Is solar worth it in Ohio?
For a typical Ohio home in 2026, solar is worth it: about a 12.8-year payback and $24,765 saved over 25 years after paying for the system. Check your own home, because roofs, usage and utilities vary a lot.
- Payback, typical home
- 12.8 yrs6.5 kW, paying cash
- Electricity price
- 18.3¢per kWh, U.S. 18.0¢
- Solar production
- 1,280kWh per kW per year
- Exports credited at
- ~44%Reduced export credit
The numbers for a typical Ohio home
| Electricity use | 865 kWh a month (Ohio average) |
|---|---|
| Best-value system | 6.5 kW, producing 8,321 kWh a year (80% of use) |
| Price | $19,750 at about $3.00/W |
| First-year savings | $1,482 |
| Payback | 12.8 years |
| 25-year net | $24,765 (6.7% a year return) |
| Rate increase assumed | 2.8% a year, from Ohio'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 costs 18.3¢ per kWh, close to the U.S. average of 18.0¢.
- Exported solar is typically credited at about 44% of retail, so systems pay best when sized for what you use yourself.
- A typical system here produces about 1,280 kWh per kW per year (ranked #44 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 Ohio
Reduced export credit. Ohio's investor-owned utilities must offer net metering. Within a month, solar offsets your usage at full retail; any extra energy beyond your monthly use is credited only at the generation (energy supply) price, roughly half of the retail rate.
Monthly net excess credited at the utility's standard service offer (SSO) energy/generation rate (energy-only); customers of competitive suppliers get whatever their supply contract specifies (may be zero).
- Netting: monthly
- Unused credits: Excess credits carry forward month to month; customer can request a refund of accumulated credits (at the energy-only rate) once per 12 months.
- Fixed charges: Standard customer charges apply; no solar-specific fees in IOU tariffs.
- Last major change: PUCO net metering rule revisions (OAC 4901:1-10-28) effective 2019 limited credit to energy-only and capped size at 120% of usage; five-year review in 2026 proposed no changes (Feb 2026).
- Pending: PUCO five-year review of OAC 4901:1-10-28 (no-change proposal, 2026). Ohio's renewable portfolio standard ends after 2026 under HB 6.
Read net metering explained to see why export rules can swing payback by years.
| Utility | Export credit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AEP Ohio (Ohio Power) | 8¢/kWh | Excess credited at SSO generation rate; ~30% lower value than old retail credit per AEP estimate. |
| Ohio Edison (FirstEnergy) | Reduced export credit | Excess at SSO generation (price to compare) rate. |
| Cleveland Electric Illuminating (FirstEnergy) | Reduced export credit | Excess at SSO generation rate. |
| Toledo Edison (FirstEnergy) | Reduced export credit | Excess at SSO generation rate. |
| Duke Energy Ohio | Reduced export credit | Excess at SSO generation rate. |
| AES Ohio (Dayton Power & Light) | Reduced export credit | Excess at SSO generation rate. |
Solar incentives in Ohio
The federal 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. What that means.
| Program | Type | What you get | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio SRECs (RPS) | srec | Ohio-sited systems can sell RECs; Ohio has no solar carve-out and the RPS ends after 2026, so prices are very low (~$3/MWh in 2026). PA Tier I sales may yield slightly more. Eligibility: Registered in PJM-GATS. | active |
| Qualified Energy Project property tax exemption | property tax exemption | Exemption/PILOT applies to larger (>250 kW) projects; not relevant to typical residential systems. Eligibility: Commercial/utility projects. | active |
What solar costs in Ohio
A fair cash price is around $3.00 per watt before incentives. For the 6.5 kW system that fits a typical home, expect roughly $16,600 to $23,400; smaller systems cost more per watt.
How many homes have solar
- Homes with net-metered solar (2025)
- 33,206
- Share of homes
- 0.6%
- Residential solar capacity
- 283 MW
- Growth over the past year
- +21.7%
Sources: EIA-861 (2025), EIA small-scale solar estimates, LBNL Tracking the Sun and state interconnection data.
Electric utilities in Ohio
| Utility | Homes served | Price (2026 est.) | Typical use | Typical-home verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEP Ohio | 1,348,588 | 20.4¢ | 901 kWh/mo | Worth it |
| Ohio Edison | 961,084 | 17.3¢ | 840 kWh/mo | Close call |
| Duke Energy Ohio | 700,265 | 18.1¢ | 924 kWh/mo | Worth it |
| Cleveland Electric Illum | 677,581 | 17.6¢ | 694 kWh/mo | Close call |
| AES Ohio | 469,317 | 17.1¢ | 980 kWh/mo | Worth it |
| The Toledo Edison | 279,678 | 17.8¢ | 779 kWh/mo | Worth it |
| South Central Power | 118,458 | 16.6¢ | 1,123 kWh/mo | Close call |
| City of Cleveland | 64,905 | 17.7¢ | 511 kWh/mo | Close call |
| City of Hamilton | 27,209 | 16.7¢ | 794 kWh/mo | Close call |
| Licking Rural Electric | 26,038 | 18.4¢ | 1,086 kWh/mo | Worth it |
| City of Cuyahoga Falls | 24,256 | 13.8¢ | 630 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Consolidated Cooperative | 17,091 | 18.4¢ | 1,324 kWh/mo | Worth it |
| Pioneer Rural Electric Cooperative | 16,384 | 17.7¢ | 1,349 kWh/mo | Worth it |
| Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative | 16,056 | 22.1¢ | 1,092 kWh/mo | Worth it |
| City of Westerville | 15,791 | 15.6¢ | 935 kWh/mo | Close call |
| Guernsey-Muskingum El Cooperative | 15,349 | 19.7¢ | 975 kWh/mo | Worth it |
| City of Columbus | 15,346 | 14.0¢ | 594 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Lorain-Medina R E C | 15,298 | 18.9¢ | 1,212 kWh/mo | Worth it |
| Holmes-Wayne Electric Cooperative | 14,793 | 18.6¢ | 1,041 kWh/mo | Worth it |
| City of Bowling Green | 13,114 | 16.5¢ | 655 kWh/mo | Close call |
| Union Rural Electric Cooperative | 12,392 | 18.1¢ | 1,183 kWh/mo | Worth it |
| City of Wadsworth | 12,296 | 13.2¢ | 788 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| City of Niles | 11,889 | 13.4¢ | 637 kWh/mo | Not worth it |
| Butler Rural Electric Cooperative | 11,531 | 19.9¢ | 1,389 kWh/mo | Worth it |
| Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative | 11,292 | 18.6¢ | 1,127 kWh/mo | Worth it |
Solar by city in Ohio
- Columbus17.4-yr payback · Not worth it
- Cleveland15-yr payback · Close call
- Cincinnati12.8-yr payback · Worth it
- Toledo13.2-yr payback · Worth it
- Akron13.9-yr payback · Close call
- Dayton13-yr payback · Worth it
- Parma14.2-yr payback · Close call
- Canton12-yr payback · Worth it
- Lorain13.6-yr payback · Close call
- Hamilton12.7-yr payback · Worth it
- Youngstown14.7-yr payback · Close call
- Springfield13.3-yr payback · Worth it
- Kettering13.1-yr payback · Worth it
- Elyria13.8-yr payback · Close call
- Middletown12.6-yr payback · Worth it
- Cuyahoga Falls18.9-yr payback · Not worth it
- Newark11.8-yr payback · Worth it
- Lakewood13.9-yr payback · Close call
- Dublin13.6-yr payback · Close call
- Euclid14.7-yr payback · Close call
- Mansfield13.7-yr payback · Close call
- Mentor14.7-yr payback · Close call
- Beavercreek13.1-yr payback · Worth it
- Strongsville14.2-yr payback · Close call
- Fairfield12.4-yr payback · Worth it
- Delaware13.4-yr payback · Close call
- Cleveland Heights14.1-yr payback · Close call
- Huber Heights13.2-yr payback · Worth it
- Grove City13.4-yr payback · Close call
- Lancaster11.8-yr payback · Worth it
- Reynoldsburg11.9-yr payback · Worth it
- Findlay11.7-yr payback · Worth it
- Warren14.7-yr payback · Close call
- Westerville17.5-yr payback · Not worth it
- Hilliard13.2-yr payback · Worth it
- North Ridgeville14.3-yr payback · Close call
- Upper Arlington17.4-yr payback · Not worth it
- Marion13.7-yr payback · Close call
- Mason12.6-yr payback · Worth it
- Gahanna17.5-yr payback · Not worth it
- Brunswick13.9-yr payback · Close call
- Lima11.5-yr payback · Worth it
- Fairborn13-yr payback · Worth it
- Stow14.3-yr payback · Close call
- Westlake13.8-yr payback · Close call
- Massillon14.2-yr payback · Close call
- North Olmsted14.1-yr payback · Close call
- North Royalton14-yr payback · Close call
- Austintown14.6-yr payback · Close call
- Bowling Green14.4-yr payback · Close call
- Garfield Heights14.5-yr payback · Close call
- Shaker Heights14.6-yr payback · Close call
- Marysville13.2-yr payback · Worth it
- Green14.1-yr payback · Close call
- Kent14.3-yr payback · Close call
- Wooster13.7-yr payback · Close call
- Troy13.3-yr payback · Worth it
- Medina13.9-yr payback · Close call
- Avon Lake13.9-yr payback · Close call
- Xenia13-yr payback · Worth it
- Avon14-yr payback · Close call
- Centerville13-yr payback · Worth it
- Perrysburg13.2-yr payback · Worth it
Protect yourself when buying
- Check the license. Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) electrical contractor license; local registration often required. 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. Partial - S.B. 61 (eff. 2022-09-13, ORC 5312.16 / 5311) lets owners in HOAs/condos install solar unless the declaration itself prohibits it; boards may impose only reasonable size/placement rules. Voluntary solar easements also recognized.
- Community solar. No statewide community solar program (bills have been introduced but not enacted as of last check).
Questions about solar in Ohio
Is solar worth it in Ohio in 2026?
For a typical Ohio home, solar is worth it. A 6.5 kW system costing about $19,750 after state incentives saves about $1,482 in the first year and pays back in about 12.8 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 Ohio?
A reasonable cash price is around $3.00 per watt before incentives, or roughly $16,600 to $23,400 for a 6.5 kW system.
Does Ohio have net metering?
Ohio's investor-owned utilities must offer net metering. Within a month, solar offsets your usage at full retail; any extra energy beyond your monthly use is credited only at the generation (energy supply) price, roughly half of the retail rate.
Is there a solar tax credit in Ohio?
The 30% federal credit for homeowners ended for systems installed after 2025. Ohio does not offer a state income tax credit for solar that we're aware of. Solar may be exempt from property tax.
How do I check a solar installer's license in Ohio?
Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) electrical contractor license; local registration often required.. Look up any installer with the state's license search at https://elicense.ohio.gov/oh_verifylicense.
Policy research current as of October 2026; sources include dam.assets.ohio.gov, utilitydive.com, solarunitedneighbors.org. Electricity data: EIA, through July 2026. Found something out of date? Tell us.