Ohio solar calculator
Size a Ohio 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 $0.195/kWh and 4.1 peak sun hours, a $200/month bill needs about 11.07 kW — 27 × 410 W panels covering ~54 m². Gross cost is ~$28,561 with no federal credit for systems installed after 2025, offsetting $2,400 a year for a ~11.9 year payback.
Your details
Ballpark, not gospel. Ballpark, not gospel. Sized at 78% real-world output with the Ohio sun-hour average (4.1 peak sun hours) — confirm shading, roof angle and your utility’s net metering tariff with a local installer before buying. The savings math values all generation at your retail rate. Ohio’s retail-rate net metering survived PUCO’s January 2026 five-year review — but credits exclude distribution and capacity charges, systems are capped at 120% of usage, and municipal or co-op utilities make their own rules.
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 Ohio system sizes by monthly bill
| Monthly bill | System size | Panels (410 W) | Net cost (no 2026 federal credit) | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | 5.74 kW | 14 | $14,809 | 12.3 years |
| $200 | 11.07 kW | 27 | $28,561 | 11.9 years |
| $300 | 16.40 kW | 40 | $42,312 | 11.8 years |
Computed at $0.195/kWh, 4.1 peak sun hours and $2.58/W installed, with no federal credit for 2026 installs. Run your exact bill above.
Solar in Ohio: the details
Solar cost in Ohio
Solar pricing in Ohio sits in the national middle. The EnergySage marketplace averaged about $2.58 per watt installed in 2026, with market quotes typically landing $2.19–$2.97/W — within the $2.50–$3.50/W national band. A typical ~13 kW system grosses around $33,500, 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
Ohio’s net metering rules remain intact with retail-rate credits after PUCO’s January 2026 five-year review rejected AEP’s push to cut compensation. That fight was real — frame this as stable-for-now, not guaranteed forever. Credits exclude distribution and capacity charges, and system size is capped at 120% of usage.
Practical takeaway: size within the 120% cap and your exports keep retail value — but only for customers of the investor-owned utilities covered by PUCO rules; municipal and co-op utilities make their own rules.
Ohio solar incentives
Ohio has no state tax credit or rebate; its notable state-level perk is a small SREC market (roughly $3/MWh in 2026, sunsetting January 2028) — modest income while it lasts — alongside protected net metering and a property tax exemption for systems under 250 kW. With no federal credit for 2026 installs, the incentive stack is thin.
Is solar worth it in Ohio?
Verdict: solid on the numbers, while net metering holds. The calculator puts a $200/month bill at a ~11.9-year payback with no federal credit — retail-rate net metering and a modest SREC tail through January 2028 do the lifting. The risk is regulatory: PUCO’s January 2026 ruling protected net metering this round, but it was genuinely under threat. Install while the terms are good and keep systems within the 120% usage cap.
Questions people actually ask
Straight answers, no fluff. Then run your own numbers above.
How many solar panels do I need in Ohio?
It follows your bill. At the Ohio average of $0.195/kWh and 4.1 peak sun hours, a $200/month bill needs about an 11.07 kW system — roughly 27 × 410 W panels covering ~54 m² of roof.
What is the average cost of solar panels in Ohio in 2026?
The EnergySage marketplace averaged about $2.58 per watt installed in 2026, with market quotes typically $2.19–$2.97/W — within the national $2.50–$3.50/W band. A typical ~13 kW system grosses around $33,500, with no federal credit for 2026 homeowner installs.
Does Ohio have net metering?
Yes — retail-rate credits remain intact after PUCO’s January 2026 five-year review rejected AEP’s push to cut compensation. Credits exclude distribution and capacity charges, and system size is capped at 120% of usage.
Does Ohio offer any solar tax credit or rebate?
No state tax credit or rebate; the notable state-level perk is a small SREC market (roughly $3/MWh in 2026, sunsetting January 2028), alongside protected net metering and a property tax exemption for systems under 250 kW.
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 Ohio?
The calculator puts a $200/month bill at a ~11.9-year payback with no federal credit — solid while retail-rate net metering holds, with a modest SREC tail through January 2028. The risk is regulatory: install while the terms are good and stay within the 120% usage cap.
Figures last checked October 2026. Sources: EIA Electric Power Monthly (July 2026: 19.45¢/kWh), NREL PVWatts/NSRDB (~3.6–4.6 peak sun hours), DSIRE, Public Utilities Commission of Ohio; IRS — Residential Clean Energy Credit.
More US solar calculators
Compare other states: Texas, Florida, California, Arizona, North Carolina, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina. 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.