Solar in Plainfield, NJ
With PSE&G's electricity at about 26.4¢ per kWh and 1,317 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Plainfield home today: about a 7.5-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 7.5 yrsNew Jersey: 7.8 yrs
- 25-year net
- $52,921after paying $17,500
- Sun
- 1,317kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 26.4¢47% above U.S. average
A typical Plainfield home, by the numbers
| Utility | PSE&G |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 559 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 5.6 kW, about 13 panels, 7,374 kWh a year (110% of use) |
| Cost | $17,500 |
| First-year savings | $1,731 |
| Payback | 7.5 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (PSE&G) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.6% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Plainfield
- Owner-occupied homes
- 45%
- Single-family detached
- 42%
- Median home value
- $411k
- Median year built
- 1952
- Population
- 55,236
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 663
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 59%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 6,272 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Older housing stock. Many homes here were built before 1975. Have the roof and electrical panel checked before signing; a roof or panel upgrade can add thousands. Roof first?
Installers working in Plainfield
Companies with the most installations in Plainfield's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Sunrun 295 installs
- Momentum Solar 64 installs
- Trinity Solar 64 installs
- Big Wave Roofing Solar 25 installs
- Sunnymac 25 installs
- Freedom Forever 21 installs
- Emt Renewables 18 installs
- Bright Planet Solar 14 installs
- Fusion Solar Energy 13 installs
- Posigen 10 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Plainfield
Is solar worth it in Plainfield, NJ?
For a typical home in Plainfield, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 5.6 kW system costs about $17,500 after state incentives, saves about $1,731 in year one and pays back in about 7.5 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Plainfield?
About 1,317 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 0% more than the New Jersey average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Plainfield?
Most homes in Plainfield are served by PSE&G, at about 26.4¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Plainfield?
A fair cash price is around $3.00 per watt before incentives, so about $17,500 for a 5.6 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Westfield 7.4 yrs
- Rahway 7.4 yrs
- New Brunswick 7.5 yrs
- Linden 7.6 yrs
- Perth Amboy 7.3 yrs
- Carteret 7.5 yrs
- Sayreville 8.3 yrs
- Elizabeth 7.4 yrs
- All of New Jersey
Data: PVWatts (National Laboratory of the Rockies), EIA-861 2025 adjusted to 2026, U.S. Census ACS, LBNL Tracking the Sun, state policy research as of October 2026.