Solar Calculator New York 2026

Why New York Solar Still Pencils Out in 2026

New York pairs modest sunshine, about 4 kWh per day per kilowatt of panels, with some of the priciest grid power in the country at roughly 24 cents per kWh, and Con Edison territory often runs higher. Because savings scale with the rate you avoid, every solar kWh here is worth far more than the same kWh in most states. Installed costs average near $3.10 per watt before incentives. Start with our USA solar calculator for a baseline, then layer on the New York-specific programs below, because they are unusually generous.

Net metering survives, with a CBC charge attached

Unlike Arizona or California, residential mass-market customers in New York can still choose traditional 1-to-1 net metering: exported kWh offset imported kWh at full retail value, locked in for 20 years. The trade-off is the Customer Benefit Contribution, a monthly charge based on system size, typically about $0.70 to $1.80 per kW depending on utility, or around $5 to $20 per month for an 8 kW system. The alternative VDER value stack prices exports on market signals, but for most rooftops it credits less than retail, so net metering plus CBC remains the practical default. Confirm your utility's current CBC rate with NYSERDA before signing.

Incentives that outlived the federal credit

The 30 percent federal residential credit (Section 25D) ended for owned systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, so 2026 cash and loan buyers get no federal credit; only leases and PPAs can pass through roughly 30 percent via the provider's Section 48E credit, expected through about 2027. New York's own stack, however, is fully intact:

• NY-Sun Megawatt Block rebate, currently about $0.20 per watt paid to your installer up front, with blocks that step down as capacity fills
• New York State income tax credit of 25 percent of system cost, capped at $5,000, a genuine state credit that still applies in 2026
• Sales tax exemption statewide and a property tax abatement in New York City

A worked Con Edison-area example

A 7 kW system at $3.10 per watt costs about $21,700. Subtract a $1,400 NY-Sun rebate, then a $5,000 state credit, and net cost falls near $15,300. Producing around 10,200 kWh per year credited at 24 cents, minus roughly $90 to $150 of annual CBC charges, saves about $2,300 to $2,400 per year, a payback near 6.5 years, among the best in the nation despite modest sun. Fine-tune assumptions in the solar savings calculator.

Stretching the system further

With full retail export credit, batteries are optional rather than essential, though our battery bank calculator helps if outage backup matters. Electrifying heat with cold-climate heat pumps, sized via the mini split calculator, or charging an EV using the EV solar charging calculator multiplies the value of each panel. Incentive blocks and CBC rates change; verify current figures with NYSERDA, your utility, or DSIRE.

Solar calculators for other US states

Localized rates, net-metering and incentive context for more states — or use the national USA solar calculator (all 50 states + DC selectable).

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Residential mass-market customers can still elect 1-to-1 net metering, with exports credited at full retail value and terms locked for 20 years. New systems pay a monthly Customer Benefit Contribution based on size, roughly $5 to $20 per month for a typical home system. The VDER value stack exists as an alternative but usually credits less for rooftops.

New York offers a state income tax credit equal to 25 percent of qualified solar costs, capped at $5,000. It is separate from the expired federal credit and still applies in 2026, and it can generally be carried forward if it exceeds your state tax liability. It even applies to many lease and PPA payment streams; confirm specifics with a tax professional.

NY-Sun pays an upfront incentive, currently about $0.20 per watt in both the Con Edison and upstate regions, directly to your participating contractor, lowering your contract price. The incentive is organized into capacity blocks that step down as each block fills, so the rate can decline; check the live NYSERDA dashboard for your region's current block.

Usually yes. High 24 cent power, retail-rate net metering, the NY-Sun rebate and the 25 percent state credit up to $5,000 can cut a 7 kW system's net cost to roughly $15,000 and hold payback near 6 to 8 years. That is stronger post-federal economics than most sunnier states can offer.