Yes. In New Hampshire you can go solar with no money down through a solar lease, a power purchase agreement (PPA), or a $0-down solar loan (verify the current offers for your address). No up-front cost is not free: you still make monthly payments, lease and PPA deals often add a 1.9 to 2.9 percent yearly escalator, and total payments can top a cash purchase over the term. New Hampshire has no state solar rebate or income-tax credit, so the value here is bill offset plus stable net metering, not up-front cash.
New Hampshire homeowners pay about 26.92 cents per kWh for electricity (EIA retail sales, residential NH, March 2026), well above the national average, so the bill that solar offsets is a real one. That is why $0-down solar gets pitched hard here. This page explains the three honest ways to go solar with nothing down in New Hampshire, the tradeoffs each one carries, and how the state’s own rules, its high rate and its net metering locked in through 2040, actually shape the math. It is written to be straight with you, because a $0-down deal is not the same as free, and no honest quote will pretend otherwise. For the wider state picture, see our New Hampshire solar costs and incentives guide.
The three no-up-front-cost paths in New Hampshire
There are three real ways to put solar on your roof for $0 at signing, and they are not the same deal. Two of them (a lease and a PPA) mean a third-party company owns the panels on your roof; one of them (a $0-down loan) means you own the system from day one but finance the cost. Which one fits depends on whether you want ownership and the net-metering credits that come with it, or you just want a lower, predictable power bill with none of the paperwork.
| Path | Who owns the panels | What you pay | Who keeps the tax and REC benefits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar lease | A third-party company | A fixed monthly lease payment, usually with a yearly escalator | The company that owns the system, not you |
| PPA | A third-party company | A price per kWh for the solar power you use, usually with a yearly escalator | The company that owns the system, not you |
| $0-down loan | You own it from day one | A monthly loan payment; nothing at installation | You, the homeowner (net-metering credits, Class II RECs, and the property-tax exemption) |
The short version: a lease or PPA hands the ownership perks to the provider in exchange for simplicity and no repair worries, while a $0-down loan keeps the perks with you but you carry the debt. Net-metering bill credits follow your utility account either way, so you keep those regardless. For the ownership case, see the financial case for whether solar panels are worth it.
$0 down is not free: the honest tradeoffs
No up-front cost means no cash at installation, not no cost. A lease or PPA replaces your utility bill with a solar payment, and there are three tradeoffs an honest quote will not hide:
- The escalator. Most lease and PPA contracts raise your payment every year, commonly by about 1.9 to 2.9 percent. A payment that starts below your power bill can climb over the 20 to 25 year term, so ask for the escalator in writing and do the math on year 15, not just year one.
- Payments can exceed savings. If your utility rate rises slower than the escalator, or your roof produces less than the sales estimate, your total payments over the contract can end up higher than what you would have paid the utility, and higher than a cash purchase.
- The owner keeps the tax and incentive benefits. On a lease or PPA the company that owns the panels claims any incentives and the Class II RECs, and it takes the property-tax exemption too. Your benefit is a lower or fixed power price, not the credits. The net-metering bill credits still land on your account, since they follow the meter.
None of that makes $0-down a bad deal. For many New Hampshire homes it is the only way solar pencils out with no savings to tap. It just means you should compare the lifetime cost, not only the “nothing down” headline. To see how the bill offset works, read how solar lowers your electricity bill.
How New Hampshire’s high rate and net metering change the math
New Hampshire keeps real net metering, and that is its quiet advantage for a $0-down deal. Unlike Connecticut or California, the state did not swap net metering for a lower export tariff. Under the NEM 2.0 tariff set by the Public Utilities Commission, exported power is credited at 100 percent of the energy and transmission charge plus 25 percent of the distribution charge, which works out to roughly 85 percent of the retail rate, not a full 1-to-1 credit (DSIRE, NH net metering). The real strength is stability: systems on the alternative tariff are grandfathered through December 31, 2040, so the rules do not move under you for years. For the exact formula and what each utility pays, see why New Hampshire net metering is not 1 to 1, and for the mechanics generally, how net metering credits your solar exports.
Why this matters for $0-down: a lease or PPA provider builds its price around the bill you are offsetting and the net-metering credit that offset earns. At New Hampshire’s high rate the bill is large, which is what gives a $0-down pitch room to lower your payment. But because the state offers no up-front cash, a rebate, or a state income-tax credit, there is no bonus for the provider to price around, so the deal lives or dies on the rate and the escalator. Ask any $0-down provider to show the payment against your real bill in year one and year fifteen.
According to MySolarFY’s analysis (July 2026), a typical 7.6 kW New Hampshire system produces about 9,500 kWh a year (NREL PVWatts), which at the state’s roughly 26.9 cents per kWh retail rate offsets close to $2,300 to $2,500 of grid power annually. That is what makes the high rate a genuine $0-down argument: even after the escalator, the bill you are replacing is large. The table below is our own estimate for a typical 7.6 kW system; treat every figure as a starting point and get real quotes for your roof.
| New Hampshire solar money fact | Value (as of 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Residential electricity rate | About 26.92 cents per kWh (March 2026) | EIA |
| Net metering credit (NEM 2.0) | 100% energy and transmission + 25% distribution (~85% of retail), locked through Dec 31, 2040 | NH PUC / DSIRE |
| Typical 7.6 kW production | About 9,500 kWh per year | PVWatts (MySolarFY estimate) |
| Year-one bill offset if you own | About $2,300 to $2,500 | MySolarFY estimate |
| Cash payback at New Hampshire’s rate | Roughly 9 to 11 years (the federal 25D credit ended in 2025) | MySolarFY estimate |
MySolarFY payback assumption: a 7.6 kW system installed at roughly $2.90 to $3.20 per watt, about $22,000 to $24,000, and no 25D credit since it ended after December 31, 2025. At about $2,300 to $2,500 a year in bill offset (net metering credits exports at about 85 percent of New Hampshire’s 26.9 cents per kWh rate), that is roughly 9 to 11 years before financing costs. Your quote, roof, and usage will move the number.
Illustrative: a lease or PPA payment against your bill over time
This is where the escalator earns a second look. The table below is a MySolarFY illustrative estimate, not a quote, and it shows why “starts below your bill” is not the same as “saves money for 25 years.” It assumes a $0-down payment that starts about 10 percent under a typical $190 New Hampshire monthly bill, a 2.9 percent yearly escalator on that payment, and a slower 1.5 percent yearly rise in the utility bill. Under those assumptions the payment overtakes the bill around year 10.
| Year | Est. solar payment (2.9% escalator) | Est. utility bill (1.5% rise) | Monthly difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | about $170 | about $190 | you save about $20 |
| Year 5 | about $191 | about $202 | you save about $11 |
| Year 10 | about $220 | about $217 | you pay about $3 more |
| Year 15 | about $254 | about $234 | you pay about $20 more |
MySolarFY illustrative estimate, July 2026. It cuts both ways: if your utility rate rises faster than 1.5 percent a year, which New Hampshire rates often have, the solar payment can stay below the bill for the whole term. The point is not that leases lose, it is that the outcome rides the escalator and the rate, so run these two numbers with your own quote before you sign.
See which $0-down solar options are available at your New Hampshire address
Lease, PPA, and $0-down loan offers, net-metering credits, and electric rates change by utility and location. Enter your ZIP and we will match you with licensed installers who serve your area.
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Your New Hampshire utility: Eversource, Unitil, Liberty, or the Co-op
Verify which utility serves your address before you compare offers, because the net-metering enrollment runs through it. Four providers cover the state. The NEM 2.0 net-metering tariff applies to the three investor-owned utilities: Eversource New Hampshire, which serves most of the state, Unitil, which covers the Seacoast and the Concord and Capital area, and Liberty Utilities. The New Hampshire Electric Co-op is member-owned and sets its own net-metering terms, so confirm those directly if the Co-op bills you. Your $0-down provider files the interconnection and net-metering paperwork with whichever utility serves you, and the credit formula is the same statewide, so the tariff is consistent even though the all-in residential rate differs a little by utility, running roughly in the 25 to 28 cents per kWh range around the 26.92 cent state average, so check your own bill and the matching utility page linked above. Confirm your utility on your bill first.
What ended federally, and what it means for a $0-down New Hampshire homeowner
The federal homeowner credit is gone, and that changes who benefits on a $0-down deal. The 30 percent federal Residential Clean Energy 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 with cash or a $0-down loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS OBBB FAQ; SEIA). Do not let any $0-down pitch imply you still get a homeowner tax credit on a lease; you do not.
One federal credit still exists, and it is not yours to claim. A separate commercial credit, Section 48E, is claimed by the business that owns a leased or PPA system, not by the homeowner, and it runs for projects placed in service through 2027 with a begin-construction safe harbor by July 4, 2026 (IRS Clean Electricity Investment Credit; SEIA tax policy). On a New Hampshire lease or PPA the provider claims 48E, which is part of why it can offer $0 down; you never file for a federal credit yourself. The 25D homeowner credit, by contrast, ended after December 31, 2025. For the full timeline, see what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026.
The rest of New Hampshire’s $0-down picture
A few New Hampshire specifics round out the decision, and several of them are about what the state does not offer:
- No state rebate. New Hampshire used to pay a Residential Renewable Electrical Generation Rebate of about $0.20 per watt up to $1,000, but Senate Bill 303 (2024) repealed it effective June 2024, so it is gone for any new project in 2026 (NH Department of Energy). The old program page still ranks high in search, so ignore any quote that includes it.
- No state income-tax credit. New Hampshire has no broad state income tax, so there is no state solar income-tax credit to claim, on any financing path.
- No sales tax. The state has no sales tax, so solar equipment is bought tax-free. That is a small, automatic saving, not a rebate.
- Local property-tax exemption. Many towns adopt a local-option property-tax exemption under RSA 72:61-72:72, which keeps solar’s added value off your assessment, but only if your municipality voted to adopt it (DSIRE). On a lease or PPA the third-party owner, not you, typically holds this. Check your town’s status with the assessor.
- Class II RECs are modest. Solar can earn Class II renewable energy certificates in the regional market, but the value is small and variable, and on a lease or PPA the owner keeps them (DSIRE).
Comparing states? See how a neighbor with more incentives handles the same question in no upfront cost solar in Massachusetts or no upfront cost solar in New Jersey, or no upfront cost solar in Pennsylvania, and for the statewide overview start with New Hampshire solar costs, incentives, and net metering.
How to choose a $0-down offer without overpaying
The $0-down market has good providers and aggressive ones. Rather than chasing a “best” list, screen any installer or provider against objective criteria:
- Get the escalator in writing and calculate the payment in year 10 and year 20, not just year one.
- Ask how the offer treats net metering and confirm the credits land on your utility account.
- Compare the 20 to 25 year total of a lease or PPA against a $0-down loan and a cash purchase, so you can see the real lifetime cost.
- Check NABCEP certification, New Hampshire licensing, and a written warranty.
- Confirm what happens if you sell the home, since a lease or PPA has to transfer to the buyer.
Third-party leases and PPAs are thinner on the ground in New Hampshire than in Massachusetts or New York, so you may have fewer $0-down offers to compare, which makes getting more than one quote worth the effort. For a fuller checklist, see the right questions to ask a solar installer. MySolarFY matches you with licensed installers that serve your New Hampshire area so you can compare real local quotes side by side, and you can learn how MySolarFY works and how we choose installers.
Frequently asked questions
Can I really get solar in New Hampshire with no money down?
Yes. A solar lease, a power purchase agreement (PPA), or a $0-down solar loan can put panels on your roof with nothing paid at installation, and offers vary by address and utility, so verify what is available for your home. The catch is that no up-front cost is not free. You make monthly payments, lease and PPA deals usually add a yearly escalator of about 1.9 to 2.9 percent, and total payments can end up higher than a cash purchase. At New Hampshire’s roughly 26.9 cents per kWh rate the bill you are offsetting is large, which is what makes $0-down worth considering here.
Is $0-down solar the same as free?
No. Solar is never free. No up-front cost means you pay nothing at installation, but you still pay every month, either a lease or PPA payment for the power, or a loan payment if you own the system. The panels are not free, and a pitch that says otherwise is not being straight with you. The honest comparison is the lifetime cost of each path, not the down payment.
Do I get the federal tax credit on a $0-down lease in New Hampshire?
No. The 30 percent federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, so no homeowner claims it in 2026, whether they lease, sign a PPA, or buy. On a lease or PPA a separate commercial credit (Section 48E) is claimed by the company that owns the system, not by you. New Hampshire also has no state rebate or state income-tax credit, so if a salesperson promises a tax credit on a 2026 lease, that is incorrect.
How does New Hampshire net metering affect a $0-down deal?
New Hampshire kept real net metering. Under the NEM 2.0 tariff, exported power is credited at 100 percent of the energy and transmission charge plus 25 percent of the distribution charge, roughly 85 percent of the retail rate, and systems on the alternative tariff are grandfathered through December 31, 2040. Those bill credits follow your utility account, so you keep them whether you own, lease, or sign a PPA. A provider prices your $0-down deal around the bill that net metering helps you avoid, so ask how the offer treats the credits.
Which is better in New Hampshire, a $0-down lease, a PPA, or a $0-down loan?
It depends on what you want. A lease or PPA is the simplest path and hands the maintenance, the Class II RECs, and the property-tax exemption to the provider in exchange for a lower or fixed power price. A $0-down loan keeps ownership and those perks with you, but you carry the debt and the upkeep. Compare the full 20 to 25 year cost of each, and remember the federal 25D homeowner credit ended after December 31, 2025, so ownership is worth less than it was a year ago.
Reviewed by the MySolarFY editorial team and current as of July 2026. Figures were verified against the linked New Hampshire (NH Department of Energy, NH PUC), DSIRE, EIA, IRS, SEIA, and NREL PVWatts sources; see how we source and check our numbers. New Hampshire net metering, the local property-tax exemption, and lease and PPA terms all change over time, so confirm current terms with your utility and provider 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 of about 1.9 to 2.9 percent, and total payments may exceed the cost of a cash purchase; on a lease or PPA the Class II RECs and the property-tax exemption often go to the company that owns the system, not the homeowner, while net-metering bill credits follow your utility account. 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.
