As of August 2026, Georgia has no statewide net metering law. Georgia Power’s better Monthly Netting program is capped and full, so new home solar uses instantaneous netting: your panels offset use at about 15.84 cents per kWh, but exports earn only about 7 cents. EMCs and city utilities set their own rules. Verify yours first.
If you are researching solar in Georgia, “net metering” is the rule that decides what your extra power is worth, and in Georgia that rule is weaker than most people expect. This page explains, honestly, how Georgia credits rooftop solar in 2026, why exported power earns far less than the power you use yourself, and what that means for how you size a system. For the full statewide picture, start with our Georgia solar guide, then use this page to understand the netting mechanics before you sign anything.
What net metering is, and what Georgia actually offers
Net metering is the billing arrangement that credits the surplus solar power you send to the grid. Under full retail net metering, every kilowatt-hour you export is credited at the same price you pay to buy power, so your meter effectively runs backward at a 1:1 rate. Georgia does not have that. There is no statewide net metering mandate, so what you get depends entirely on your utility, and the state’s largest utility no longer offers full retail credit to new solar homes.
That is the honest headline for Georgia: your solar still pays off, but mostly through the grid power you stop buying, not through selling surplus back at a rich rate. Georgia’s strong sun and a moderate electricity rate of about 15.84 cents per kWh (EIA retail sales, residential Georgia, as of May 2026) keep the math working. The way to win here is to use more of your own solar directly, rather than counting on export credits.
Georgia Power’s netting: from Monthly Netting to instantaneous
Georgia Power does not offer full retail net metering to new residential customers. The utility once ran a residential Monthly Netting program that credited exports more generously, but it was capped and filled back in 2021, so it is closed to new customers (SEIA). New home solar customers go on instantaneous netting instead, under Georgia Power’s RNR tariff: your panels offset your home’s use in real time at full retail value, but any surplus you export is credited near the utility’s avoided-cost rate, which is well below the retail rate you pay. For 2026, Georgia Power sets that export credit at about 3.22 cents per kWh, plus an additional 4 cents per kWh approved in its 2022 rate case, so roughly 7 cents per kWh in total (Georgia Power). Rates change, so verify the current figure before you sign. For the utility-by-utility details, see our Georgia Power solar guide, and for the general mechanics see how net metering credits your solar exports.
| What happens to your solar power | What it is worth to you (Georgia Power, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Power you use in your home as it is generated | Full retail value, about 15.84 cents per kWh you avoid buying |
| Surplus you export to the grid (instantaneous netting) | Credited near avoided cost, roughly 7 cents per kWh, well below retail |
| Power stored in a home battery for later use | Retail value, since you use it yourself instead of exporting it cheaply |
MySolarFY estimate (August 2026). Take a typical 7 kW rooftop system in metro Atlanta. NREL’s PVWatts models it producing about 9,812 kWh in its first year (PVWatts). Assume the home self-consumes about 65 percent of that and exports the other 35 percent. The self-used 6,378 kWh is worth about 15.84 cents each, roughly $1,010, while the exported 3,434 kWh earns only about 7 cents each, roughly $248, for about $1,258 in year one. Under a 1:1 retail credit the same output would be worth about $1,554, so Georgia’s weak export rate costs this home on the order of $296 in the first year. Push self-consumption toward 85 percent with better sizing and a battery, and you recover most of that gap. That is exactly why self-consumption matters more on a Georgia account than in a full-net-metering state.
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EMCs and municipal utilities set their own rules
Georgia Power is the largest utility, but it is not the only one, and the netting rules above do not automatically apply to everyone. Roughly 41 member-owned EMC cooperatives, such as Cobb EMC, Jackson EMC, and Sawnee EMC, and dozens of city-owned municipal utilities each set their own solar export and rate rules. Some offer a slightly better export credit than Georgia Power, some offer less, and some add a monthly fee for solar customers. None of them are required by state law to give you full retail net metering.
| Who serves your address | How solar exports are typically credited |
|---|---|
| Georgia Power (largest utility, most of the state) | Instantaneous netting; Monthly Netting closed and full. Exports credited near avoided cost, roughly 7 cents per kWh for 2026 |
| EMC cooperatives (Cobb, Jackson, Sawnee, and others) | Each co-op sets its own rule; some pay a little more, some less, some add a solar fee. Verify in writing |
| Municipal utilities (city-owned systems) | Each city sets its own export and rate policy; no statewide net metering mandate applies. Verify with your city |
So the single most important step before you size a system is to confirm your own provider. If an EMC or a municipal utility serves your address rather than Georgia Power, get that provider’s current export policy in writing, and do not assume the Georgia Power terms apply to you. Your installer or your latest bill will tell you who your utility actually is.
Why export credits are weaker in Georgia, and what to do about it
The reason exports are worth so little comes down to policy. With no statewide net metering mandate, Georgia utilities are free to credit surplus solar at avoided cost, the wholesale value of that power to the utility, rather than at the retail price you pay. Georgia Power’s roughly 7 cents per kWh export credit is less than half of its roughly 15.84 cents retail rate, so a kilowatt-hour you export is worth less than half of a kilowatt-hour you use yourself. That single fact should reshape how you plan a system. For a coastal example of the same math, see our Savannah solar guide.
- Right-size to your usage. A system sized to cover your own daytime use, rather than an oversized array built to export, captures far more value in Georgia.
- Shift usage into the sun. Running the dishwasher, laundry, EV charging, or pre-cooling during daylight turns cheap exports into full-retail self-use.
- Consider a battery. Storing midday surplus and using it in the evening keeps that power at retail value instead of selling it for about 7 cents. In a weak-export state, storage economics look better than they do under full net metering.
- Model payback honestly. Ask any installer to quote your savings on instantaneous netting and the low export rate, not on full retail net metering. Weigh it with our Georgia solar cost guide.
What changed federally, and what it means in 2026
The 25D homeowner tax credit ended on December 31, 2025. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after that date, 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). This is a federal change, and it did not touch Georgia’s netting rules, which were already weak. 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. For the full timeline, see what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026.
Heads up: any Georgia solar quote that promises full retail net metering or a rich buyback rate is out of date. Confirm your export terms directly with your utility before you sign, and treat surplus export credits as a small bonus, not the core of your savings. MySolarFY does not provide tax advice; ask a licensed professional about your own situation.
Frequently asked questions
Does Georgia have net metering in 2026?
Not as a statewide law. Georgia has no net metering mandate, so credit for exported solar is set by each utility. Georgia Power’s better Monthly Netting program was capped and filled back in 2021 and is closed to new customers, so new home solar goes on instantaneous netting: the power you use as it is made offsets your bill at full retail value, but surplus exports are credited near avoided cost, roughly 7 cents per kWh for 2026, well below the retail rate you pay. Verify your own utility’s current terms before you sign.
How much does Georgia Power pay for exported solar?
For 2026, Georgia Power credits exported surplus at about 3.22 cents per kWh, plus an additional 4 cents per kWh approved in its 2022 rate case, so roughly 7 cents per kWh in total. That is well below the roughly 15.84 cents per kWh you pay for grid power, which is why sizing a system to your own usage, and storing daytime power in a battery, captures more value than exporting it. Rates change, so verify the current figure with Georgia Power.
Why is net metering weaker in Georgia than in other states?
Because Georgia has no statewide net metering mandate. Without that rule, utilities are free to credit surplus solar at avoided cost, the wholesale value of the power, rather than at the retail price you pay. Georgia Power’s roughly 7 cents export credit is less than half of its roughly 15.84 cents retail rate, so a kilowatt-hour you export is worth less than half of one you use yourself. That is why self-consumption and batteries matter more in Georgia.
Do EMC cooperatives and city utilities follow Georgia Power’s rules?
No. Georgia Power is the largest utility, but member-owned EMC cooperatives such as Cobb EMC, Jackson EMC, and Sawnee EMC, and city-owned municipal utilities, each set their own solar export and rate rules. Some pay a little more for exports, some pay less, and some add a solar fee. If an EMC or a municipal utility serves your address, confirm your own provider’s current export policy in writing before you size a system, and do not assume the Georgia Power terms apply to you.
Should I get a battery for solar in Georgia?
It is worth modeling. Because exports earn only about 7 cents per kWh while the power you use yourself is worth about 15.84 cents, storing midday surplus and using it in the evening keeps that energy at retail value instead of selling it cheaply. In a weak-export state like Georgia the payback on storage can look better than it does under full net metering, but it depends on your usage and the quote, so ask your installer to model it both ways.
Did the federal solar tax credit change affect Georgia net metering?
No. 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 homeowner who buys solar in 2026 with cash or a loan cannot claim it. That is a federal change and it did not alter Georgia’s netting rules, which were already set by each utility. A separate commercial credit (Section 48E) can apply to leased and PPA systems, but the company that owns the system claims it, not the homeowner.
Reviewed by the MySolarFY team. Figures were verified against the linked Georgia Power, SEIA, DSIRE, EIA, NREL, and IRS sources as of August 2026; Georgia Power’s export credit rate, the instantaneous-netting terms, EMC and municipal policies, and rates all change over time, so confirm current terms with your utility 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 export credits and any incentives 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.
