Is Solar Worth It in New Hampshire in 2026?
Complete analysis of solar costs, incentives, net metering, and payback for New Hampshire homeowners — without the federal ITC.
Cost Per Watt
$3.40
installed
Electricity Rate
$0.180
per kWh
Payback (No ITC)
16 yr
current reality
Payback (With 30% ITC)
11.2 yr
hypothetical
25-Year ROI
56%
return on investment
Incentive Breakdown — New Hampshire
Available incentives for a typical 7kW residential solar system in New Hampshire
Federal ITC (25D)
ExpiredThe federal solar Investment Tax Credit expired on January 1, 2026. No federal credit available for new installations.
State Tax Credit
NoneNew Hampshire does not offer a state tax credit for solar installations.
SREC Market
Not AvailableNew Hampshire does not have a traditional SREC market.
Property Tax Exemption
Solar system value excluded from property tax assessment
Sales Tax Exemption
No statewide sales tax exemption for solar
Key Incentives: Property tax exemption for solar.
Solar Math — With vs Without Federal ITC
Cost breakdown for a typical 7kW residential system in New Hampshire
2026 Reality (No Federal ITC)
- System Size
- 7 kW
- Cost per Watt
- $3.40/W
- Gross Cost
- $23,800
- Federal ITC
- $0
- Net Cost
- $23,800
- Annual Savings
- $1,487/yr
- Payback Period
- 16 years
Hypothetical (With 30% ITC)
- System Size
- 7 kW
- Cost per Watt
- $3.40/W
- Gross Cost
- $23,800
- Federal ITC (30%)
- -$7,140
- Net Cost
- $16,660
- Annual Savings
- $1,487/yr
- Payback Period
- 11.2 years
Impact: Without the federal ITC, New Hampshire homeowners face a 4.8-year longer payback period — paying $7,140 more out of pocket.
Net Metering Policy — New Hampshire
How New Hampshire compensates your excess solar production
Full retail rate net metering — you earn the same rate you pay for electricity. Best case for solar savings.
New Hampshire mandates net metering at full retail rate for systems up to 100 kW under PUC rules.
Cost Per Watt Benchmark — New Hampshire
New Hampshire Average
$3.40/W
National Average
$3.05/W
Typical 7kW System
$23,800
New Hampshire's average installed cost is above the national average of $3.05/W
Breakeven Timeline
Without the federal ITC, a typical 7kW system in New Hampshire breaks even in 16.0 years. With the former 30% ITC, payback would drop to 11.2 years.
Without Federal ITC
16
years to break even
With Former 30% ITC
11.2
years to break even
Production Details
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