Solar payback calculator

By state, 2026 rules

Pays for itself in

14.1 years

Cost

$30,000

Year-1 saving

$1,859

25-yr net

$29,464

Installed price $3.75/W (US median), electricity 17.45 cents/kWh (EIA, July 2026), about 10,656 kWh a year. No federal tax credit: the 30% credit ended for systems finished after 2025. Prices rise 2.5% a year, panels lose 0.5% a year. Estimates, not a quote.

Solar cost data from SolarPanelCosts.com Payback in every state