Going solar in White Plains is mostly a Con Edison story with a Westchester twist. White Plains is the Westchester County seat, served by Con Edison’s Westchester zone rather than its New York City zone, and the city has done something many towns have not: it adopted New York’s streamlined solar permit, so a standard rooftop project files one simplified form with City Hall. The numbers are strong because Con Edison’s rates are high and New York still hands an owner a 25 percent state tax credit. This page covers what solar actually costs on a White Plains roof in 2026, how Con Edison credits the power you send back, which New York incentives a Westchester homeowner can stack, who issues your permit, and a payback estimate built from a real production figure for your ZIP, so you can check your address in about a minute. Updated for June 2026.
White Plains solar at a glance (Westchester, 2026)
Is solar worth it in White Plains in 2026? For most homes with a usable roof, yes. Con Edison’s high Westchester rates plus New York’s 25 percent state credit put a typical system’s payback in the 6-year range once you own it (EIA; NY Department of Taxation and Finance, as of 2026).
- Your utility is Con Edison, in its Westchester zone. White Plains is served by Con Edison’s Westchester service area, a distinct rate zone from Con Edison’s New York City zone, so your net metering and interconnection run through Con Edison on its Westchester tariff (Con Edison company information, as of 2026).
- White Plains uses New York’s streamlined solar permit. The City of White Plains Building Department offers the New York State Unified Solar Permit for eligible residential systems of 25 kW or less, which simplifies the paperwork (City of White Plains building permits, as of 2026).
- New York 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 Con Edison’s Westchester rates sit above that average and are rising.
- A 6 kW system at a White Plains ZIP makes about 7,800 kWh a year. A per-address NREL PVWatts run for ZIP 10605 returns roughly 1,304 kWh per kW of panels (NREL PVWatts v8, as of 2026).
- New York’s 25 percent state credit survives even though the federal one ended. New York gives a state income-tax credit worth 25 percent of system cost, capped at $5,000 (NY Department of Taxation and Finance, Form IT-255, as of 2026), while the 30 percent federal homeowner credit (Section 25D) ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025 (IRS, as of January 1, 2026).
- The New York City property-tax abatement does not reach White Plains. That abatement is a five-boroughs program, so a Westchester home gets New York’s statewide 15-year property-tax exemption instead (NY Department of Taxation and Finance, RPTL 487, as of 2026).
Why a White Plains roof pays under Con Edison
The case for solar here starts with how much Con Edison charges for the power your panels would replace. New York’s residential electricity averages about 28.55 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026), and Con Edison’s Westchester customers pay above that statewide average once supply and delivery are combined, with rates set to climb again in 2026. So a kilowatt-hour your roof produces is worth more here than in most of the country, because it cancels a costlier one. We anchor this page to the statewide 28.55 cents because Con Edison’s exact Westchester rate resets on a schedule; for your own number, add the supply and delivery lines on your Con Edison bill.
What that rate is worth depends on how much your specific roof produces. A per-address NREL PVWatts (v8) run for a White Plains ZIP (10605) models about 7,826 kWh in the first year from a 6 kW system, roughly 1,304 kWh for each kW of panels at a 14.9 percent capacity factor for the Lower Hudson Valley (NREL PVWatts v8, as of 2026). That is a measured figure for this location rather than a national average, but your own output turns on roof pitch, orientation, and the shade from White Plains’s mature trees and taller downtown buildings, so a site visit beats any table. Production drives both your net-metering credits and any NY-Sun rebate you qualify for.
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What solar saves a White Plains home: our own estimate
Here is the math worked for a White Plains roof, with every input shown. We pair the live local production figure for ZIP 10605 with the New York rate, subtract the Con Edison Customer Benefit Contribution, apply a typical installed price, and take the 25 percent New York state credit. We leave out the federal residential credit, which ended for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, so a 2026 buyer cannot claim it. Treat the result as a planning estimate, not a quote.
Assumptions: each kW of panels makes about 1,304 kWh per year, from a per-address NREL PVWatts v8 run for ZIP 10605 (7,826 kWh on a 6 kW system, as of 2026); each kWh is valued at the 28.55 cent New York average (EIA, as of March 2026), a conservative floor since Con Edison Westchester runs higher; the Con Edison Customer Benefit Contribution of about $1.09 per kW of system size per month is subtracted (NYSERDA Customer Benefit Contribution, as of 2026); an installed price of about $2.85 per watt before incentives, the middle of New York’s range (EnergySage New York, as of 2026); and the 25 percent New York state tax credit, capped at $5,000 (NY Department of Taxation and Finance, as of 2026).
| System size | Est. annual production (1,304 kWh/kW) | Year-one bill offset (28.55 cents) | Less Con Edison CBC (~$1.09/kW-mo) | Cost before incentives (~$2.85/W) | Cost after the 25% NY credit (max $5,000) | Est. simple payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 kW | about 7,820 kWh | about $2,235 | about $78/yr | $17,100 | $12,825 | about 5.9 years |
| 8 kW | about 10,430 kWh | about $2,980 | about $105/yr | $22,800 | $17,800 | about 6.2 years |
| 10 kW | about 13,040 kWh | about $3,725 | about $131/yr | $28,500 | $23,500 | about 6.5 years |
Note: This estimate holds today’s rate flat and ignores financing costs, so treat it as a starting point. Two things tend to shorten the real payback: Con Edison’s Westchester rates run above the statewide figure we used and keep rising, and a NY-Sun rebate, where you qualify, lowers the up-front price further. The New York credit is non-refundable, so you need enough New York tax liability to use it, though it carries forward up to five years. A written quote that uses your roof, your usage, and the current Con Edison rate beats any table. For the method behind numbers like these, see the financial case for whether solar panels are worth it.
Your White Plains utility is Con Edison, in its Westchester zone
As the Westchester County seat, White Plains sits squarely in Con Edison’s Westchester zone, and that zone is priced differently from the New York City one. Con Edison runs the grid across both New York City and Westchester County, but it files separate Westchester rates in its New York electric tariff, so a White Plains bill is not priced like a Manhattan one (Con Edison company information; Con Edison electric rates and tariffs, as of 2026). For solar that matters because the value of every kilowatt-hour you offset, and the rules for crediting what you export, come off the Con Edison Westchester tariff rather than a statewide average. Your interconnection application, your net-metering enrollment, and any Customer Benefit Contribution all run through Con Edison. For the full utility-level rules and the towns it covers, see our Con Edison Westchester net metering and rates guide, and for a nearby Westchester comparison, how solar works in Yonkers.
How Con Edison credits your solar: net metering, the Value Stack, and the CBC
A new Con Edison rooftop customer picks between two crediting methods, and for most homes the simpler one wins. The default is Phase One net metering, where Con Edison credits your exports near the full retail rate and rolls leftover credits forward, on a 20-year term from your in-service date (Con Edison distributed-generation tariffs, as of 2026). The alternative, the VDER Value Stack, pays a per-kWh blend of wholesale energy and grid-value components that usually lands below the retail rate, and it mainly suits larger or community projects. For a standard White Plains rooftop home, retail-rate net metering produces the higher total savings, so most owners stay on it. For the general mechanics, see how net metering credits your solar exports.
| Con Edison crediting option | How your exports are valued | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Phase One net metering (default) | Credited near the retail rate; leftover credits roll forward over a 20-year term | Most standard homes, where retail-rate netting wins |
| VDER Value Stack (optional) | A per-kWh stack of wholesale and grid-value components, usually below retail | Larger or community projects, and owners who model it and choose it |
Note: the one charge net metering does not erase. Even with full net metering, a White Plains system interconnected on or after January 1, 2022 pays a monthly Customer Benefit Contribution, a per-kilowatt fee your credits cannot cancel (Con Edison distributed-generation tariffs, as of 2026). New York’s filed Con Edison residential figure has been about $1.09 per kW of installed solar a month (NYSERDA Customer Benefit Contribution, as of 2026), so a 6 kW White Plains array carries roughly $6 to $7 a month, near $80 a year, which we already subtracted in the payback table above. Con Edison resets the rate each year in its Statement of Customer Benefit Contribution, so have your installer confirm the current number.
The New York incentives a White Plains homeowner stacks in 2026
Beyond net metering, a White Plains owner stacks several New York benefits, and most follow whoever owns the system. On a lease or PPA the company that owns the panels keeps these, while the net-metering credit still follows your Con Edison account. The full statewide detail lives on our New York solar guide; here is what applies to a Westchester home.
| New York benefit | What it is worth for a White Plains home | The honest caveat |
|---|---|---|
| New York State tax credit (Form IT-255) | 25 percent of system cost, capped at $5,000 (NY Tax and Finance) | Non-refundable, with a 5-year carryforward; for systems you own, not lease |
| RPTL 487 property-tax exemption | 15 years with no added property tax on the value solar adds (NY Tax and Finance) | Local opt-out is possible; White Plains, Westchester County, and the city school district have not opted out as of the state’s 3/31/2026 list |
| New York sales-tax exemption | No 4 percent state sales tax on the equipment and installation (NY Tax and Finance) | Statewide; your installer applies it to the quote |
| NY-Sun rebate (Con Edison region) | A per-watt rebate paid through your installer where you qualify (NYSERDA NY-Sun) | The downstate residential block is income-targeted; confirm your tier on the live dashboard |
The state credit and the 487 exemption are the dependable pair for a White Plains buyer. New York’s IT-255 credit returns 25 percent of your system cost up to $5,000, and the RPTL 487 exemption keeps your property taxes from rising on the value the panels add for 15 years (NY Department of Taxation and Finance, as of 2026). The well-known New York City solar property-tax abatement is a different thing, limited to the five boroughs, so a White Plains home does not get it and relies on the statewide 487 exemption instead. Because a taxing jurisdiction can change its 487 position in a future cycle, it is worth a quick check with the City of White Plains assessor before you count on it.
What the federal tax-credit change means for White Plains
A lot of New York solar advice is written for upstate, and a White Plains buyer needs the downstate, post-2025 version. 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 White Plains homeowner who buys solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit; SEIA, as of 2026). National calculators still show a 30 percent credit running through 2032; for a Lower Hudson Valley home in 2026 that is simply out of date. Con Edison net metering, the New York 25 percent state credit, NY-Sun, and the 487 exemption were not touched by the federal change.
One federal exception exists, and it is not yours to claim. A separate commercial credit, Section 48E, can be 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 you do not file for a federal credit yourself; the company that owns the panels does, and it may pass some of the value through. 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.
White Plains uses New York’s streamlined solar permit
Here is a White Plains advantage worth knowing before you compare quotes: the city adopted New York’s simplified solar permit. The New York State Unified Solar Permit is a standardized application for small residential systems, rated 25 kW DC or less, that a municipality can adopt to cut the paperwork and turnaround on a rooftop project. The City of White Plains Department of Building offers it as one of its solar permit application forms, so an eligible White Plains system uses that streamlined form rather than a one-off custom review (City of White Plains building permits, as of 2026). Your licensed installer files it with the city, and the project still needs Con Edison interconnection approval before it goes live.
Note: Not every New York area runs the same path, which is why it is worth confirming. White Plains is an incorporated city with its own Department of Building, and it uses the statewide Unified Solar Permit. Long Island, by contrast, sits in PSEG Long Island territory and runs its own separate solar-permitting and interconnection process, so guidance written for a Nassau or Suffolk County home will not match White Plains. Ask your installer to confirm they file the City of White Plains permit and handle the Con Edison interconnection and your Permission to Operate.
County-seat roofs: single-family neighborhoods and the downtown core
White Plains is two solar markets in one city, and which one you are in shapes your options. The single-family neighborhoods that ring downtown tend to have pitched roofs that fit a full-size array, so for those homes the questions are the familiar ones: roof age, pitch, shading, and how you pay. The downtown core is a different picture, a dense cluster of apartment buildings, condos, and co-ops where a shared roof needs the building’s agreement first and often cannot host a system sized to one household. If you own a house, rooftop solar with Con Edison net metering is usually the straightforward path. If you are in a condo or co-op, or your roof is too shaded or small, a community solar subscription can credit your Con Edison bill for your share of a larger off-site array under New York’s Value Stack, with no panels on your own roof. A roof that needs replacing in a few years is worth re-shingling before panels go on, so a good installer assesses that up front.
Paying for solar in White Plains: cash, loan, lease, or PPA
In White Plains, the payment method you choose is really a choice about who collects the New York incentives. Buy the system with cash or a loan and you keep the 25 percent state credit, any NY-Sun rebate, and the 487 exemption. Sign a lease or PPA and you can skip the up-front cost, but it is a long-term agreement with monthly payments, not free solar, and the company that owns the panels keeps the state credit. To weigh the long-run numbers, see the financial case for whether solar panels are worth it.
| Path | Up-front cost | Who keeps the NY state credit and incentives | 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 in White Plains
White Plains and Westchester have an active installer market, and the search results mix local companies with national directories and even out-of-area firms, so screen on what fits a White Plains roof rather than a “best of” list (EnergySage White Plains marketplace, as of 2026):
- NABCEP certification, the industry’s professional standard for PV installers, and ideally NYSERDA Quality Solar Installer status.
- A valid New York Home Improvement Contractor registration and proper electrical licensing.
- A clear roof-condition assessment and a written workmanship and equipment warranty.
- Real experience with Con Edison Westchester interconnection, the City of White Plains Unified Solar Permit, NY-Sun, and the New York state tax credit, so the paperwork and your Permission to Operate go smoothly.
- A written production estimate and a transparent quote that shows the Customer Benefit Contribution and your bill after solar, uses today’s NY-Sun value, and does not count the federal homeowner credit that ended after December 31, 2025. For a checklist, see the right questions to ask a solar installer.
MySolarFY matches you with licensed installers that serve the White Plains area so you can compare real local quotes side by side, with no obligation. To see how we research these pages and vet the installers we match you with, read how MySolarFY works.
Check which solar programs are available at your White Plains address →
Frequently asked questions
Is solar worth it in White Plains, NY in 2026?
For most White Plains homes with a usable roof, yes. New York residential electricity averages about 28.55 cents per kWh (EIA, as of March 2026), and Con Edison’s Westchester rates run above that and keep rising, so every kilowatt-hour your roof makes offsets an expensive grid one. A 6 kW system at a White Plains ZIP produces about 7,826 kWh a year (NREL PVWatts v8, as of 2026). Con Edison net metering credits a home near retail, and New York’s 25 percent state credit, capped at $5,000, lowers your net cost, which puts our estimated payback in the 6-year range for an owned system. Savings depend on your roof, usage, and how you pay, but the high local rate and the state credit make White Plains a strong solar market.
Is White Plains upstate, and does that change the solar math?
No. White Plains is in downstate New York, in the Lower Hudson Valley just north of New York City, not upstate, a distinction that trips up search results. For solar it matters because your utility is Con Edison’s Westchester zone, your incentives are the New York stack, and your production comes from a Lower Hudson Valley solar resource, about 1,304 kWh per kW per year for a White Plains ZIP (NREL PVWatts v8, as of 2026). Use the Con Edison and downstate figures on this page, not a generic or upstate number.
Who is my electric utility for solar in White Plains?
Con Edison, in its Westchester zone. A White Plains address in the 10605 area sits inside Con Edison’s Westchester County service territory, which is priced on a separate tariff from Con Edison’s New York City zone (Con Edison company information, as of 2026). It is not Central Hudson or NYSEG country, even though those utilities serve other parts of the Hudson Valley. Your interconnection, your net-metering credits, and your Customer Benefit Contribution all run through Con Edison on that Westchester tariff, so your real per-kilowatt-hour value comes off it, not the statewide average.
How does Con Edison credit my solar, and what is the CBC?
A new system defaults to Phase One net metering, which credits your exports near the retail rate and rolls leftover credits forward over a 20-year term (Con Edison distributed-generation tariffs, as of 2026). The VDER Value Stack is an optional alternative that pays a per-kWh blend usually below retail and mainly suits larger or community projects, so most homes stay on net metering. A system interconnected on or after January 1, 2022 also pays a monthly Customer Benefit Contribution, a per-kilowatt charge that credits cannot erase, with New York’s filed Con Edison residential rate around $1.09 per kW a month (NYSERDA, as of 2026). The rate resets yearly, so ask your installer for the current figure.
What New York solar incentives can a White Plains homeowner get in 2026?
Several. New York’s state tax credit returns 25 percent of system cost up to $5,000 on Form IT-255, with a five-year carryforward (NY Tax and Finance, as of 2026). The state sales-tax exemption removes the 4 percent New York sales tax on the equipment and installation. The RPTL 487 exemption keeps property taxes flat on the added value for 15 years, and neither White Plains, Westchester County, nor the city school district has opted out as of the state’s March 31, 2026 list (NY Tax and Finance, as of 2026). NY-Sun adds a per-watt rebate in the Con Edison region, though the downstate residential block is largely income-targeted, so confirm your tier on NYSERDA’s dashboard. The New York City property-tax abatement does not apply outside the five boroughs.
Who issues my solar permit in White Plains?
The City of White Plains Department of Building. White Plains is an incorporated city, so it issues the building and electrical permits for rooftop solar, and it offers the streamlined New York State Unified Solar Permit for eligible systems of 25 kW or less (City of White Plains building permits, as of 2026). Your licensed installer files the city permit, and the project also needs Con Edison interconnection approval and Permission to Operate before it goes live. Long Island, by contrast, runs its own separate PSEG Long Island permitting process, so White Plains is on the simpler statewide path.
Is the 30 percent federal solar tax credit gone for 2026?
Yes, for homeowners. 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 White Plains homeowner who installs solar with cash or a loan in 2026 cannot claim it (IRS; SEIA, as of 2026). A separate commercial credit, Section 48E, can apply to a leased or PPA system, but the business that owns it claims it, not you. New York’s net metering, the 25 percent state credit, NY-Sun, and the 487 exemption were not affected, so at Con Edison’s high rates the local case still holds.
Reviewed by the MySolarFY Editorial Team, June 2026. Figures were verified against the linked EIA, NREL, Con Edison (PSC No. 10 tariff), NYSERDA, NY Department of Taxation and Finance, City of White Plains, and IRS sources as of June 2026; the Con Edison Westchester rate and Customer Benefit Contribution, the NY-Sun block status, the RPTL 487 opt-out list, and net-metering values can change, so confirm current terms with Con Edison, NYSERDA, the City of White Plains, and your installer 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, and total payments may exceed the cost of a cash purchase; on a lease or PPA the New York State credit and any federal commercial credit go to the company that owns the system, not the homeowner. 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.
