Tennessee solar calculator
Size a Tennessee 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 $0.1371/kWh and 4.4 peak sun hours, a $200/month bill needs about 14.35 kW — 35 × 410 W panels covering ~70 m². Gross cost is ~$50,082 with no federal credit for systems installed after 2025, offsetting $2,400 a year for a ~20.9 year payback.
Your details
Ballpark, not gospel. Ballpark, not gospel. Sized at 78% real-world output with the Tennessee sun-hour average — confirm shading, roof angle and TVA's Dispersed Power Production terms with a local installer before buying. Tennessee has no statewide net metering — surplus earns TVA's monthly-reset avoided cost (~3.1¢/kWh in October 2026). 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 Tennessee system sizes by monthly bill
| Monthly bill | System size | Panels (410 W) | Net cost (no 2026 federal credit) | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | 7.38 kW | 18 | $25,756 | 21.5 years |
| $200 | 14.35 kW | 35 | $50,082 | 20.9 years |
| $300 | 21.32 kW | 52 | $74,407 | 20.7 years |
Computed at $0.1371/kWh, 4.4 peak sun hours and $3.49/W installed, with no federal credit for 2026 installs. Run your exact bill above.
Solar in Tennessee: the details
Solar cost in Tennessee
Solar installation costs in Tennessee run hot. The EnergySage marketplace averaged about $3.49 per watt installed in 2026, with market quotes typically landing $2.97–$4.01/W — above the $2.50–$3.50/W national band. A typical ~14 kW Tennessee system grosses around $50,100 before any incentives, with no federal credit for 2026 homeowner installs.
What moves the number: roof complexity, panel tier, and installer competition in your metro. Get at least three quotes — spreads of $0.50/W between installers are common.
Export rules: getting paid for surplus power
Tennessee has no statewide net metering (Kingsport Power's up-to-10 kW program is the lone exception). For the millions of customers in TVA territory, surplus is bought through TVA's Dispersed Power Production program at a monthly-reset avoided cost — about 3.1¢/kWh in October 2026, against a ~13.7¢ retail rate.
The old TVA Green Power Providers program, which once paid a premium for solar, is closed to new enrollees (legacy contracts aside), and TVA's Solar for All low-income program lost its federal funding in August 2025. Practical takeaway: the system must be sized to daytime self-use — exports earn wholesale, so oversizing is money burned.
Tennessee solar incentives
Tennessee's one real incentive is a tax exemption: solar equipment is 100% exempt from state sales tax once the system is certified by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (Form CN-1386). There is no state income tax credit to claim — Tennessee doesn't tax wage income.
Everything else has dried up: the TVA Green Power Providers program is closed to new enrollees, and TVA's Solar for All low-income program lost federal funding in August 2025.
Is solar worth it in Tennessee?
Verdict: marginal. The calculator puts a $200/month bill at a ~20.9-year payback with no federal credit — longer than most panel warranties, and the real number is worse because the calculator values exports at retail while TVA pays ~3.1¢/kWh. Solar only pencils in Tennessee if most of the generation is consumed at home; size to daytime self-use and oversizing is money burned.
Questions people actually ask
Straight answers, no fluff. Then run your own numbers above.
How many solar panels do I need in Tennessee?
It follows your bill. At the Tennessee average of $0.1371/kWh and 4.4 peak sun hours, a $200/month bill needs about a 14.35 kW system — roughly 35 × 410 W panels covering ~70 m² of roof.
What is the average cost of solar panels in Tennessee in 2026?
Solar installation costs in Tennessee run hot. The EnergySage marketplace averaged about $3.49 per watt installed in 2026, with market quotes typically landing $2.97–$4.01/W — above the $2.50–$3.50/W national band. A typical ~14 kW Tennessee system grosses around $50,100 before any incentives, with no federal credit for 2026 homeowner installs.
Does Tennessee have net metering?
Not statewide — except Kingsport Power's small up-to-10 kW program, Tennessee has no net metering. Utilities in TVA territory buy surplus through TVA's Dispersed Power Production program at a monthly-reset avoided cost (~3.1¢/kWh in October 2026). The old TVA Green Power Providers program is closed to new enrollees.
Does Tennessee offer any solar tax credit or rebate?
Solar equipment is 100% exempt from state sales tax once the system is certified by TDEC (Form CN-1386); there is no state income tax credit to claim (Tennessee has no income tax on wages). Note: TVA's Solar for All low-income program lost federal funding in August 2025.
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 Tennessee?
Verdict: marginal. The calculator puts a $200/month bill at a ~20.9-year payback with no federal credit — longer than most panel warranties, and the real number is worse because the calculator values exports at retail while TVA pays ~3.1¢/kWh. Solar only pencils in Tennessee if most of the generation is consumed at home; size to daytime self-use and oversizing is money burned.
Figures last checked October 2026. Sources: EIA Electric Power Monthly, NREL PVWatts/NSRDB, DSIRE, Tennessee Public Utility Commission; IRS — Residential Clean Energy Credit.
More US solar calculators
Compare other states: Texas, Florida, California, Arizona, North Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. 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.