See how many years until your solar system pays for itself, plus your 25-year lifetime savings.
Results
Net cost after incentives$17,500
Payback period9.9 yrs
First-year savings$1582
25-year lifetime savings$53,935
25-year net profit$36,435
How to use this calculator
1Enter your total system cost as quoted before any incentives.
2Enter system size in kilowatts — typical residential systems are 5–10 kW.
3Daily sun hours: use 4.5 for the national average, 5.5+ for Southwest, 3.5 for Pacific Northwest.
4Find your electric rate on your utility bill — it's the cents per kWh.
5The 30% federal tax credit applies through 2032 for most homeowners.
Common questions
The national average payback period is 7–11 years. High electric rate states like California, Massachusetts, and Hawaii see faster paybacks. States with cheap electricity see longer paybacks.
Yes — the Residential Clean Energy Credit is 30% through 2032, drops to 26% in 2033, then 22% in 2034, and expires in 2035 unless extended. It's a dollar-for-dollar reduction in your federal tax bill.
Multiple studies show owned solar panels increase home value by $15,000–$25,000 on average. This means if you sell before payback, you typically recover most of the system cost in the sale price.
Batteries add $10,000–$15,000 and only pay back if you have time-of-use rates with a large spread between peak and off-peak, or frequent outages. For most homes, panels alone give better ROI.