story of EMC solar: the payback comes from the bill you avoid, not the check the co-op writes.
How EMC solar buyback works: avoided cost, not retail
Most Georgia EMCs credit your solar exports at avoided cost, not the retail rate. That wholesale value is a fraction of the roughly 15.84 cents you pay to buy power back, so using your solar at home drives the payback. A co-op is a not-for-profit that passes its wholesale power costs through to members, so it compensates your exports at roughly what it would have paid a supplier, not at retail. That is why the smart move is to size a system close to your own annual usage and use as much of your solar as you can while the sun is up, rather than overbuilding to sell a big surplus. For the mechanics of how export credits work, see how net metering credits your solar exports, and for Georgia’s statewide picture see Georgia net metering in 2026.
| Utility | How solar exports are paid (2026) | Retail or avoided cost |
|---|---|---|
| Cobb EMC | Distributed-generation rate based on avoided average energy and capacity cost, about 5.1 cents per kWh | Avoided cost |
| Jackson EMC | Excess energy credited at Jackson EMC avoided cost, with a monthly distributed-generation service charge; confirm the current figure | Avoided cost |
| Sawnee EMC | Runs a distributed-generation program that credits exports at its current filed rate; ask Sawnee for today’s per-kWh number before you count on it | Set by the co-op |
| GreyStone Power EMC | Offers distributed-generation and renewable riders; confirm the current export rate directly with GreyStone | Set by the co-op |
| Georgia Power (for comparison) | 2026 Solar Avoided Cost Rate of 3.2188 cents plus a 4-cent PSC adder, about 7.2 cents per kWh, capped and first come, first served | Avoided cost plus adder |
The exact cents move over time and each co-op files its own tariff, so treat these as a snapshot and confirm your rate directly with your EMC. What does not change is the shape: exports are worth a fraction of the retail rate, so the value of solar in Georgia is mostly in offsetting the power you would otherwise buy. To weigh payback for your own home, see the financial case for whether solar panels are worth it.
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How EMC buyback differs from Georgia Power
Neither an EMC nor Georgia Power gives you full retail net metering. The difference is in the details. Georgia Power runs a single statewide program that credits exports at the annual Solar Avoided Cost Rate, 3.2188 cents per kWh in 2026, plus a Public Service Commission-approved 4-cent adder, for a total near 7.2 cents per kWh; it is offered first come, first served up to a capacity cap, so it can fill up (Georgia Power). An EMC, by contrast, sets its own tariff, which can be a little higher or lower than Georgia Power’s and can carry a monthly distributed-generation charge. If you are comparing across a move or a service boundary, the takeaway is the same: check the specific export rate and any fixed charge before you size a system. For Georgia Power customers specifically, see how solar works on a Georgia Power account.
How to connect solar to your Georgia EMC
Interconnecting a home system with an EMC follows a set order, and you cannot switch the system on until the co-op grants permission to operate. The general path is:
- Interconnection application. You or your installer file a distributed-generation application with your specific EMC and pay any application or study fee in its tariff.
- Interconnection agreement. After the co-op reviews the application, it sends an agreement covering the export rate, any monthly charge, and metering.
- Install and inspect. The system is installed and passes your county or municipal electrical inspection.
- Meter set. The EMC installs or reconfigures a bidirectional meter that measures both delivered and exported energy.
- Permission to operate. The co-op authorizes the system to energize. It may not run on the grid before this.
Because each of the 41 EMCs has its own forms, fees, and export rate, a licensed installer with local co-op experience is worth it. For the questions to ask, see the right questions to ask a solar installer.
The rest of Georgia’s solar picture in 2026
Beyond the buyback, a few statewide facts shape the decision for any Georgia homeowner, EMC or not:
- The federal homeowner credit is gone. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so a Georgia homeowner who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS; SEIA).
- Solar is not free. A cash or loan purchase has a real up-front cost, and a lease or PPA has no up-front cost but monthly payments that typically run 20 to 25 years and may include an annual price escalator.
- One federal credit is not yours to claim. The homeowner credit (Section 25D) ended after December 31, 2025; the separate commercial Section 48E credit can apply to a leased or PPA system, but the company that owns the panels claims it, not the homeowner (IRS Clean Electricity Investment Credit).
- Georgia has no statewide residential solar rebate or state tax credit. The value comes from the retail power you offset, plus any program your own co-op offers, so confirm what your EMC has before you budget.
On a lease or PPA, the company that owns the system typically keeps the buyback credits and any renewable certificates, while your benefit is a lower or fixed power price with no up-front cost. For the full federal timeline, including how the 25D homeowner credit ended after December 31, 2025, see what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026, and for the statewide overview see solar in Georgia.
How to choose a solar installer in EMC territory
Georgia is a large solar market, so you have many licensed installers to compare. Rather than chasing a “best” list, screen any installer against objective criteria:
- NABCEP certification, the industry’s professional standard for PV installers.
- Proper Georgia licensing and any required local electrical and building permits.
- A clear workmanship and equipment warranty in writing.
- Real experience with your specific EMC’s interconnection, since the export rate, fees, and paperwork differ by co-op.
- A written production estimate and a transparent quote that is honest about the low buyback rate. For a checklist, see the right questions to ask a solar installer.
MySolarFY matches you with licensed installers that serve your area so you can compare real local quotes side by side, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
Do Georgia EMCs offer net metering?
Not full retail net metering. Georgia has no statewide net-metering law, so each of the 41 electric membership cooperatives sets its own distributed-generation tariff. Most credit the power you export at avoided cost, usually a few cents per kWh, which is well below the retail rate you pay to buy power back. A few co-ops run their own programs with slightly different terms, and some add a monthly distributed-generation charge, so confirm the current rate with your specific EMC before you size a system.
What does Cobb EMC pay for solar in 2026?
Cobb EMC compensates member-generator exports under its distributed-generation rate schedule, based on its avoided average energy and capacity cost, which works out to about 5.1 cents per kWh for systems interconnected under the current tariff (Cobb EMC Rate Schedule DG). That is an avoided-cost rate, not retail net metering, so the solar you use inside your home while it is being produced is worth far more than the credit for what you export. Rates change, so confirm the current figure with Cobb EMC.
Is EMC buyback better or worse than Georgia Power?
They are similar in shape: neither is full retail net metering. Georgia Power credits exports at its 2026 Solar Avoided Cost Rate of 3.2188 cents plus a 4-cent Public Service Commission adder, about 7.2 cents per kWh, offered first come, first served up to a cap (Georgia Power). An EMC sets its own rate, which can be a little above or below that and may carry a monthly charge. Because both pay well under the retail rate, the payback for either comes mainly from the power you use at home rather than what you sell back.
What happened to the federal solar tax credit for Georgia homeowners?
No, not the homeowner 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, so a Georgia homeowner who buys solar in 2026 with cash or a loan cannot claim it (IRS). 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.
How should I size a solar system on an EMC account?
Size it close to your own annual usage rather than oversizing to chase a surplus. Because your EMC pays only avoided cost for exports, a kWh you use at home is worth the full retail rate you avoid, about 15.84 cents in Georgia (EIA, May 2026), while a kWh you export is worth only a few cents. Shifting big loads like laundry, dishwashing, and EV charging to daylight hours raises the share you use directly, which is where the savings come from.
Reviewed by the MySolarFY team. Figures were verified against the linked Georgia (Georgia EMC, Cobb EMC, Jackson EMC, Georgia Power, Georgia Public Service Commission), EIA, NREL, IRS, and SEIA sources as of August 2026; each co-op files its own distributed-generation tariff and the per-kWh rates move over time, so confirm current terms with your specific EMC and the Georgia PSC 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 buyback credits and any renewable certificates 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 by co-op and are not guaranteed. See our full disclaimer.
