New Jersey solar calculator
Size a New Jersey 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 $0.250/kWh and 4.3 peak sun hours, a $200/month bill needs about 8.20 kW — 20 × 410 W panels covering ~40 m². Gross cost is ~$21,238 with no federal credit for systems installed after 2025, offsetting $2,400 a year for a ~8.8 year payback.
Your details
Ballpark, not gospel. Ballpark, not gospel. Sized at 78% real-world output with the New Jersey sun-hour average — confirm shading, roof angle and your utility's net-metering terms with a local installer before buying. The savings math values all generation at your retail rate, and the SuSI SREC-II income (not modeled above) improves the payback further.
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 Jersey system sizes by monthly bill
| Monthly bill | System size | Panels (410 W) | Net cost (no 2026 federal credit) | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | 4.10 kW | 10 | $10,619 | 8.8 years |
| $200 | 8.20 kW | 20 | $21,238 | 8.8 years |
| $300 | 12.30 kW | 30 | $31,857 | 8.8 years |
Computed at $0.250/kWh, 4.3 peak sun hours and $2.59/W installed, with no federal credit for 2026 installs. Run your exact bill above.
Solar in New Jersey: the details
Solar cost in New Jersey
Solar installs in New Jersey sit inside the national price band. The EnergySage marketplace averaged about $2.59 per watt installed in 2026, with market quotes typically landing $2.20–$2.98/W — inside the $2.50–$3.50/W national band. A typical ~8 kW New Jersey system grosses around $20,500 before any local utility incentive, with no federal credit for 2026 homeowner installs — and the SuSI SREC-II income arrives on top of bill savings.
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 Jersey keeps full 1:1 retail-rate net metering — and stacks a production incentive on top. The Successor Solar Incentive (SuSI) program pays an SREC-II for every MWh produced: $85 per REC for registrations before July 27, 2026, $77 for registrations after, locked for 15 years.
One ownership rule: only the system owner collects the SRECs — on a lease or PPA, the company keeps them. A BPU net-metering review opened in November 2024 with no change ordered yet.
Practical takeaway: buy (or loan-finance) rather than lease if you want the SREC income — at ~$77/MWh × 15 years, it's a meaningful second revenue stream on top of bill savings.
New Jersey solar incentives
New Jersey's headline incentive is production-based:
SuSI SREC-II (~$77/MWh for new registrations) — paid for every MWh your system produces, locked for 15 years. At typical production, that's a meaningful second income stream on top of bill savings.
Plus two tax exemptions: solar equipment is exempt from the 6.625% sales tax and from property tax.
Is solar worth it in New Jersey?
Verdict: strong — and the SRECs shorten it further. A $200/month bill pays back in ~8.8 years on bill savings alone. SuSI then pays ~$77 per MWh for 15 years on top, which the calculator doesn't model — the real payback is better than shown. Full 1:1 retail net metering plus ~25¢/kWh rates make New Jersey one of the best 2026 solar markets in the country.
Questions people actually ask
Straight answers, no fluff. Then run your own numbers above.
How many solar panels do I need in New Jersey?
It follows your bill. At the New Jersey average of $0.250/kWh and 4.3 peak sun hours, a $200/month bill needs about a 8.20 kW system — roughly 20 × 410 W panels covering ~40 m² of roof.
What is the average cost of solar panels in New Jersey in 2026?
The EnergySage marketplace averaged about $2.59 per watt installed in 2026, with market quotes typically $2.20–$2.98/W — inside the $2.50–$3.50/W national band. A typical ~8 kW system grosses around $20,500, with no federal credit for 2026 homeowner installs. On top of bill savings, the SuSI program pays an SREC-II per MWh (~$77 for new registrations) for 15 years.
Does New Jersey have net metering?
Yes — full 1:1 retail-rate net metering, plus a production incentive. New Jersey's Successor Solar Incentive (SuSI) program pays an SREC-II for every MWh produced: $85 per REC for registrations before July 27, 2026, $77 for registrations after, locked for 15 years. Only the system owner collects it — on a lease or PPA, the company keeps the SRECs. A BPU net-metering review opened in November 2024 with no change ordered yet.
Does New Jersey offer any solar tax credit or rebate?
The big one is SuSI: an SREC-II per MWh produced (currently $77 for new registrations) for 15 years. Solar equipment is also exempt from the 6.625% sales tax and from property tax.
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 Jersey?
The calculator puts a $200/month bill at an ~8.8-year payback with no federal credit — strong, and that's before the SREC-II income. SuSI pays ~$77 per MWh for 15 years on top of bill savings, which shortens the real payback further. Full 1:1 retail net metering plus high ~25¢/kWh rates make New Jersey one of the best 2026 solar markets in the country.
Figures last checked October 2026. Sources: EIA Electric Power Monthly (July 2026: 24.95¢/kWh), NREL PVWatts/NSRDB (~4.3 peak sun hours), DSIRE, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities; 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 Hampshire. 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.