Solar Resources · Homeowner Guides · Updated for 2026
The 30% federal solar tax credit (Section 25D) ended December 31, 2025. What cuts your cost now is local: your utility’s net metering, state incentives, and SRECs. These guides walk through what pays in 2026, in plain terms.
Start with the core guides, then find what applies in your state or with your utility.
What the federal credit (Section 25D), which ended December 31, 2025, means for homeowners buying solar in 2026.
How net metering credits the power your panels send back to the grid, right on your bill.
The rebates, state credits and tax exemptions that still cut your cost now.
How solar renewable energy certificates pay you for the clean energy your system produces.
The financial case: payback, long-term savings, and how to weigh the cost against the return.
The right questions to ask before you sign, so you choose a solar installer with confidence.
What happens to panels at end of life, what recycling actually costs, and where to send retired panels.
How solar panels work, what a home system includes, and what to expect from first quote to install, in plain terms.
What home solar really costs in 2026, how payback works, and the local factors that decide your savings.
How to pay for solar in 2026: cash, a loan, or a lease or PPA compared on ownership, cost, and lease-versus-loan savings.
The core hardware in a home system: panels, inverters, batteries, and racking, and what to evaluate on each.
When the federal residential credit (Section 25D) ended on December 31, 2025, the value of going solar stopped being one national number and became local, so these guides walk through what pays now in plain terms.
Want the effect on your bill first? Start with how solar lowers your electricity bill. New here? See how MySolarFY works and our data and methodology.
The programs that pay for solar are set state by state and utility by utility. Find yours.
Net metering rules, state credits, SRECs and tax exemptions, laid out for your state.
How your power company credits solar, with the net metering and tariff details for your utility.
Popular state guides: New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
Local programs do the work now. Net metering credits the power you export, some states add their own tax credits or rebates, SREC markets pay you for the clean energy you produce, and sales and property tax exemptions quietly lower the real cost. The 30% federal residential credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, so it does not apply to 2026 installations. (Source: IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit, https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/residential-clean-energy-credit)
Yes. The federal residential solar tax credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, so a homeowner who installs in 2026 cannot claim that federal credit. What still helps is local, and it varies by state and utility. MySolarFY does not provide tax advice; confirm your situation with a tax professional. (Source: IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit, https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/residential-clean-energy-credit)
If you are new to solar, start with Solar Basics to see how it works and whether your home is a good fit. Then check your state and your utility to see the programs that apply where you live.
Solar incentives, net-metering credits, installer availability, and electric rates change by utility and location. Enter your ZIP and we’ll match you with licensed installers who serve your area.
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Submitted securely and used to match you with licensed installers in your area. Some homeowners may qualify for $0-up-front lease/PPA options where available.
Financing note: $0-up-front lease and PPA options are not available everywhere and depend on your state, utility, and credit. Lease and PPA agreements can include an annual payment escalator, and total payments over the term may exceed the cost of buying the system with cash. The federal residential solar tax credit (Section 25D) ended December 31, 2025, so it does not apply to 2026 installations. MySolarFY is a free matching service, not an installer, and does not provide tax advice.