Most New Hampshire homeowners assume net metering pays a full retail credit for every kilowatt-hour their panels send back to the grid. It does not. Since the switch to the alternative net-metering tariff, usually called NEM 2.0, the state credits your exported power at close to retail, but on a specific formula that shaves the credit below a flat one-for-one. This page shows the exact math, what each New Hampshire utility pays, why the difference matters, and what is locked in versus what is still up for debate. Every figure is dated and sourced, and where a number could not be confirmed to a current primary tariff, we say so instead of guessing.
New Hampshire net metering is not 1:1. Under the alternative net-metering tariff (NEM 2.0), exports earn 100% of the energy (supply) charge, 100% of the transmission charge, and 25% of the distribution charge (formula per the Eversource NH tariff), which by MySolarFY’s estimate works out to roughly 75% to 95% of the retail rate depending on your utility. According to MySolarFY (July 2026), at the state’s 26.92 cents per kWh retail rate a typical 8 kW New Hampshire system that produces about 10,000 kWh a year earns roughly 20 to 26 cents on each exported kilowatt-hour, not the full 26.92 cents many homeowners expect.
Key numbers, at a glance. These are the dated facts this page is built on. Each carries its source in line.
- New Hampshire residential electricity rate: 26.92 cents per kWh, as of March 2026 (EIA).
- Typical 8 kW system production in New Hampshire: about 10,000 kWh per year, scaled from a 6 kW Concord run of 7,527 kWh per year (NREL PVWatts).
- NEM 2.0 export credit formula: 100% supply plus 100% transmission plus 25% distribution, set by NH PUC Order No. 26,029 in Docket DE 16-576 (Eversource NH; NH Department of Energy).
- Residential system cap: 100 kW AC, far above what any home needs; the program’s outer limit is 1 MW AC for larger customer-generators, as of 2026 (NH Department of Energy).
- Rate lock: the current structure is grandfathered through December 31, 2040 (NH net metering, DSIRE).
For the raw figures behind our New Hampshire guidance, see New Hampshire solar data & statistics (2026). Production estimates, electricity rates, incentives, and payback, all with dated sources.
Why New Hampshire net metering is not a flat one-for-one deal
New Hampshire pays close to retail for your exports, but not the whole retail rate. When the state moved to the alternative net-metering tariff (NEM 2.0), it split your electricity bill into its parts and decided to credit exported power on only some of them in full. Your bill has three moving pieces: the energy or supply charge (the actual electricity), the transmission charge (moving it across the high-voltage grid), and the distribution charge (the local poles and wires to your street). For systems up to 100 kW, which covers every home, NEM 2.0 credits the first two at 100% and the distribution charge at just 25% (Eversource NH net metering). A handful of non-bypassable line items, such as the system benefits charge, stranded-cost recovery, and the state electricity consumption tax, are not credited at all. The result is a credit worth roughly three-quarters to nine-tenths of the all-in retail rate, which is why a quote that promises a full 1:1 credit in New Hampshire is out of date. The rule was set by the NH Public Utilities Commission in Order No. 26,029 (Docket DE 16-576), and a small number of systems installed before September 2017 were grandfathered on the older near-retail tariff.
The real NEM 2.0 formula, worked out
Here is the formula written plainly, straight from the utility tariff. Each kilowatt-hour you export earns a dollar credit equal to the sum of these parts (Eversource NH net metering):
| Bill component | What it covers | Credited on exports |
|---|---|---|
| Energy / supply charge | The electricity itself | 100% |
| Transmission charge | High-voltage delivery across the regional grid | 100% |
| Distribution charge | Local poles and wires to your home | 25% |
| Non-bypassable charges (system benefits, stranded cost, state electricity consumption tax) | Fixed policy and legacy-cost line items | 0% (not credited) |
Because only the distribution slice is discounted, the effective credit depends on how big that slice is on your utility’s rate. Distribution is usually a minority of the all-in rate, so by our estimate the credit typically lands between about 75% and 95% of retail. No New Hampshire primary source publishes a single percentage, so we treat that range as an estimate rather than an official figure, and independent guides report a similar range (SolarReviews NH net metering guide). The credit is a dollar amount on your bill, it rolls forward month to month with no annual expiration, and if you build up a net-excess balance you can request a cash payment once a year after the March bill when the balance is over $100 (Eversource NH net metering). For how export crediting works in general, see how net metering credits your solar exports.
How much a typical New Hampshire system earns, our own estimate
This is our first-hand math for New Hampshire, not a figure lifted from another site. We take the real state electricity rate, a real production run, and the verified NEM 2.0 formula, and we show every input so you can follow it (see how we source and compute our numbers).
According to MySolarFY (July 2026), a typical 8 kW New Hampshire system produces about 10,000 kWh a year, and at the state’s 26.92 cents per kWh retail rate every exported kilowatt-hour earns roughly 20 to 26 cents under the NEM 2.0 formula. Here is the build-up:
| Input or result | Value | Source or assumption |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire residential rate | 26.92 cents per kWh (as of March 2026) | EIA |
| Production, 6 kW in Concord | 7,527 kWh per year | NREL PVWatts |
| Production, typical 8 kW (scaled) | about 10,000 kWh per year | PVWatts figure scaled 6 kW to 8 kW |
| Export credit rate (NEM 2.0) | about 75% to 95% of retail = 20.2 to 25.6 cents per kWh | Formula applied to the EIA rate |
| Credit value if about half is exported (5,000 kWh) | about $1,000 to $1,300 per year | 5,000 kWh times the export credit rate |
| Power offset on-site (the other 5,000 kWh) | about $1,350 per year | 5,000 kWh times the full 26.92 cents retail rate |
So the export credit alone is worth roughly $1,000 to $1,300 a year on a typical 8 kW home system, on top of the roughly $1,350 you avoid by using your own power on-site. The self-consumption split (about half exported) is an assumption that varies with your usage and battery, so treat the totals as an estimate and run your own address.
Roughly how many years to break even. Put those two pieces together and a typical 8 kW New Hampshire system saves on the order of $2,350 a year at 2026 rates. A typical installed cost for an 8 kW system runs about $20,000 to $28,000 before any incentives, or roughly $2.50 to $3.50 per watt, a range independent cost trackers report (SolarReviews). Because the federal residential credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, nothing offsets that cost in 2026, so the full price is what you pay back. That points to a simple payback of roughly 8 to 12 years, near 10 on midpoint assumptions. Treat it as an estimate, since your own cost, usage, and utility all move the number. To weigh the full payback, see the financial case for whether solar panels are worth it.
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What each New Hampshire utility actually pays
Every New Hampshire utility uses the same NEM 2.0 formula, so the rule is statewide, but the dollar value differs because each utility’s rates differ. Four utilities serve almost all New Hampshire homes: Eversource (the former PSNH and by far the largest), Liberty Utilities, Unitil, and the member-owned New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC). The table below is deliberately conservative: it names each utility’s territory and confirms the shared formula, but it does not publish a specific cents-per-kWh credit we could not tie to that utility’s current tariff. Confirm your own number on your utility’s live rate sheet before you size a system.
| Utility | Service territory | Net-metering rule | Effective export credit | Where to confirm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eversource | Southern and central New Hampshire, the Seacoast, and the North Country; the state’s largest utility | NEM 2.0: 100% supply, 100% transmission, 25% distribution | About 75% to 95% of retail | Eversource NH net metering |
| Liberty Utilities | Central and western New Hampshire (Salem, Keene, Littleton area) | Same NEM 2.0 formula | About 75% to 95% of retail | Liberty’s current NH tariff / rate sheet |
| Unitil | The capital region and Seacoast (Concord, Portsmouth, Hampton, Exeter) | Same NEM 2.0 formula | About 75% to 95% of retail | Unitil NH residential rates |
| New Hampshire Electric Cooperative (NHEC) | Northern and rural New Hampshire (a member-owned co-op serving about 118 towns) | Follows the state alternative-tariff structure; a co-op can set some of its own terms | About 75% to 95% of retail; confirm with NHEC | NHEC net-metering / member rate schedule |
Why the dollar value moves between utilities. The only discounted slice in the formula is the distribution charge, and each utility sets its own distribution rate, so the same 100/100/25 rule produces a slightly different cents-per-kWh credit in each territory. That is the honest reason a single statewide “net metering pays X” number does not exist. For the Eversource-specific mechanics, see how Eversource credits net metering in New Hampshire; for Unitil, see Unitil solar and net metering in New Hampshire.
Is the credit locked in, or about to be cut
Your near-term credit is not being cut, and that is the reassuring part. New Hampshire regulators most recently addressed net metering in Docket DE 22-060 (Order No. 27,074) and largely kept the existing structure in place rather than cutting it, and a system you connect today is grandfathered under the current credit structure through December 31, 2040 (NH net metering, DSIRE; NH Department of Energy). Residential systems are capped at 100 kW AC, far above what any home needs, and the program’s outer eligibility limit is 1 MW AC for larger customer-generators (NH Department of Energy).
Note: The genuinely valuable part is the 2040 lock. It means the credit structure you connect under is fixed for well over a decade, which removes most of the policy risk people worry about with solar. The honest caveat is that what happens after 2040 has not been decided: no successor program exists yet, and the state is expected to open a future proceeding to set the post-2040 rules. So confirm the current tariff with your utility before you size a system, and treat any quote that assumes a flat 1:1 retail credit, or that counts a state rebate without confirming it is currently funded, as a red flag.
What New Hampshire does not have (and what is only conditional) in 2026
Being straight about the gaps is part of the math. New Hampshire’s incentive list is leaner than its neighbors’, and several things people expect are either missing or only conditional in 2026.
| What people ask about | Status in 2026 | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A reliable state solar rebate | No, repealed | New Hampshire’s Residential Renewable Electrical Generation Rebate was repealed by Senate Bill 303 (2024), effective June 2024, so it is not available for new projects (NH Department of Energy) |
| A solar sales-tax exemption | Nothing to exempt | New Hampshire has no state sales tax, so solar equipment is already bought tax-free (NH Dept of Revenue) |
| A state solar income-tax credit | None | New Hampshire has no broad income tax, so there is no state credit to claim (NH Dept of Revenue) |
| The 30% federal residential credit (Section 25D) | Ended | Section 25D ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025 (IRS) |
| A property-tax break | Only if your town adopted it | New Hampshire allows a local-option property-tax exemption under RSA 72:61 to 72:72, but each town must vote to adopt it (DSIRE) |
Here is what actually carries the payback. With no state income-tax credit and a rebate that is closed to new projects, New Hampshire solar leans mostly on three things: the high electricity rate you stop paying, the NEM 2.0 credits on what you export, and, if your town adopted it, the local property-tax exemption. That is a thinner stack than Massachusetts or New York, but the high rate and the 2040 lock do a lot of the work. The federal picture matters too: the 30% federal residential credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, so a 2026 New Hampshire homeowner buying with cash or a loan cannot claim it. For the full timeline, see what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026.
How to confirm your own numbers before you sign
Because the credit value depends on your utility and your usage, the smart move is to pin down your own figures rather than trust a generic promise. A short checklist:
- Find your utility’s current distribution charge on its live rate sheet, since that is the only slice the formula discounts.
- Estimate your roof’s output with NREL’s free PVWatts calculator; your real number depends on pitch, orientation, and shading.
- Ask any installer to show the credit in dollars, built from the 100/100/25 formula on your utility’s rates, not a vague “net metering covers it”.
- Treat a 1:1 promise as a red flag. New Hampshire has not paid a flat retail credit since the move to NEM 2.0.
- Confirm your town’s property-tax status, since the exemption is local-option, not automatic.
For the questions to ask before you sign a contract, see the right questions to ask a solar installer. MySolarFY is a free service that matches you with licensed installers who serve your area, so you can compare real local quotes side by side with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
Is New Hampshire net metering 1:1? No. New Hampshire moved to the alternative net-metering tariff (NEM 2.0), which credits your exported power at 100% of the energy and transmission charges plus only 25% of the distribution charge, so it lands below a flat one-for-one (Eversource NH net metering). A handful of non-bypassable charges are not credited at all. In practice the credit is worth roughly 75% to 95% of the all-in retail rate, not the full retail rate. Any quote that assumes a 1:1 retail credit in New Hampshire is out of date, so ask your installer to show the credit built from the formula on your utility’s actual rates.
How much does New Hampshire net metering pay per kWh? At the state’s residential rate of 26.92 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026), the NEM 2.0 credit works out to roughly 20 to 26 cents on each exported kilowatt-hour, since exports earn 100% of supply and transmission plus 25% of distribution (EIA; Eversource NH). By MySolarFY’s July 2026 estimate, a typical 8 kW system that produces about 10,000 kWh a year and exports about half of it earns on the order of $1,000 to $1,300 a year in export credits, on top of the power it offsets on-site at the full retail rate. The exact number depends on your utility and usage.
Is New Hampshire net metering going away in 2026? Not for a system you install now. Regulators most recently addressed net metering in Docket DE 22-060 (Order No. 27,074) and largely kept the existing structure in place rather than cutting it, and a system connected today is grandfathered under the current credit structure through December 31, 2040 (NH net metering, DSIRE). The open question is the design for the years after 2040, which has not been decided, not a near-term cut to your credits. Residential systems are capped at 100 kW AC, far above what any home needs, so sizing is not a constraint for a normal home. Confirm the current tariff with your utility before you size a system, since terms can change over time.
Does every New Hampshire utility pay the same net-metering rate? The same formula, not the same dollar value. Eversource, Liberty Utilities, Unitil, and the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative all use the NEM 2.0 rule of 100% supply plus 100% transmission plus 25% distribution, but the resulting cents-per-kWh credit differs because each utility sets its own distribution rate, the one slice the formula discounts (Eversource NH). That is why there is no single statewide “net metering pays X” figure. Check your own utility’s current rate sheet, or see our Eversource and Unitil net-metering pages for utility-specific detail.
What solar incentives does New Hampshire not have in 2026? Several that people expect. There is no solar sales-tax exemption, because New Hampshire has no state sales tax to begin with, and no state solar income-tax credit, because the state has no broad income tax (NH Dept of Revenue). The state’s Residential Renewable Electrical Generation Rebate was repealed by Senate Bill 303 (2024), effective June 2024, so it is not available for new projects, and you should not let an installer build it into your quote. A local-option property-tax exemption exists under RSA 72:61 to 72:72, but only if your town voted to adopt it. See our New Hampshire solar incentives guide for the full picture of what is and is not real this year.
Is the federal solar tax credit gone for New Hampshire homeowners in 2026? Yes. The 30% federal residential credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so a New Hampshire 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. New Hampshire’s net metering was not affected by the federal change. See what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026 for the details. MySolarFY does not provide tax advice; consult a tax professional.
See which New Hampshire solar programs are available at your address →
Written and reviewed by the SolarFY Editor, our in-house solar research desk, in July 2026. Figures were verified against the linked primary sources (the Eversource New Hampshire net-metering tariff, the New Hampshire Department of Energy and DSIRE net-metering record, EIA, NREL PVWatts, and the IRS) and cross-checked with our fact-checker as of July 2026. Net-metering terms and utility rates change over time, so confirm the current tariff 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 New Hampshire solar incentives and how they are changing or how MySolarFY works.
Disclaimer: 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 renewable-energy certificates 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.
