Updated for 2026. Of New York City’s five boroughs, Staten Island is the one built for rooftop solar. It has the highest share of one- and two-family homes and the highest owner-occupancy in the city, which means most of its homeowners own the roof outright and can say yes to solar without a co-op or condo board (US Census, Richmond County, as of 2026). The questions that actually decide a Staten Island project are local: how Con Edison credits the power you send back, how the NYC and New York State incentives stack now that the federal homeowner credit ended after December 31, 2025, how the FDNY’s rooftop fire-access rules shape a pitched roof, and, on the East and South Shore, how to plan around the flood zone. This page walks through what solar costs on Staten Island in 2026, what you can actually claim, and how to check your own address in about a minute.
- Staten Island is the best owner-occupied rooftop borough in NYC. It has the highest share of one- and two-family homes and the highest homeownership rate of the five boroughs, so a typical detached or semi-detached roof fits a real system and you control the decision (US Census, Richmond County, as of 2026).
- High power prices are what make it pay. New York residential electricity averages about 28.55 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026), well above the national average, and Con Edison’s New York City rates sit at the top end of that range.
- A typical Staten Island roof makes real power. NREL models a 6 kW system at about 7,895 kWh a year in ZIP 10314, roughly 1,316 kWh per kW installed (NREL PVWatts, as of 2026), so a larger single-family roof can offset a big share of a normal home’s use.
- The NYC Property Tax Abatement is the headline local incentive, and it is bigger than most pages say. A system placed in service from 2024 onward earns 30% of the eligible cost, spread over four years (7.5% per year), not the old 20% (NYC Department of Finance fact sheet, as of June 2026).
- New York’s state credit stacks on top. New York State still offers 25% of system cost, capped at $5,000, on Form IT-255 (NY Department of Taxation and Finance, as of June 2026).
- The 30% federal homeowner credit (Section 25D) ended after December 31, 2025 (IRS, as of January 1, 2026), so a Staten Island homeowner who buys solar in 2026 cannot claim it. The local stack above is what carries the math now.
Why Staten Island is New York City’s strongest rooftop-solar borough
The thing that sets Staten Island apart from the rest of the city is who owns the roof. Richmond County has the highest share of one- and two-family homes and the highest owner-occupancy rate of any New York City borough, the low-density, single-family stock the other four boroughs mostly lack (US Census, Richmond County QuickFacts, as of 2026). That matters for solar in a very practical way. A Manhattan or Bronx apartment dweller cannot put panels on a building they do not control, and a Brooklyn brownstone owner often needs a co-op or condo board to sign off. A Staten Island homeowner with a detached or semi-detached house usually owns the whole roof and makes the call alone, which is why the borough has the best owner-occupied rooftop fit in the city.
Bigger single-family roofs also fit bigger systems. Where a dense-borough row-house roof might hold a small array, a typical Staten Island house can often support a system large enough to cover most of its annual use, and at Con Edison’s high rates that offset is worth more here than almost anywhere in the country. The catch is that a single-family roof comes with its own rules, the FDNY rooftop-access setbacks and, near the water, the flood zone, both of which we cover below. For the boroughs next door, see how the math compares on our Manhattan solar guide, our Bronx solar guide, and our Queens solar guide, and for the citywide utility rules see our Con Edison net metering page.
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What solar actually costs on Staten Island, and how fast it pays back
Here is our own estimate for a Staten Island home, built from the local rate and local production. We took the EnergySage Staten Island average installed price of about $3.21 per watt (EnergySage Staten Island cost data, as of June 2026), the NREL PVWatts production for ZIP 10314 of about 1,316 kWh per kW per year (NREL PVWatts, as of 2026), and the New York residential rate of 28.55 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026). We then applied the two incentives a Staten Island owner-buyer can actually claim today: the NYC Property Tax Abatement at 30% of cost and the New York State credit at 25% of cost capped at $5,000. We ran these numbers ourselves in June 2026, and you can see exactly how we source and compute them in our data and methodology. For perspective on the bill solar offsets, a Staten Island home using 900 kWh in a peak summer month pays roughly $257 at that 28.55-cent rate, and Con Edison’s New York City rates sit at the top of the statewide range. The table below is an estimate, not a quote, and the assumptions are listed under it.
| System size | Estimated annual production | Estimated first-year bill savings | Gross cost (about $3.21/W) | Net cost after NYC abatement + NY credit | Estimated simple payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 kW | About 7,900 kWh | About $2,250 | About $19,300 | About $8,700 | About 3.8 years |
| 8 kW | About 10,500 kWh | About $3,000 | About $25,700 | About $13,000 | About 4.3 years |
| 10 kW | About 13,200 kWh | About $3,760 | About $32,100 | About $17,500 | About 4.7 years |
Note: how to read this estimate. The numbers assume net metering offsets your usage near the retail rate, that you have enough property-tax and state-income-tax liability to use the incentives over time, and that your roof gets sun similar to the PVWatts model for ZIP 10314. They do not include the New York Customer Benefit Contribution and the basic monthly service charge, which keep a solar bill from hitting zero, and they do not assume any NY-Sun rebate, since the standard residential block is closed in Con Edison territory. Real quotes vary with your roof, shading, and the equipment you choose, so treat this as a starting frame and confirm your own roof with the NREL PVWatts calculator. The fast payback is real, and it is driven by Staten Island’s high rate plus the stacked NYC and state incentives.
How Con Edison credits the power your Staten Island roof sends back
Net metering is the engine of your savings, and on Staten Island a normal home is credited near full retail value. All of Staten Island is Con Edison electric territory, and a new residential rooftop system defaults to New York’s Phase One net metering, which credits the power you export at the retail rate and rolls leftover credits forward month to month (Con Edison distributed-generation tariffs, as of June 2026). You can instead opt into the VDER Value Stack, New York’s monetary crediting tariff, but for a typical home the retail-rate netting usually wins, so most Staten Island homeowners stay on Phase One net metering. There is also a small monthly Customer Benefit Contribution that your credits cannot erase, which is the honest reason a solar bill is rarely zero. We keep the full breakdown of both crediting paths and the current charge on our Con Edison net metering page, and a plain-English primer on how net metering credits your solar exports.
| Con Edison crediting option | How your exports are valued | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Phase One net metering (default) | Exports credited at the retail rate; leftover credits roll forward | Most Staten Island homes, where retail-rate netting wins |
| VDER Value Stack (opt-in) | Monetary credits from wholesale energy plus grid-value components, usually below retail | Owners who model it and choose it, and larger projects |
| Customer Benefit Contribution | A small monthly charge per kW of solar that credits cannot offset | Applies either way; see the Con Edison hub for the current figure |
The NYC and New York incentives that stack on a Staten Island system
With the federal homeowner credit gone, the local stack is what makes the numbers work. A Staten Island owner who buys a system can claim two big incentives plus two exemptions, and they stack. The headline is the NYC Property Tax Abatement, and the important thing is the current rate: a system placed in service from January 1, 2024 onward earns an abatement equal to 30% of the eligible cost, taken over four years at 7.5% per year, not the older 20% figure many installer pages still show (NYC Department of Finance fact sheet, as of June 2026). It is taken against your property-tax bill, not your income tax, and it is capped at the lower of the computed amount or $250,000. On top of that, New York State offers a credit of 25% of your system cost, capped at $5,000, on Form IT-255 (NY Department of Taxation and Finance, as of June 2026).
| Incentive | What it is worth | The honest caveat |
|---|---|---|
| NYC Property Tax Abatement | 30% of eligible cost over 4 years (7.5%/yr), for systems placed in service 2024 to 2034 (NYC DOF) | Against your property tax, not income tax; cannot exceed your tax bill in a year |
| New York State credit | 25% of system cost, up to $5,000, on Form IT-255 (NY Tax and Finance) | Non-refundable with a carryforward; a lease or PPA qualifies only under a 10-year-plus agreement |
| NY State sales-tax exemption | No New York State sales tax on the solar equipment and installation (NY Tax and Finance bulletin) | Your installer applies it to the quote; some local taxes may still apply |
| NY-Sun rebate (Con Edison region) | A per-watt rebate only for income-eligible Affordable Solar households (NYSERDA ConEd dashboard) | The standard residential block is closed in Con Edison territory; confirm your tier first |
Note: do not budget around the old 20% abatement, or a general NY-Sun rebate. Two figures trip up Staten Island buyers. First, many installer pages and articles still describe a 5%-per-year, 20%-total abatement; that applies only to systems placed in service before January 1, 2024. For a 2026 install, use the current 30%-over-four-years figure and have your installer confirm your building’s eligibility (NYC Department of Finance, as of June 2026). Second, generic New York guides promise an upfront NY-Sun rebate, but the standard residential Megawatt Block is fully subscribed in the Con Edison region, so only the income-eligible Affordable Solar incentive remains there (NYSERDA Con Edison dashboard, as of June 2026). For the full statewide picture, see our New York solar incentives hub.
What the federal tax-credit change means for Staten Island
The federal homeowner credit is gone, but New York’s programs are not. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so a Staten Island homeowner who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit, as of 2026). You will still see installer pages and search results asking whether the 30% credit is going away, and the accurate answer for 2026 is that the homeowner version already ended. New York’s net metering, the NYC Property Tax Abatement, and the state credit were not affected, and against Con Edison’s high rates the local case still holds up well. For the full timeline, see what the end of the federal solar tax credit means in 2026.
One federal exception exists, and it is not yours to claim. A separate commercial credit, Section 48E, can apply to a leased or PPA system, but the business that owns the panels claims it, not the homeowner, and again the 25D homeowner credit ended after December 31, 2025 (IRS Clean Electricity Investment Credit, as of 2026). On a leased system you do not file for a federal credit yourself. If you want to own the incentives, including the NYC abatement and the New York State credit, a cash purchase or a solar loan is the path that keeps them with you.
Going solar on a Staten Island single-family roof: access rules and the flood zone
A single-family roof is the borough’s advantage, but it comes with two Staten Island checks. The first is fire-access. Every New York City solar project needs a NYC Department of Buildings permit, and the FDNY and NYC Fire Code require clear rooftop access on pitched roofs: a three-foot-wide clear path along each ridge, no panels within three feet of the ridge line, and perimeter access paths (FDNY Technology Management Bulletin, as of 2026). On the flat roofs common in the denser boroughs that costs little, but on the pitched, gabled roofs typical of Staten Island it reserves real space, so your usable panel area is smaller than the raw roof size suggests. A good installer designs the layout around these setbacks from the start.
Note: if you live on the East or South Shore, plan for the flood zone. Staten Island’s East and South Shore neighborhoods, including Midland Beach, New Dorp, Oakwood Beach, and Tottenville, were among the hardest-hit areas in New York City during Hurricane Sandy and sit in FEMA-designated coastal flood zones (US Department of Energy Hurricane Sandy report; FEMA Flood Map Service Center, as of 2026). If your home is in a mapped flood area, ask your installer to site the inverter and electrical equipment above the flood elevation rather than at ground level, and consider whether adding a battery makes sense for backup power during an outage. It is a borough-specific detail a generic solar guide will not raise, and getting it right protects the system you are paying for.
| Staten Island roof or site factor | What to plan for |
|---|---|
| Detached or semi-detached single-family roof | Often fits a larger system; you control the decision without a co-op or condo board |
| Pitched, gabled roof | FDNY three-foot ridge access path and perimeter setbacks reduce usable panel area |
| East or South Shore flood zone | Site the inverter and electrical gear above flood elevation; consider battery backup |
| Older home electrical panel | May need a service upgrade for solar plus a battery or EV charging |
Paying for solar on Staten Island: cash, loan, lease, or PPA
There is no single right way to pay for solar; the best fit depends on whether you want to own the system and claim the incentives yourself, or avoid an up-front cost. The table below compares the common paths at a high level. A lease or PPA can mean no up-front cost for eligible homeowners, but it is a long-term agreement with monthly payments, solar panels are not free, and on those structures the company that owns the panels typically keeps the NYC abatement and the state credit. To weigh the long-run numbers, see how net metering credits your solar exports and our methodology on how we research these pages.
| Path | Up-front cost | Who keeps the NYC abatement + state credit | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash purchase | Full system cost | You, the owner | You want the fastest payback and the most lifetime savings |
| Solar loan | Little to none, financed | You, the owner | You want ownership without paying cash up front |
| Lease or PPA | $0-up-front where eligible | The third-party owner | You prefer no up-front cost and a simpler, fixed monthly bill |
How to choose a solar installer on Staten Island
The Staten Island search results are thin on real local authority, which means you should screen on criteria, not on a “best of” list. Rather than chasing a ranking, check any company against objective standards before you sign:
- NABCEP certification, the industry’s professional standard for PV installers.
- A valid New York State and NYC license and the proper electrical and home-improvement credentials.
- A clear workmanship and equipment warranty in writing.
- Real experience with Con Edison interconnection, NYC Department of Buildings permitting, and FDNY rooftop access on pitched roofs, plus flood-zone siting if you are on the East or South Shore.
- A written production estimate and a transparent quote that shows your bill after solar, with the Customer Benefit Contribution and service charge included, and that uses the current 30% abatement, not an old figure. For a checklist, see how MySolarFY works.
MySolarFY matches you with licensed installers that serve Staten Island so you can compare real local quotes side by side, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
Is solar worth it on Staten Island in 2026? For most owner-occupied Staten Island homes with decent sun, yes. New York residential electricity averages about 28.55 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026), among the higher rates in the country, and Con Edison’s New York City rates sit at the top of that range, so every kilowatt-hour your roof makes offsets an expensive grid one. Our own estimate puts a typical system’s simple payback near four to five years once the NYC Property Tax Abatement and the New York State credit are applied. Savings are not guaranteed and depend on your roof, usage, and how you pay, but the high local rate plus Staten Island’s single-family roofs make it the city’s strongest solar borough.
What is the NYC solar property tax abatement worth in 2026? A system placed in service from January 1, 2024 onward earns an abatement equal to 30% of the eligible installed cost, taken over four years at 7.5% per year, under the current expanded rate (NYC Department of Finance, as of June 2026). It is applied against your property-tax bill rather than your income tax, and it cannot exceed your tax bill in a given year. Ignore the older 20% figure that many installer pages still show, since that applies only to systems placed in service before 2024. Ask your installer to confirm your building’s eligibility, because some tax-benefited properties are excluded.
Does New York still have a state solar tax credit? Yes. New York State offers a Solar Energy System Equipment Credit equal to 25% of your system cost, capped at $5,000, claimed on Form IT-255 (NY Department of Taxation and Finance, as of June 2026). It is separate from the federal credit that ended after December 31, 2025, and was not affected by that federal change. It is non-refundable but carries forward if you cannot use it all in one year. A purchased system clearly qualifies; a leased or PPA system can qualify only under a written agreement of at least 10 years, so confirm your situation before counting on it.
What happened to the federal solar tax credit? The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so a Staten Island homeowner who buys solar in 2026 with cash or a loan cannot claim it (IRS, as of 2026). 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 York’s net metering, the NYC abatement, and the state credit were not affected, so at Con Edison’s high rates the local payback case still holds. See our guide on what the end of the federal solar tax credit means in 2026.
How does net metering work with Con Edison on Staten Island? A new residential system defaults to New York’s Phase One net metering, where the power you export is credited at the retail rate and leftover credits roll forward month to month (Con Edison distributed-generation tariffs, as of June 2026). You can instead opt into the VDER Value Stack, but for a typical home full retail net metering usually saves more. Either way, you still pay the basic monthly service charge and a Customer Benefit Contribution based on your system size, which is why a solar bill is rarely zero. Our Con Edison page breaks down both crediting paths and the current charge in detail.
Can I really get solar on Staten Island with no out-of-pocket cost? Some homeowners can, through a lease or power purchase agreement (PPA) where eligible, which can mean no cost at installation in exchange for monthly payments. This is a long-term agreement, typically 20 to 25 years, solar panels are not free, and total payments may exceed the cost of a cash purchase. On a lease or PPA the third-party owner, not you, usually keeps the NYC abatement and the New York State credit, while your benefit is a lower or fixed power price. If you want to own the system and capture those incentives yourself, a cash purchase or solar loan is the path that keeps them. Check what you qualify for before deciding.
Reviewed by the SolarFY Editor team. Figures were verified against the linked New York State (tax.ny.gov, NYSERDA), New York City (Department of Finance, FDNY), EIA, NREL, FEMA, and IRS sources as of June 2026; net-metering terms, the NYC abatement, the NY-Sun block status, the Customer Benefit Contribution, and Con Edison rates can change, so confirm current terms with Con Edison, the City of New York, and New York State before you decide. MySolarFY does not provide tax or financial advice; consult a licensed professional about your own situation. Learn more about how MySolarFY works and our data and methodology.
MySolarFY is a free service that matches homeowners with licensed solar installers. We are not an installer, financing company, tax advisor, or government program. The federal residential solar tax credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures after December 31, 2025, and most homeowners who install in 2026 cannot claim it, so confirm your tax situation with a professional. “No up-front cost” refers to qualifying lease or PPA financing where eligible; these agreements 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 NYC abatement and the New York State credit go to the company that owns the system, not the homeowner. Solar panels are not free and monthly payments apply. Incentives, savings, and rates vary, change over time, and are not guaranteed. See our full disclaimer.
