Georgia solar calculator
Size a Georgia home solar system from your electric bill — kW, panel count, roof area, true cost with no federal credit for 2026 installs, and payback.
Quick answer: At $0.158/kWh and 4.8 peak sun hours, a $200/month bill needs about 11.48 kW — 28 × 410 W panels covering ~56 m². Gross cost is ~$28,757 with no federal credit for systems installed after 2025, offsetting $2,400 a year for a ~12.0 year payback.
Your details
Ballpark, not gospel. Sized at 78% real-world output with the Georgia sun-hour average — confirm shading, roof angle and Georgia Power's RNR-11 terms with a local installer before buying. The calculator values all generation at your retail rate; exports earn far less (about 7.22¢/kWh under RNR-11 net billing), so real savings track self-consumption and batteries.
The 30% credit ended — what changed
The residential clean energy credit (26 U.S.C. § 25D) gave homeowners a 30% credit on solar installed from 2022 through 2025. The July 2025 tax law ended it: no credit is available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. That is why every figure on this page is ~30% higher than pre-2026 guides show. If your system went live by the end of 2025, tick the box above to see the credit applied; leased systems may still benefit because the leasing company claims the commercial credit. Source: IRS — Residential Clean Energy Credit.
Typical Georgia system sizes by monthly bill
| Monthly bill | System size | Panels (410 W) | Net cost (no 2026 federal credit) | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | 5.74 kW | 14 | $14,379 | 12.0 years |
| $200 | 11.48 kW | 28 | $28,757 | 12.0 years |
| $300 | 17.22 kW | 42 | $43,136 | 12.0 years |
Computed at $0.158/kWh, 4.8 peak sun hours and $2.50/W installed, with no federal credit for 2026 installs. Run your exact bill above.
Solar in Georgia: the details
Solar cost in Georgia
Solar is cheap to install in Georgia. The EnergySage marketplace averaged about $2.50 per watt installed in 2026, with market quotes typically landing $2.13–$2.88/W — at the low end of the $2.50–$3.50/W national band. A typical ~11 kW Georgia system grosses around $27,600, with no federal credit for 2026 homeowner installs.
What moves the number: roof complexity and panel tier. Cheap installs can't rescue weak export terms — see below.
Export rules: getting paid for surplus power
Georgia has no statewide net metering. Georgia Power's RNR-11 net billing tariff pays new systems about 7.22¢/kWh for exports — 3.2188¢ avoided cost plus a 4¢ adder — less than half the retail rate.
Two more limits: residential systems are capped at 10 kW under RNR-11, and Georgia Power's old 1:1 monthly netting pilot is closed at its 5,000-customer cap. Buying a home with grandfathered netting? Verify it — it's worth real money.
Practical takeaway: every exported kWh loses ~45% versus self-use. Size to the daytime load, and price a battery before you price more panels.
Georgia solar incentives
No major statewide solar incentive was found in 2026 sources — Georgia offers no state income tax credit, rebate, or equipment exemption for solar.
Is solar worth it in Georgia?
Verdict: borderline. A ~12.0-year payback sits right on the edge, and RNR-11 pays only ~7.22¢/kWh for exports — every kWh you don't self-use loses ~45% of its value. The 10 kW residential cap also forces larger bills into under-sizing. Worth it if you pair panels with a battery and high self-consumption; shaky as a pure grid-tied play.
Questions people actually ask
Straight answers, no fluff. Then run your own numbers above.
How many solar panels do I need in Georgia?
It follows your bill. At the Georgia average of $0.158/kWh and 4.8 peak sun hours, a $200/month bill needs about a 11.48 kW system — roughly 28 × 410 W panels covering ~56 m² of roof.
What is the average cost of solar panels in Georgia in 2026?
The EnergySage marketplace averaged about $2.50 per watt installed in 2026, with market quotes typically $2.13–$2.88/W — at the low end of the national $2.50–$3.50/W band. A typical ~11 kW system grosses around $27,600, with no federal credit for 2026 homeowner installs.
Does Georgia have net metering?
No. Georgia has no statewide net metering. Georgia Power's RNR-11 net billing pays new systems about 7.22¢/kWh for exports (3.2188¢ avoided cost plus a 4¢ adder), caps residential systems at 10 kW, and the old 1:1 monthly netting pilot is closed at its 5,000-customer cap.
Does Georgia offer any solar tax credit or rebate?
No major statewide solar incentive was found in 2026 sources — Georgia offers no state income tax credit, rebate, or equipment exemption for solar.
Is the 30% federal solar tax credit still available?
Not for homeowner purchases anymore. The residential clean energy credit (26 U.S.C. § 25D) is not available for property placed in service after December 31, 2025, under the July 2025 tax law (Public Law 119-21). Systems installed by the end of 2025 can still claim 30%, and leased systems may still benefit because the leasing company claims the commercial credit instead. (Source: IRS — Residential Clean Energy Credit.)
Is solar worth it in Georgia?
Verdict: borderline. A ~12.0-year payback sits right on the edge, and RNR-11 pays only ~7.22¢/kWh for exports — every kWh you don't self-use loses ~45% of its value. The 10 kW residential cap also forces larger bills into under-sizing. Worth it if you pair panels with a battery and high self-consumption; shaky as a pure grid-tied play.
Figures last checked October 2026. Sources: residential rate and sun-hour averages via kilowattkit.com and unboundsolar.com's US sun-hours map, EIA Electric Power Monthly, NREL PVWatts/NSRDB, DSIRE, Georgia Public Service Commission; IRS — Residential Clean Energy Credit.
More US solar calculators
Compare other states: Texas, Florida, California, Arizona, North Carolina, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho. And the national US solar calculator for country averages.
Comparing quotes? The solar cost calculator breaks down cost per watt and the solar ROI calculator maps your payback year by year. Going deeper: installation cost guide, how net metering works, how much you can save with solar and the solar batteries guide.