Honest answers
Is solar worth it? A decision checklist, not a slogan
The first paragraph is the whole answer. Sources, a checklist and nuance follow — no sales stake.
Solar is worth a serious look when your bill, roof and export rules can support the investment over the years you will own the home. It is not automatically worth it everywhere, and a salesperson's statewide average is not your answer.
Four numbers you can actually check
1) Last-12-month kWh and the remaining fixed charges on the bill. 2) Your import rate structure (flat, time-of-use, demand). 3) How your utility credits exports for a new application — retail net metering, net billing or another rider; get the tariff name in writing. 4) Roof condition, usable area and how long you expect to stay. DOE home-solar planning guidance stresses site, usage and local rules before equipment shopping.
Hypothetical teaching example only: 900 kWh/month at $0.16/kWh is about $144 of energy before fixed fees. If exports are credited far below the import rate, self-use and bill timing matter more than total production. Do not plug a single statewide export cents figure into every state.
IRS states the residential clean energy credit is unavailable for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. For a new 2026 install, model payback without a 30% federal residential credit unless a tax professional confirms a different eligible credit. State or utility incentives need separate proof.
Before you decide
- Pull 12 months of kWh and note fixed customer charges.
- Ask the utility for the export tariff that applies to a new interconnection.
- Get a roof assessment before treating a quote as final.
- Compare cash price per DC watt across three comparable scopes.
Sources
Source review: 2026-09-21. Links support the planning points above; they are not a quote, tariff approval or savings guarantee.