Is Solar Worth It in Georgia in 2026?
Complete analysis of solar costs, incentives, net metering, and payback for Georgia homeowners — without the federal ITC.
Cost Per Watt
$2.90
installed
Electricity Rate
$0.129
per kWh
Payback (No ITC)
15.7 yr
current reality
Payback (With 30% ITC)
11 yr
hypothetical
25-Year ROI
59%
return on investment
Incentive Breakdown — Georgia
Available incentives for a typical 7kW residential solar system in Georgia
Federal ITC (25D)
ExpiredThe federal solar Investment Tax Credit expired on January 1, 2026. No federal credit available for new installations.
State Tax Credit
NoneGeorgia offers a state tax credit for solar, but it is currently oversubscribed and waitlisted.
SREC Market
Not AvailableGeorgia does not have a traditional SREC market.
Property Tax Exemption
No statewide property tax exemption for solar
Sales Tax Exemption
No statewide sales tax exemption for solar
Key Incentives: Limited state-level solar incentives.
Solar Math — With vs Without Federal ITC
Cost breakdown for a typical 7kW residential system in Georgia
2026 Reality (No Federal ITC)
- System Size
- 7 kW
- Cost per Watt
- $2.90/W
- Gross Cost
- $20,300
- Federal ITC
- $0
- Net Cost
- $20,300
- Annual Savings
- $1,294/yr
- Payback Period
- 15.7 years
Hypothetical (With 30% ITC)
- System Size
- 7 kW
- Cost per Watt
- $2.90/W
- Gross Cost
- $20,300
- Federal ITC (30%)
- -$6,090
- Net Cost
- $14,210
- Annual Savings
- $1,294/yr
- Payback Period
- 11 years
Impact: Without the federal ITC, Georgia homeowners face a 4.7-year longer payback period — paying $6,090 more out of pocket.
Net Metering Policy — Georgia
How Georgia compensates your excess solar production
No statewide net metering mandate. Export compensation varies by utility and is typically minimal.
Georgia does not have a statewide net metering mandate. Georgia Power offers a solar buyback program at reduced rates.
Cost Per Watt Benchmark — Georgia
Georgia Average
$2.90/W
National Average
$3.05/W
Typical 7kW System
$20,300
Georgia's average installed cost is below the national average of $3.05/W
Breakeven Timeline
Without the federal ITC, a typical 7kW system in Georgia breaks even in 15.7 years. With the former 30% ITC, payback would drop to 11.0 years.
Without Federal ITC
15.7
years to break even
With Former 30% ITC
11
years to break even
Production Details
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