New Hampshire solar calculator
Size a New Hampshire 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 $0.270/kWh and 4.2 peak sun hours, a $200/month bill needs about 7.79 kW — 19 × 410 W panels covering ~38 m². Gross cost is ~$22,435 with no federal credit for systems installed after 2025, offsetting $2,400 a year for a ~9.3 year payback.
Your details
Ballpark, not gospel. Ballpark, not gospel. Sized at 78% real-world output with the New Hampshire sun-hour average — confirm shading, roof angle and your utility's current export credit with a local installer before buying. The calculator values all generation at your retail rate; exports earn far less, 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 New Hampshire system sizes by monthly bill
| Monthly bill | System size | Panels (410 W) | Net cost (no 2026 federal credit) | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | 4.10 kW | 10 | $11,808 | 9.8 years |
| $200 | 7.79 kW | 19 | $22,435 | 9.3 years |
| $300 | 11.48 kW | 28 | $33,062 | 9.2 years |
Computed at $0.270/kWh, 4.2 peak sun hours and $2.88/W installed, with no federal credit for 2026 installs. Run your exact bill above.
Solar in New Hampshire: the details
Solar cost in New Hampshire
Solar installs in New Hampshire run near the top of the national price band. The EnergySage marketplace averaged about $2.88 per watt installed in 2026, with market quotes typically landing $2.45–$3.31/W — near the top of the $2.50–$3.50/W national band. A typical ~8 kW New Hampshire system grosses around $23,000 before any local utility incentive, with no federal credit for 2026 homeowner installs.
What moves the number: roof complexity, panel tier, and how competitive the quote market is in your metro. Get at least three quotes — spreads of $0.50/W between installers are common.
Export rules: getting paid for surplus power
New Hampshire's 'net metering 2.0' credits exports at roughly 75–80% of retail — the default energy service rate plus transmission and 25% of distribution — under rules in force through December 31, 2040.
The protection has an expiry date: the formula is guaranteed only through 2040, and the PUC is considering lowering the credit base in docket DE 22-060.
Practical takeaway: confirm current export terms with your utility before quoting savings — and note that at ~27¢/kWh retail, even a 75–80% export credit is generous by national standards.
New Hampshire solar incentives
New Hampshire has no statewide solar credit or rebate, but two local plays exist:
Optional property-tax exemption — towns that adopt it leave some or all of a solar system's value out of property-tax assessment; check whether yours has.
Eversource battery incentive — up to $3,000 for an approved home battery. (New Hampshire has no sales tax, so there is no sales-tax exemption to tout.)
Is solar worth it in New Hampshire?
Verdict: solid, verging on strong. A $200/month bill pays back in ~9.3 years — New Hampshire's ~27¢/kWh rates are the highest in this batch and do the heavy lifting despite modest sun. NEM 2.0 exports at 75–80% of retail through 2040 add a real tailwind; the watch item is docket DE 22-060, which could lower the export credit base.
Questions people actually ask
Straight answers, no fluff. Then run your own numbers above.
How many solar panels do I need in New Hampshire?
It follows your bill. At the New Hampshire average of $0.270/kWh and 4.2 peak sun hours, a $200/month bill needs about a 7.79 kW system — roughly 19 × 410 W panels covering ~38 m² of roof.
What is the average cost of solar panels in New Hampshire in 2026?
The EnergySage marketplace averaged about $2.88 per watt installed in 2026, with market quotes typically $2.45–$3.31/W — near the top of the $2.50–$3.50/W national band. A typical ~8 kW system grosses around $23,000, with no federal credit for 2026 homeowner installs.
Does New Hampshire have net metering?
A 75–80% version. New Hampshire's 'net metering 2.0' credits exports at the default energy service rate plus transmission and 25% of distribution — roughly 75–80% of retail — under rules in force through December 31, 2040. The formula is protected only that long, and the PUC is considering lowering the credit base in docket DE 22-060, so confirm current terms with your utility.
Does New Hampshire offer any solar tax credit or rebate?
No statewide credit or rebate, but towns that adopt the optional exemption leave some or all of a solar system's value out of property-tax assessment, and Eversource pays up to $3,000 for an approved home battery. (New Hampshire has no sales tax, so there is no sales-tax exemption to tout.)
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 New Hampshire?
The calculator puts a $200/month bill at a ~9.3-year payback with no federal credit — solid, verging on strong. New Hampshire's ~27¢/kWh rates are the highest in this batch and do the heavy lifting, even with 4.2 sun hours; NEM 2.0 exports at 75–80% of retail through 2040 add a real tailwind. Watch docket DE 22-060, which could lower the export credit base.
Figures last checked October 2026. Sources: EIA Electric Power Monthly (July 2026: 27.01¢/kWh), NREL PVWatts/NSRDB (~4.2 peak sun hours), DSIRE, New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission; IRS — Residential Clean Energy Credit.
More US solar calculators
Compare other states: Texas, Florida, California, Arizona, North Carolina, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey. 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.