Is solar worth it in Georgia?
For a typical Georgia home in 2026, solar is not worth it: about a 17.2-year payback and $8,005 saved over 25 years after paying for the system. Check your own home, because roofs, usage and utilities vary a lot.
- Payback, typical home
- 17.2 yrs4.5 kW, paying cash
- Electricity price
- 15.1¢per kWh, U.S. 18.0¢
- Solar production
- 1,418kWh per kW per year
- Exports credited at
- ~48%Reduced export credit
The numbers for a typical Georgia home
| Electricity use | 1,062 kWh a month (Georgia average) |
|---|---|
| Best-value system | 4.5 kW, producing 6,380 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Price | $14,300 at about $2.90/W |
| First-year savings | $834 |
| Payback | 17.2 years |
| 25-year net | $8,005 (3.5% a year return) |
| Rate increase assumed | 2.5% a year, from Georgia's 2015–2025 history |
Paying cash, no federal credit, 5% discount rate, microinverters, $25 per kW a year for maintenance and repairs. Methodology.
Why it comes out this way
- Electricity is cheap: 15.1¢ per kWh, 16% below the U.S. average (18.0¢), so each solar kWh saves less.
- Exported solar is typically credited at about 48% of retail, so systems pay best when sized for what you use yourself.
- A typical system here produces about 1,418 kWh per kW per year (ranked #18 of 51).
- There is no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026, which adds several years to payback compared with 2025.
Net metering and export rules in Georgia
Reduced export credit. Georgia has no full net metering for new customers. Georgia Power credits solar you use at home at retail, and pays about 7.2 cents/kWh in 2026 for power sent to the grid (its solar avoided cost plus a 4-cent adder). Its monthly net metering program is full and closed. Electric membership cooperatives (EMCs) generally pay avoided cost.
Georgia Power RNR instantaneous netting: exports credited at solar avoided cost (3.22 cents/kWh in 2026, updated each January) plus a 4.0 cent/kWh renewable generation adder (approved 2022 rate case), ~7.22 cents total.
- Netting: instantaneous
- Unused credits: Export credits applied on each monthly bill; no kWh banking.
- System size limit: 10 kW
- Fixed charges: Georgia Power basic service charge (~$17-18/month) applies to all residential customers.
- Last major change: Georgia Power 2022 rate case: monthly netting cap (5,000 customers/32 MW) kept closed, existing monthly-netting customers grandfathered to 2038; 4-cent export adder added from Jan 2023.
- Pending: Georgia Power rate freeze through 2028 (base rates); future rate case may revisit solar terms.
Read net metering explained to see why export rules can swing payback by years.
| Utility | Export credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia Power | 7.22¢/kWh | Avoided cost component changes annually (2.89 cents 2023, 4.45 2024, 3.32 2025, 3.22 2026). Monthly netting program closed since 2021. |
| Georgia EMCs (e.g., Jackson EMC, Cobb EMC, Sawnee EMC) | Avoided-cost export credit | Each EMC sets terms; generally avoided cost; some have solar fees. |
Solar incentives in Georgia
The federal 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. What that means.
| Program | Type | What you get | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| No state solar incentives | other | Georgia has no state tax credit, rebate, or solar sales/property tax exemption for residential solar. Federal 25D ended for expenditures after 2025. Eligibility: n/a | unknown |
What solar costs in Georgia
A fair cash price is around $2.90 per watt before incentives. For the 4.5 kW system that fits a typical home, expect roughly $11,100 to $15,700; smaller systems cost more per watt.
How many homes have solar
- Homes with net-metered solar (2025)
- 20,377
- Share of homes
- 0.4%
- Residential solar capacity
- 161 MW
- Growth over the past year
- +12.9%
Sources: EIA-861 (2025), EIA small-scale solar estimates, LBNL Tracking the Sun and state interconnection data.
Electric utilities in Georgia
| Utility | Homes served | Price (2026 est.) | Typical use | Typical-home verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia Power | 2,480,484 | 16.7¢ | 990 kWh/mo | Close call |
| Jackson Electric Member | 245,849 | 12.2¢ | 1,211 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Cobb Electric Membership | 203,131 | 11.8¢ | 1,115 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation | 182,849 | 13.2¢ | 1,191 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| GreyStone Power Corporation | 142,841 | 12.9¢ | 1,189 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Walton Electric Member | 133,581 | 14.5¢ | 1,240 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Snapping Shoals El Member | 106,304 | 13.3¢ | 1,287 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| North Georgia Electric Member | 90,932 | 13.3¢ | 1,364 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Flint Electric Membership | 85,358 | 13.8¢ | 1,269 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Coweta-Fayette El Member | 83,660 | 13.6¢ | 1,238 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Colquitt Electric Membership | 66,177 | 14.3¢ | 1,191 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Central Georgia El Member | 62,546 | 13.4¢ | 1,283 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Satilla Rural Electric Member Corporation | 54,207 | 15.0¢ | 1,187 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Carroll Electric Member | 53,707 | 14.3¢ | 1,212 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Amicalola Electric Member | 51,657 | 14.0¢ | 1,255 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| City of Marietta | 36,288 | 12.2¢ | 830 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Habersham Electric Membership | 35,519 | 14.3¢ | 1,078 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Jefferson Electric Member | 34,651 | 15.0¢ | 1,120 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Diverse Power | 32,557 | 17.7¢ | 1,233 kWh/mo | Close call |
| Albany Utility Board | 31,706 | 13.8¢ | 916 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Blue Ridge Mountain EMC | 30,863 | 15.2¢ | 955 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Hart Electric Member | 30,698 | 13.5¢ | 1,152 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Okefenoke Rural El Member | 28,463 | 14.6¢ | 1,214 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Canoochee Electric Member | 24,733 | 14.5¢ | 1,163 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Excelsior Electric Member | 23,762 | 14.3¢ | 1,198 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
Solar by city in Georgia
- Atlanta16-yr payback · Close call
- Columbus16.2-yr payback · Close call
- Augusta15.8-yr payback · Close call
- Macon16.1-yr payback · Close call
- Savannah15.9-yr payback · Close call
- Athens16.3-yr payback · Not worth it
- South Fulton16.1-yr payback · Close call
- Sandy Springs16.1-yr payback · Close call
- Roswell15.9-yr payback · Close call
- Warner Robins17.7-yr payback · Not worth it
- Johns Creek16.1-yr payback · Close call
- Mableton15.9-yr payback · Close call
- Albany18.5-yr payback · Not worth it
- Alpharetta16-yr payback · Close call
- Marietta22.1-yr payback · Not worth it
- Stonecrest16-yr payback · Close call
- Brookhaven16.1-yr payback · Close call
- Smyrna16-yr payback · Close call
- Valdosta15.6-yr payback · Close call
- Dunwoody15.9-yr payback · Close call
- Gainesville16.3-yr payback · Close call
- Newnan16.6-yr payback · Not worth it
- Peachtree Corners16-yr payback · Close call
- Milton16-yr payback · Close call
- Peachtree City18.4-yr payback · Not worth it
- East Point21.7-yr payback · Not worth it
- Rome16.7-yr payback · Not worth it
- Douglasville16.5-yr payback · Not worth it
- Woodstock16.1-yr payback · Close call
- Tucker16.3-yr payback · Close call
- Evans15.7-yr payback · Close call
- Canton16.7-yr payback · Not worth it
- Stockbridge15.8-yr payback · Close call
- Hinesville15.6-yr payback · Close call
- Kennesaw21.5-yr payback · Not worth it
- Dalton24.8-yr payback · Not worth it
- Statesboro15.3-yr payback · Close call
- Martinez15.7-yr payback · Close call
- Duluth16.2-yr payback · Close call
- LaGrange16.6-yr payback · Not worth it
- Redan15.8-yr payback · Close call
- Lawrenceville16.3-yr payback · Not worth it
- McDonough15.9-yr payback · Close call
- Chamblee16-yr payback · Close call
- Pooler15.8-yr payback · Close call
- Union City16.1-yr payback · Close call
- Carrollton16.6-yr payback · Not worth it
- Sugar Hill16.3-yr payback · Close call
Protect yourself when buying
- Check the license. Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board electrical contractor license (Class I or II). Look up an installer
- Cancellation rights. Federal law gives you 3 business days to cancel most door-to-door sales over $25. How to cancel
- HOA and solar access. Limited: solar easements authorized by statute; no strong HOA prohibition law.
- Community solar. Utility programs only (Georgia Power Community Solar, some EMC subscriptions); no statewide third-party program.
Questions about solar in Georgia
Is solar worth it in Georgia in 2026?
For a typical Georgia home, solar is not worth it. A 4.5 kW system costing about $14,300 after state incentives saves about $834 in the first year and pays back in about 17.2 years. Your result depends on your roof, usage, utility and price, so run the calculator for your address.
How much do solar panels cost in Georgia?
A reasonable cash price is around $2.90 per watt before incentives, or roughly $11,100 to $15,700 for a 4.5 kW system.
Does Georgia have net metering?
Georgia has no full net metering for new customers. Georgia Power credits solar you use at home at retail, and pays about 7.2 cents/kWh in 2026 for power sent to the grid (its solar avoided cost plus a 4-cent adder). Its monthly net metering program is full and closed. Electric membership cooperatives (EMCs) generally pay avoided cost.
Is there a solar tax credit in Georgia?
The 30% federal credit for homeowners ended for systems installed after 2025. Georgia does not offer a state income tax credit for solar that we're aware of.
How do I check a solar installer's license in Georgia?
Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board electrical contractor license (Class I or II).. Look up any installer with the state's license search at https://verify.sos.ga.gov/verification/.
Policy research current as of October 2026; sources include help.palmetto.com, solarpowerworldonline.com, programs.dsireusa.org. Electricity data: EIA, through July 2026. Found something out of date? Tell us.