Yes, solar is usually worth it in Westbury: New York’s high electricity rates plus PSEG Long Island net metering typically give a cash-bought system a payback in the range of 6 to 9 years, and New York’s 25% state tax credit is still on the table. Westbury sits in the middle of Nassau County, and like most of Long Island it pairs some of the highest electricity prices in New York with plenty of usable roof, which is what makes rooftop solar pay here. The part worth getting right is the local detail: your utility is PSEG Long Island, which credits your solar differently than Con Edison does, and New York’s incentives are not what the out-of-date search results say they are. This page covers what solar actually costs in Westbury, how PSEG Long Island net metering and the Customer Benefit Contribution work, which New York incentives still apply in 2026, and the Nassau County permitting to plan for, then you can check your address in about a minute. Updated for 2026.
- Long Island power is expensive, which is what makes solar pay. New York residential electricity averages about 28.55 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026), and PSEG Long Island customers on time-of-day pricing can see peak-period rates well above that.
- A typical 6 kW system in Westbury (ZIP 11590) is modeled at about 8,028 kWh a year (NREL PVWatts, as of July 2026), enough to offset a large share of a normal home’s use.
- Your utility is PSEG Long Island, and it still runs traditional net metering. Residential systems up to 25 kW earn retail-style bill credits, unlike the VDER value stack used downstate by Con Edison (DSIRE PSEG Long Island net metering, as of April 2026).
- New York’s 25% state tax credit is still here, capped at $5,000, and it even covers leases and PPAs (NY Department of Taxation and Finance, as of July 2026).
- The 30% federal homeowner credit (Section 25D) ended after December 31, 2025 (IRS, as of 2026), so a Westbury homeowner who buys solar in 2026 cannot claim it.
- New York residential electricity rate: about 28.55 cents per kWh, as of March 2026 (EIA).
- Modeled production, 6 kW system at ZIP 11590: about 8,028 kWh per year, as of July 2026 (NREL PVWatts).
- Estimated simple payback for a cash system after the New York state credit: roughly 6 to 9 years (MySolarFY estimate, method below).
- Headline incentive still active: New York’s 25% state solar tax credit, capped at $5,000, as of July 2026 (NY Tax Department).
Why Westbury’s electric rates make solar worth it
The reason solar pays in Westbury is the price of the power it replaces. New York residential electricity averages about 28.55 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026), and Long Island is at the expensive end of the state. PSEG Long Island bills a delivery charge plus a variable supply charge, and customers on the company’s time-of-day rate can see peak-period prices well above the statewide average (PSEG Long Island rates and tariffs, as of January 2026). Every kilowatt-hour your roof makes offsets one of those expensive grid kilowatt-hours, so a Westbury home spending $150 or more a month on electricity is usually a strong solar candidate. For the exact cents on your own bill, read the delivery and supply lines on your PSEG Long Island statement, since both move over time.
Your production is what turns that high rate into savings. A 6 kW system in Westbury (ZIP 11590) is modeled at about 8,028 kWh a year by NREL’s PVWatts (NREL PVWatts v8, as of July 2026), which offsets a large share of a typical home’s annual use. Output depends on your roof’s pitch, shading, and orientation, so treat that figure as a well-sited starting point and estimate your own roof before you size a system. Your production drives your net-metering credits, so it is worth getting right.
See what solar programs are available in your Westbury ZIP code
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.
Free to check. About a minute. No credit pull to check.
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.
What does a 6 kW system cost and save in Westbury?
Instead of a generic number, here is our own estimate built from the two figures above: the New York residential rate and the modeled production for ZIP 11590. We use a typical installed price of about $3.00 per watt for Long Island, apply New York’s 25% state tax credit, and show simple payback. Treat this as an illustration, not a quote. Your roof, your usage, your installer’s price, and the PSEG Long Island Customer Benefit Contribution (explained below) all move the result.
| Input or step | Value | Source or basis |
|---|---|---|
| System size (modeled) | 6 kW | MySolarFY model |
| Annual production, ZIP 11590 | about 8,028 kWh | NREL PVWatts, July 2026 |
| Electricity rate | about 28.55 cents/kWh | EIA, March 2026 |
| Gross annual bill offset | about $2,290 | 8,028 kWh times $0.2855 (ours) |
| Estimated gross install cost | about $18,000 (at $3.00/W) | New York market pricing (EnergySage, 2026) |
| New York state tax credit (25%, $5,000 cap) | about minus $4,500 | NY Tax Department, July 2026 |
| Net cost after the state credit | about $13,500 | ours |
| Estimated simple payback | about 6 years, call it 6 to 9 with the CBC and sizing | ours |
Note: This is an estimate, not a guarantee. It uses the statewide New York rate because a single flat PSEG Long Island cents-per-kWh figure is not published cleanly (the utility uses delivery plus a variable supply charge, and a time-of-day option). Many Long Island homeowners pay more than the statewide average, which would shorten the payback, while the Customer Benefit Contribution and a larger system push it the other way. The federal 30% credit is not in this math because it ended after December 31, 2025.
How does PSEG Long Island pay you for solar power?
Net metering is the engine of your savings, and PSEG Long Island still uses the traditional retail version. When your panels make more than you use, the excess flows to the grid and you earn a bill credit; when you use more than you make, you draw those credits back down. PSEG Long Island offers this for residential systems up to 25 kW, generally sized to about 110% of your last 12 months of usage, and it is the traditional retail-style credit, not the VDER value stack that Con Edison and the upstate utilities apply to new solar (DSIRE PSEG Long Island net metering, as of April 2026). For a system installed today, PSEG Long Island banks any surplus in your Energy Credit Bank and carries it forward for up to 20 years, applying it automatically to later bills, so you are not cashed out and reset each year the way legacy pre-2018 systems were (PSEG Long Island Connected solar guide, as of 2026). For the mechanics of how exports become credits, see how net metering credits your solar exports.
| What you earn | How it is valued | Who receives it |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly net-metering credits | Retail-style bill credit, banked and rolled forward | The PSEG Long Island account holder |
| Surplus in your Energy Credit Bank | Banked and carried forward up to 20 years, applied automatically to later bills | The account holder |
| Reduced or fixed monthly power price (lease or PPA) | Set by your agreement, not by net metering | You, while the owner keeps the credits |
One Long Island detail that most solar pages skip: the Customer Benefit Contribution. Since January 1, 2022, PSEG Long Island applies a Customer Benefit Contribution (CBC) to new net-metered residential solar. It is a small monthly charge based on the size of your system (a per-kilowatt figure times your system’s DC nameplate), it helps fund public-benefit programs, and PSEG Long Island resets it every January (DSIRE PSEG Long Island net metering, as of April 2026). It does not erase the value of net metering, but it does slightly reduce your monthly savings, which is why it belongs in any honest payback estimate. For a sense of scale, when PSEG Long Island introduced the CBC in 2022 it was set near $0.89 per kW of system size each month (NY Department of Public Service, as of 2021), which on a 6 kW system would work out to about $64 a year and add a few months to the payback in the table above. That is the launch figure, not a promise of the current rate, so ask your installer for PSEG Long Island’s present Statement of Customer Benefit Contribution rather than trusting an old number. For the full utility picture, see our PSEG Long Island solar guide.
New York solar incentives that still apply in Westbury
Beyond net metering, a Westbury homeowner stacks New York’s statewide benefits. Two things have changed enough that the search results are often wrong, so here is the accurate 2026 picture.
| Program | What it does in 2026 | Status |
|---|---|---|
| New York State Solar Energy System Equipment Credit | 25% of the system cost, capped at $5,000; also covers leases and 10-year-plus PPAs | Active (NY Tax Department, July 2026) |
| New York sales-tax exemption | No state sales tax on residential solar equipment and installation | Active (NY Tax Department, 2026) |
| New York property-tax exemption (RPTL 487) | 15 years of no added property tax on the value your system adds, where the locality has not opted out | Active, local option (NY Tax Department, 2026) |
| NY-Sun cash rebate (per watt) | Standard residential block is closed on Long Island; only income-qualified or storage-paired projects still get it | Mostly closed on LI (NYSERDA Long Island dashboard, 2026) |
| Federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (25D) | Ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025 | Ended (IRS, 2026) |
The state tax credit is the one to know, because it survived and it is flexible. New York gives a personal income-tax credit worth 25% of your solar system’s cost, capped at $5,000, claimed on Form IT-255 (NY Department of Taxation and Finance, as of July 2026). Unlike the federal credit that just ended, New York’s version also applies when you lease your system or sign a power purchase agreement of at least 10 years, so even homeowners who do not buy their panels outright can benefit, subject to the same 25% and $5,000 limits.
Two exemptions quietly lower your costs. New York exempts residential solar equipment and its installation from the state sales tax (NY Tax Department sales-tax guidance, as of 2026), and under Real Property Tax Law section 487 the added home value from your system is exempt from property tax for 15 years (NY Tax Department RPTL 487 manual, as of 2026). The property-tax exemption is a local option, so a town, county, or school district can opt out. Before you count on it, confirm that Nassau County and the Town of North Hempstead have not opted out, using the state’s current opt-out list.
One thing to not count on: a NY-Sun cash rebate. Older guides still promise a NYSERDA NY-Sun rebate per watt, but the standard residential block on Long Island has been fully subscribed for years (NYSERDA NY-Sun, as of 2026). Today a plain solar-only project in Westbury generally does not get that cash rebate; the remaining NY-Sun money on Long Island is for income-qualified households or systems paired with battery storage. We keep the full statewide detail on our New York solar guide rather than repeating it here.
What the federal tax-credit change means for Westbury
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 Westbury homeowner who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit; SEIA, as of 2026). You will still see installer pages and AI answers asking whether the 30% credit is going away; the accurate answer for 2026 is that the homeowner version already ended. New York’s net metering, its 25% state credit, and its tax exemptions were not affected, and at Long Island’s high rates the bill offset alone is substantial. For the full timeline, see what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026.
One federal exception 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 (IRS Clean Electricity Investment Credit, as of 2026). On a leased system in Westbury you do not file for a federal credit yourself; the company that owns the panels does, and it may pass some of that value through to your monthly price. The 25D homeowner credit, by contrast, ended after December 31, 2025.
Permitting and installing solar in Westbury and North Hempstead
A Westbury solar project runs on two parallel tracks: the town permit and the utility interconnection. For the building side, the Town of North Hempstead Building Department reviews and issues residential solar permits, applied for through the town’s online portal or in person (Town of North Hempstead, as of 2026). Nassau County solar permits are commonly approved within a few weeks of a complete submission, though that is a regional norm rather than a North Hempstead guarantee, so ask your installer for the current turnaround. For the electric side, your installer files a PSEG Long Island interconnection application, which is separate from the town permit and controls when your system is allowed to switch on.
Note: Before you sign, ask any installer to confirm three Westbury-specific items in writing: the current PSEG Long Island Customer Benefit Contribution rate for your system size, whether Nassau County or the Town of North Hempstead has opted out of the RPTL 487 property-tax exemption, and the town permit and PSEG Long Island interconnection timeline for your address. Those three answers, not a generic brochure, are what make your quote real.
How to compare solar installers in Westbury
Long Island has a deep market of licensed solar installers, which is good for you because it means real competition on price and service. Rather than chasing a “best installer” list, screen any company against objective criteria:
- NABCEP certification, the industry’s professional standard for PV installers.
- A New York State licensed electrician and the proper local permits pulled in your name.
- NYSERDA Quality Solar Installer status, the state’s own vetting mark, is a useful extra signal.
- A clear workmanship and equipment warranty in writing.
- Real experience with PSEG Long Island interconnection and Town of North Hempstead permitting, so the paperwork and Permission to Operate go smoothly.
- A written production estimate and a transparent quote that shows the current CBC charge and uses New York’s 25% credit correctly, not the ended federal one. For a checklist, see whether solar panels are worth it and what a home solar battery costs if you are weighing storage.
MySolarFY matches you with licensed installers that serve your area so you can compare real local quotes side by side, with no obligation. For nearby Nassau County towns, see our guides for Garden City, Hicksville, and Great Neck; if you are just over the line in New York City or Westchester, see Con Edison net metering instead, since the rules there differ.
Frequently asked questions
Is solar worth it in Westbury or on Long Island in 2026?
For most owner-occupied Long 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 Long Island sits at the expensive end, so every kilowatt-hour your roof makes offsets a costly grid one. A 6 kW system in Westbury is modeled near 8,028 kWh a year (NREL PVWatts, as of July 2026). Add PSEG Long Island net metering and New York’s 25% state tax credit, and the payback is usually in the single digits of years. Savings are not guaranteed and depend on your roof, usage, and how you pay, but the high local rate is what makes Long Island a strong solar market.
Does PSEG Long Island buy back my solar power?
Through net metering, yes, though not as a yearly check for a new system. When your panels produce more than you use, PSEG Long Island credits your account and banks the surplus in an Energy Credit Bank (DSIRE PSEG Long Island net metering, as of April 2026). For a system installed today, those credits carry forward for up to 20 years and apply automatically to later bills, rather than being cashed out and reset each year the way legacy pre-2018 systems were. Residential systems up to 25 kW qualify, generally sized to about 110% of your prior 12 months of usage, and this is the traditional retail-style net metering, not the VDER value stack Con Edison uses downstate. The smart move is to size your system close to your annual usage so most of your credits offset your own bills.
What is the Customer Benefit Contribution (CBC) on PSEG Long Island solar?
It is a small monthly charge PSEG Long Island has applied to new net-metered residential solar since January 1, 2022. The amount is based on your system’s size (a per-kilowatt figure times your DC nameplate), it helps fund public-benefit programs, and PSEG Long Island resets it every January (DSIRE PSEG Long Island net metering, as of April 2026). It does not cancel out net metering, but it does trim your monthly savings a little, so it belongs in any honest payback estimate. Because the rate changes yearly, ask your installer for PSEG Long Island’s current Statement of Customer Benefit Contribution for your system size rather than relying on an older number.
Is the 30% federal solar tax credit gone in 2026?
For homeowners who buy, yes. 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 Westbury 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, its 25% state credit, and its tax exemptions were not affected, so at Long Island’s high rates the local payback case still holds. See our guide on what the federal solar tax credit change means in 2026.
Does New York still have a state solar tax credit?
Yes. New York gives a personal income-tax credit worth 25% of your solar system’s cost, capped at $5,000, claimed on Form IT-255 (NY Department of Taxation and Finance, as of July 2026). It is separate from the federal credit that ended, and it survived into 2026. It is also unusually flexible: unlike the federal credit, New York’s version applies to leased systems and to power purchase agreements of at least 10 years, subject to the same 25% and $5,000 limits, so many homeowners who do not buy their panels outright can still benefit. MySolarFY does not provide tax advice; confirm your situation with a tax professional.
Do solar panels increase property taxes in New York?
Generally no, because of a specific exemption. Under Real Property Tax Law section 487, the increase in your home’s assessed value from a qualifying solar system is exempt from property tax for 15 years (NY Department of Taxation and Finance, as of 2026). The catch is that it is a local option: a county, city, town, village, or school district can opt out by local law. So before you count on it in Westbury, check the state’s current opt-out list for Nassau County and the Town of North Hempstead. The exemption applies to owned and, in many cases, third-party-owned systems, and it does not exempt special assessments.
Can I get solar with no up-front cost in Westbury?
Some homeowners can, through a lease or power purchase agreement (PPA) where eligible, which can mean no out-of-pocket cost at installation in exchange for monthly payments. This is not free solar; it is a long-term agreement, typically 20 to 25 years, and total payments may exceed the cost of a cash purchase. On a lease or PPA the third-party owner collects the federal commercial credit, but New York’s 25% state credit can still apply to your lease or PPA payments, which is unusual and worth asking about. If you want to own the system and capture the most savings yourself, a cash purchase or solar loan is the path that keeps them. Check what you qualify for before deciding.
Reviewed by the MySolarFY team and updated for 2026. Figures were verified against the linked New York State (Tax Department), NYSERDA, PSEG Long Island, DSIRE, EIA, and IRS sources as of July 2026; the PSEG Long Island Customer Benefit Contribution rate, net-metering terms, and Nassau County permitting details can change, so confirm current terms with PSEG Long Island, the Town of North Hempstead, and the New York State Tax Department 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 and our data sources and how we research each page.
MySolarFY is a free service that matches homeowners with licensed solar installers. We are not an installer, financing company, tax advisor, 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. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, so homeowners who buy solar in 2026 do not receive it. Solar panels are not free and monthly payments apply. Eligibility, savings, incentives, and rates vary and are not guaranteed. See our full disclaimer.