Rhode Island Solar Incentives 2026: REG vs Net Metering

Rhode Island coastal home with rooftop solar panels exchanging power with the grid on a bright day

In Rhode Island you pick ONE: the Renewable Energy Growth (REG) fixed tariff, or net metering plus the $5,000 Renewable Energy Fund (REF) grant, not both (RI Office of Energy Resources, as of August 2026). For 2026-2027, REG pays a home-sized Small Solar I system 31.55 cents per kWh, fixed for 15 years (RI PUC Docket 25-52-REG). MySolarFY estimates an 8 kW Providence system is worth about $64,000 over 20 years on net metering plus REF, versus about $61,000 on REG.

Rhode Island solar incentive numbers, dated

  • 29.91 cents per kWh Rhode Island residential electricity rate, as of March 2026 (EIA).
  • 31.55 cents per kWh, fixed for 15 years the 2026-2027 REG program-year ceiling price for a Small Solar I system of 15 kW or less, set by the PUC and OER (RI PUC Docket 25-52-REG, program year 2026-2027).
  • $0.65 per watt, capped at $5,000 the Renewable Energy Fund (REF) residential grant, for net-metered systems only, plus a $2,000 storage adder if you add a battery (RI Commerce / RI OER); see how that pays off in our Rhode Island solar battery storage guide.
  • Credits up to 125% of your usage what Rhode Island Energy net metering credits, with the system sized to your 3-year average consumption (RI OER).
  • about 10,350 kWh a year production a typical 8 kW rooftop system makes in Rhode Island (MySolarFY estimate from an NREL PVWatts run in Providence).

REG vs net metering in Rhode Island: which should you pick?

In Rhode Island you cannot stack the two big solar programs, so the first real decision is which one to enroll in. The Renewable Energy Growth (REG) program and standard net metering are mutually exclusive: Rhode Island Energy lets you “choose one program or the other, but not both” (RI Office of Energy Resources, as of August 2026). REG installs a separate generation meter and pays you a fixed tariff for every kilowatt-hour your system produces, for 15 years on a home-sized Small Solar I system. Net metering instead credits the power your panels offset on your regular bill, and it is the only path that also qualifies for the up-front REF cash grant. Most Rhode Island guides list both programs side by side as if you get everything; you do not, and picking wrong can leave real money on the table.

Here is the plain-English version of who each path suits. REG is the certainty play: a locked, above-retail rate that does not care what happens to electricity prices or policy for the life of its 15-year term, and it pays on all your generation with no tie to your household usage. Net metering plus REF is the up-front-and-upside play: a one-time grant of up to $5,000 to cut your install cost now, credits that rise as Rhode Island’s retail rates rise, and a simpler single-meter setup with no annual enrollment window to catch. The table lays out the trade-offs.

Decision factor Renewable Energy Growth (REG) Net metering + REF grant
How you are paid A fixed 31.55 cents per kWh (2026-2027 Small Solar I) on all generation Bill credits that offset your usage near the retail rate, up to 125% of what you use
Rate certainty Locked for 15 years, immune to rate and policy changes Floats with retail rates, which have been rising in Rhode Island
Up-front REF grant ($0.65/W, max $5,000) Not eligible Eligible (REF is for net-metered systems only)
Tie to your home usage None; pays on all output even above your usage Sized to your 3-year average usage; credits capped at 125% of it
Enrollment First come, first serve, opens April 1, annual capacity cap Always available, no window or cap
Metering A separate generation meter is added Your existing meter nets your flows
Best for A locked rate, a system larger than your usage, or if you miss the REF window The $5,000 up-front grant, rising-rate upside, and the simplest setup

Program rules per RI Office of Energy Resources (energy.ri.gov, as of August 2026) and the Rhode Island Energy REG compliance filing (RI PUC Docket 25-52-REG); the 2026-2027 REG ceiling price and term are set by the PUC and OER for the program year. REG and net metering are mutually exclusive, and REF is available to net-metered systems only. Confirm the current REG ceiling and REF cap before you decide.

A decision fork showing a Rhode Island solar home choosing one of two paths: a fixed long-term generation tariff on one side, and a bill-offset credit plus an up-front grant on the other
The Rhode Island choice: enroll in the REG fixed generation tariff, or take net metering plus the up-front REF grant. You pick one path, not both.

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What is the Renewable Energy Growth (REG) program, and what does it pay?

REG is a long-term feed-in-style tariff: Rhode Island Energy pays you a fixed price for every kilowatt-hour your system generates, under a multi-year contract. It is administered by Rhode Island Energy, the state’s electric utility since PPL Corporation acquired National Grid’s Rhode Island business and rebranded it in 2022 (Rhode Island Energy, as of 2026). Under REG you sign a long-term contract with a fixed electricity price and a Production-Based Incentive payment, and a separate meter records what your panels produce (RI Office of Energy Resources, as of August 2026). For a home-sized Small Solar I system that contract runs 15 years for the 2026-2027 program year. Because REG pays on generation rather than on the power you offset, it is not tied to your household usage the way net metering is.

The rate is a ceiling price set for each program year by the Public Utilities Commission and the Office of Energy Resources. For the 2026-2027 program year, a Small Solar I system of 15 kW or less, which is the typical home rooftop, receives a ceiling price of 31.55 cents per kWh over a 15-year term, and a Small Solar II system from 15 to 25 kW receives 28.65 cents per kWh over a 20-year term (RI PUC Docket 25-52-REG, RI Energy compliance filing, as of August 2026; RI Office of Energy Resources, Renewable Energy Growth program). That 31.55 cents is above today’s 29.91 cents retail rate, and it is locked for the full 15-year Small Solar I term, which is the appeal: it does not fall if electricity prices fall, and it does not depend on how much you use. The ceiling and term are reset each program year, so confirm the current figures with Rhode Island Energy before you budget around them.

REG is “sell all,” net metering is “offset.” Under REG your home keeps buying its electricity at the normal retail rate, and you are paid separately for everything your panels make. Under net metering, your panels reduce the grid power you buy in the first place. That is why you compare the REG payment against the retail value net metering saves you, not against your whole bill, and why a system that produces more than your home uses tilts toward REG.

How does net metering work with Rhode Island Energy?

Net metering is the offset path, and it is the only one that also lets you take the REF grant. When your panels make more than your home is using, the surplus flows to the grid and Rhode Island Energy credits your account. The program credits “all power generated up to 125 percent of the on-site consumption during a billing period,” and your system is sized to your electricity use, “based on a three-year average of electricity consumption” (RI Office of Energy Resources, as of August 2026). In practice that means a normally sized home system offsets power at close to the retail rate, which at 29.91 cents per kWh (EIA, March 2026) is the benchmark that makes solar pay in Rhode Island. The base “renewable net-metering credit” is set near that retail volumetric rate, built from Rhode Island Energy’s last-resort service, distribution, transmission, and transition charges (R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-26.4-2, as of August 2026).

One 2026 detail most Rhode Island guides get wrong: residential rooftop is not exempt from the 20 percent credit reduction. Under the general renewable net-metering-credit definition, a Rhode Island Energy system whose project was initiated after April 15, 2023, meaning the interconnection study was paid or a complete permit or zoning application was filed after that date, has its net-metering credit reduced by 20 percent, subject to a statewide 275 MWac cap (R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-26.4-2; RI Office of Energy Resources, net metering, as of August 2026). This 20 percent cut is not limited to virtual, community, or remote net metering; it applies to residential rooftop too. Projects that applied on or before April 15, 2023 keep the full credit and are grandfathered. So a typical post-cutoff residential home earns roughly 80 percent of that near-retail credit on the power it net-meters to the grid, while systems approved earlier still earn the full credit.

What net metering does with power beyond your usage is the detail most guides skip. Within a billing period the surplus your panels send to the grid earns the renewable net-metering credit, near the retail rate and reduced 20 percent for post-April-15-2023 systems as described above. Generation that runs above 100 percent of what your home uses over the year, for systems 25 kW and under, is trued up at the wholesale ISO New England energy clearing price, an avoided-cost-level rate well below retail, rather than banked at retail (RI Office of Energy Resources, net metering; R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-26.4-2, as of August 2026). That is the real reason net metering rewards a system sized to your usage rather than one built as large as your roof allows, and the reason a bigger-than-you-need array often points toward REG instead.

The catch built into net metering is the 125% cap and the sizing rule. Because credits stop at 125% of your usage and the system is sized to your three-year average, net metering does not reward a system that is much larger than your home needs. If your roof could hold an array well above your usage, that extra generation earns nothing under net metering, whereas REG would pay the tariff on all of it. For our full walk-through of the credit mechanics and the 2026 rules, see our Rhode Island net metering 2026 guide; for the utility-side mechanics and how credits are applied, see our page on Rhode Island Energy net metering, formerly National Grid, and for the plain-English basics, our Rhode Island solar guide. And if you came here searching “empower ri”, note that Empower RI is a supplier rate-comparison tool, not a solar incentive.

What is the Renewable Energy Fund (REF) grant, and who can get it?

REF is the up-front cash: a grant that lowers your install cost the day you buy, administered by Rhode Island Commerce. For a residential small-scale solar system, the REF grant is 0.65 dollars per watt, capped at 5,000 dollars per customer, plus a flat 2,000 dollar adder if you pair the system with battery storage (RI Office of Energy Resources, as of August 2026; Rhode Island Commerce Renewable Energy Fund, as of 2026). On an 8 kW system the per-watt math reaches the cap, so most typical homes see the full 5,000 dollars. Unlike REG, which pays out over its 15-year term, REF is money off the top at purchase.

The rule that trips people up is that REF is tied to net metering, not REG. REF is “available for net-metered systems only,” so if you enroll in REG you cannot also take the REF grant; Rhode Island Commerce’s program regulation makes REG projects ineligible for REF (RI Office of Energy Resources, as of August 2026). That is the second either-or in Rhode Island’s incentive design, and it is why the honest comparison is REG on one side against net metering plus REF on the other. REF also runs in funded rounds that can close when the budget is committed, so confirm the current round and the current per-watt figure with Rhode Island Commerce before you count on it.

REG or net metering: what each is worth on a typical home

Over a full 20 years the two paths land within a few thousand dollars of each other, so the decision comes down to REG’s rate certainty for its 15-year term versus net metering’s up-front $5,000 grant and rising-rate upside, not to one path towering over the other. The table below is our own estimate for three common system sizes, built from Rhode Island’s electricity rate, the 2026-2027 REG ceiling price, and the REF cap, using a real NREL PVWatts production run for Providence (a 6 kW system there makes 7,762 kWh a year, or about 1,290 kWh per kW). Your roof will differ with pitch, shading, and orientation, so estimate yours with NREL’s free PVWatts calculator before you size a system.

System size Est. annual production REG year 1 at 31.55 cents per kWh REG over its 15-year term REG over 20 years (incl. reversion to net metering) Net metering + REF over 20 years
6 kW about 7,760 kWh about $2,450 about $35,500 about $46,100 about $49,300
8 kW about 10,350 kWh about $3,265 about $47,300 about $61,500 about $64,000
10 kW about 12,900 kWh about $4,080 about $59,100 about $76,900 about $78,800

Estimate only, computed by MySolarFY (August 2026). Inputs: Rhode Island residential rate 29.91 cents per kWh (EIA, March 2026); 2026-2027 REG Small Solar I ceiling 31.55 cents per kWh over a 15-year term (RI PUC Docket 25-52-REG, program year 2026-2027); REF grant $0.65 per watt capped at $5,000 (RI OER / RI Commerce, 2026); production about 1,290 kWh per kW per year from an NREL PVWatts v8 run for Providence (02903). The REG column is shown over its 15-year contract at the fixed rate; the net-metering column values the same production at today’s flat retail rate over 20 years and adds the one-time $5,000 REF grant. The horizons differ: REG’s tariff runs 15 years, after which the system reverts to net metering, so the “REG over 20 years” column adds those years 16-20 at the retail credit and compares directly with the net-metering-plus-REF column. Both columns assume 0.5% per year panel degradation and hold the rate flat, so the net-metering figure rises if Rhode Island retail rates keep climbing, and REG stays fixed. A fixed monthly utility charge stays on your account either way. The 1,290 kWh per kW figure comes from a Providence (02903) run; coastal and southern Rhode Island roofs may run slightly higher, so estimate your own with the PVWatts link above. The net-metering column values exports at the near-retail credit; for a system initiated after April 15, 2023 that net-metering credit is reduced 20 percent (grandfathered projects keep the full credit), so a new 2026 system’s net-metering figure is an upper bound. This is the retail and tariff value of the power, not a guaranteed bill cut.

What it costs and when it pays back. A typical 8 kW Rhode Island system runs about $3.00 per watt before incentives, or roughly $24,000 (EnergySage Rhode Island data, as of 2026). On the net-metering path the one-time $5,000 REF grant cuts that to about $19,000, and at roughly $3,100 a year in bill offset the simple payback is near 6 years. On the REG path there is no REF grant, so the system stays near $24,000, but the fixed 31.55 cents per kWh pays about $3,265 a year, for a payback near 7 years followed by 8 more years of locked payments. So the estimated payback lands near 6 years on net metering and about 7 years on REG for a typical home, before the fixed monthly utility charge that stays on your account, and your own price depends on your roof and your quotes.

Read the table as a close call that the tiebreakers decide. Because REG runs only 15 years while net metering keeps crediting for the life of the system, net metering plus the $5,000 REF grant edges ahead on raw 20-year dollars by roughly $2,000 to $3,000 once you count REG’s reversion to net metering after its term, and it delivers a big chunk of its value up front and then climbs if Rhode Island’s retail rates keep rising, since net-metering value tracks the rate while REG is fixed. REG still wins when you value a locked rate you can bank on for 15 years, when your system will out-produce your household usage (net metering caps you at 125% of what you use), or when you miss the REF funding round. Net metering plus REF wins when the $5,000 up front matters most, when you expect rising rates, or when you want the simpler single-meter setup and a smaller monthly bill. Because the 30% federal residential credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, there is nothing federal to subtract from either column for a 2026 buyer (IRS, as of 2026), so this is genuinely the whole decision. Your own price depends on your roof and your quotes, so check which program your ZIP qualifies for and compare local quotes.

Why the April 1 REG enrollment window matters

REG is not open all year, and it is not unlimited. Rhode Island Energy opens the REG program year on April 1 each year, and enrollment runs “on a first come, first serve basis until the program is fully subscribed” (Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources, Renewable Energy Growth program, as of August 2026). Each program year has a set capacity allocation, so once the residential block fills, new systems that year are shut out of REG and default to net metering instead. Net metering, by contrast, has no window and no cap, so it is always available.

If REG is your plan, the calendar is part of the decision. Aim to have your installer file your REG enrollment early in the program year, close to the April 1 opening, rather than late, when the year’s capacity may already be committed. If you miss the window, you are not out of luck: you can go net metering and take the up-front REF grant instead. But you cannot assume REG will be open the day you are ready, so treat the enrollment timing as a real input, not an afterthought.

The Rhode Island tax exemptions that still apply in 2026

On top of whichever main program you pick, Rhode Island exempts residential solar from two taxes, and those apply either way. These are not cash payments; they are costs you avoid, and they survive into 2026 untouched by the federal change.

Sales tax exemption

Solar equipment is exempt from Rhode Island’s 7% state sales tax, so panels, inverters, and storage are not taxed at purchase (R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-18-30, via RI OER, as of 2026).

Property tax exemption

The added value a residential solar system gives your home is exempt from local property tax, so your assessment does not rise because of the panels (R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-3-3, via RI OER, as of 2026).

No state income tax credit

Rhode Island does not offer a state income tax credit for residential solar, so unlike some neighboring states there is no percentage-of-cost credit to claim on your state return (RI OER, as of 2026).

Rhode Island benefit (2026) What it is worth Who claims it
Renewable Energy Growth (REG) 31.55 cents per kWh fixed on all generation, 15 years (Small Solar I) The system owner (not combinable with net metering or REF)
Net metering Near-retail bill credits on offset power, up to 125% of usage The Rhode Island Energy account holder
Renewable Energy Fund (REF) grant $0.65 per watt up to $5,000, plus a $2,000 storage adder The purchaser (net-metered systems only)
Sales tax exemption 100% of the 7% state sales tax on equipment The purchaser
Property tax exemption The added home value from the system The homeowner
Federal residential credit (Section 25D) Ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025 Not available to 2026 homeowner-buyers

Program values per RI Office of Energy Resources and RI Commerce (as of August 2026); the REG ceiling and term per RI PUC Docket 25-52-REG (program year 2026-2027); tax exemptions per R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-18-30 and § 44-3-3 (via RI OER, 2026); federal posture per IRS (2026). REG, net metering, and REF interact under the mutual-exclusivity rules above. For programs in other states, see the solar incentives that still apply in 2026.

What Rhode Island does not have in 2026

Knowing what is off the table keeps you from budgeting around a number that will not show up. Four things trip people up here:

  • No 30% federal homeowner credit. Section 25D ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, so a 2026 cash or loan buyer cannot claim it (IRS; SEIA, as of 2026). The only federal solar credit left, Section 48E, is a commercial credit claimed by the business that owns a leased or PPA system, not by the homeowner.
  • No REG and net metering together. You pick one. REG replaces net metering with a separate meter and a fixed tariff for its 15-year Small Solar I term, and after the term the system reverts to net metering (RI Office of Energy Resources, as of August 2026).
  • No REF grant on a REG system. The $5,000 REF grant is for net-metered systems only, so the up-front cash and the REG tariff are two different tracks, not a stack (RI Office of Energy Resources, as of August 2026).
  • No exemption from the 20 percent net-metering credit reduction for new homes, and no virtual net metering for individual homeowners. The 20 percent cut to the renewable net-metering credit for projects initiated after April 15, 2023 is written into the general credit definition and applies to residential rooftop too, not just virtual, community, or remote net metering, subject to the statewide 275 MWac cap; only projects that applied on or before April 15, 2023 are grandfathered at the full credit (R.I. Gen. Laws § 39-26.4-2; RI Office of Energy Resources, as of August 2026).
  • No state income tax credit and no homeowner SREC market. Rhode Island compensates residential solar through REG or net metering, not through a state income tax credit or tradable Solar Renewable Energy Certificates, so there are no SRECs for a homeowner to sell here (RI OER, as of 2026).

How to make sure an installer quotes REG and net metering correctly

Because the choice is an either-or, the most useful thing you can do is make any installer show you both paths, not just the one they prefer to sell. Rather than chasing a “best installer” list, screen any company against objective criteria and check that its numbers match the current Rhode Island programs:

  • NABCEP certification, the industry’s professional standard for PV installers.
  • A valid Rhode Island contractor registration with the Contractors’ Registration and Licensing Board, and proper electrical licensing.
  • A clear workmanship and equipment warranty in writing.
  • A quote that models both options for your home: REG at the current program-year ceiling over its 15-year term, and net metering plus the REF grant, so you can see the real trade-off rather than one number.
  • Awareness of the April 1 REG window and the REF funding round, so your enrollment is timed before the year’s capacity or budget is committed.
  • A written production estimate for your actual roof, so the REG and net-metering figures are tied to real output.

MySolarFY matches you with licensed installers that serve your area, so you can compare quotes that model both REG and net metering for your ZIP side by side, with no obligation. For a city-level view, see our page on solar in Providence.

How MySolarFY researches these numbers

Every rate, term, and cap on this page comes from a primary source and is dated: the electricity rate from the EIA, the REG ceiling price and 15-year Small Solar I term from the Rhode Island Energy compliance filing at the RI PUC (Docket 25-52-REG), the REG program rules and the net-metering and REF rules from the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources and Rhode Island Commerce, the tax exemptions from the Rhode Island General Laws, and the production figure from a real NREL PVWatts run for Providence. Each material claim, including the two mutual-exclusivity rules and the 2026-2027 REG ceiling, was checked against those primary sources, and we updated the REG Small Solar I figure to the current 31.55 cents per kWh over a 15-year term, dropping prior-year REG prices still circulating in older content. Programs change and the REG ceiling and term reset each program year, so we date every figure and tell you to confirm the current value before deciding. See our data sources and how we research each page.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use both the REG program and net metering in Rhode Island?

No. In Rhode Island the Renewable Energy Growth (REG) program and standard net metering are mutually exclusive: you “choose one program or the other, but not both” (RI Office of Energy Resources, as of August 2026). REG installs a separate meter and pays a fixed tariff on all your generation for its 15-year Small Solar I term; net metering credits the power your panels offset on your regular bill. On top of that, the up-front Renewable Energy Fund (REF) grant is available only to net-metered systems, so a REG project cannot take REF either. The honest comparison is REG on one side against net metering plus the REF grant on the other.

What does the REG program pay in 2026?

For the 2026-2027 program year, a Small Solar I system of 15 kW or less, which is the typical home rooftop, receives a ceiling price of 31.55 cents per kWh over a 15-year term, and a Small Solar II system from 15 to 25 kW receives 28.65 cents per kWh over a 20-year term (RI PUC Docket 25-52-REG, as of August 2026). REG pays on every kilowatt-hour your panels make, separate from your electricity bill. The ceiling and term are reset each program year by the Public Utilities Commission and the Office of Energy Resources, so confirm the current figures with Rhode Island Energy before you budget around them.

How much is the Rhode Island REF solar grant?

The Renewable Energy Fund (REF) residential grant is $0.65 per watt, capped at $5,000 per customer, with a flat $2,000 adder for a system paired with battery storage (RI Office of Energy Resources, as of August 2026). On a typical 8 kW system the per-watt math reaches the cap, so most homes see the full $5,000. REF is administered by Rhode Island Commerce, it is money off the top at purchase rather than a payment over time, and it is available for net-metered systems only, so you cannot take it if you enroll in REG. REF runs in funded rounds that can close, so confirm the current round and figure.

Does Rhode Island have a state solar tax credit in 2026?

No. Rhode Island does not offer a state income tax credit for residential solar, unlike some neighboring states (RI Office of Energy Resources, as of 2026). What the state does offer is a sales tax exemption, so solar equipment is not charged the 7% state sales tax (R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-18-30), and a property tax exemption, so the added value from the system is not taxed by your city or town (R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-3-3). The separate 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, so a 2026 buyer cannot claim the federal one either. MySolarFY does not provide tax advice; consult a tax professional.

Is solar worth it in Rhode Island in 2026?

For most owner-occupied Rhode Island homes with decent sun, the math still works, because the state’s electricity is expensive and the state programs are strong. At about 29.91 cents per kWh (EIA, March 2026), every kilowatt-hour your roof makes offsets or earns real money. Our estimate for a typical 8 kW system is a 20-year value near $64,000 under net metering plus the REF grant, or about $61,000 on the REG path once its 15-year tariff plus the reversion to net metering afterward are counted, so the case holds on either path even though the federal credit has ended. Savings are not guaranteed and depend on your roof, your usage, and which program you pick.

Why is my electric bill still high if I have solar under REG?

Because REG is a “sell all” tariff, not a bill offset. Under the Renewable Energy Growth program your home keeps buying its electricity from Rhode Island Energy at the normal retail rate, and you are paid separately for what your panels generate (RI Office of Energy Resources, as of August 2026). So you still get a full electric bill, plus a REG payment for your generation. Net metering works the opposite way: it reduces the grid power you buy in the first place, so your bill itself is smaller. If a low monthly bill matters more to you than a locked generation payment, that difference is a reason to weigh net metering.

What happens when I miss the April 1 REG enrollment window?

You default to net metering, and you can take the REF grant instead. Rhode Island Energy opens REG on April 1 each year and enrolls systems first come, first serve until the program is fully subscribed, so once the year’s residential capacity fills, new systems that year cannot enroll in REG (RI Office of Energy Resources, as of August 2026). That is not a dead end: net metering has no window and no cap, and it is the path that also qualifies for the up-front $5,000 REF grant. If REG is your preference, have your installer file early in the program year rather than late.

Reviewed by the MySolarFY editorial team, August 2026. Figures were verified against the linked Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources (energy.ri.gov), the RI PUC REG compliance filing (Docket 25-52-REG), Rhode Island Commerce, Rhode Island Energy, EIA, IRS, and SEIA sources as of August 2026. The REG Small Solar I ceiling and term were updated to the current 2026-2027 program year, 31.55 cents per kWh over 15 years, from the RI PUC compliance filing, and prior-year REG prices still circulating in older content were dropped. The REG ceiling and term reset each program year and the REF round and cap can change, so confirm current terms with Rhode Island Energy and Rhode Island Commerce before you decide. MySolarFY does not provide tax or financial advice; consult a licensed professional about your own situation. Learn more about the MySolarFY editorial 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 are long-term agreements, may include an annual price escalator, and total payments may exceed the cost of a cash purchase; on a lease or PPA the REG payment, REF grant, and any tax benefit go to the company that owns the system, not the homeowner. Homeowners do not get the federal residential credit (Section 25D) 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.

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