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Last updated: May 2026
Avg. sun hours/day
4.7 hrs
Avg. electricity rate
$0.12/kWh
Active incentives
3
Monthly net metering for residential customers up to 10 kW under Georgia Power's tariff schedule. Surplus credits compensated at avoided-cost rate (well below retail). Limited monthly export-credit cap.
Georgia Power, the dominant utility serving most of the state, operates a net metering programme that compensates surplus solar exports at avoided cost (~$0.04/kWh) rather than retail rate. This is materially less generous than peer states. Self-consumption is the dominant economic value for Georgia residential solar. Electric cooperatives and EMCs (Cobb EMC, Jackson EMC, Sawnee EMC, etc.) operate separate programmes — some offer better terms. Confirm with your specific utility before sizing. Georgia's strong solar resource (4.7 PSH) keeps payback workable despite lower compensation rates: typical residential 2026 install pencils at 11–14 year payback.
Georgia does not offer a state-level residential solar tax credit. Solar system owners rely on the federal credit (now expired) and limited utility programmes.
Georgia is one of several Southeastern states without a state-level residential solar tax credit. Past initiatives have targeted economic development for solar manufacturing rather than residential incentives. The Department of Revenue has no analog to NJ's TREC, MA's SMART, or NY-Sun. Georgia residential solar economics depend almost entirely on federal credits (now expired) and utility-specific programs.
Georgia does not have a statewide solar property tax exemption. Some counties exclude solar PV from assessment; verify with the local Tax Assessor.
Property tax treatment of residential solar in Georgia varies by county. State law does not establish a uniform exemption. Some counties interpret residential solar as personal property exempt under standard household-fixture rules; others assess it as real-property improvement. Consult the local County Tax Assessor. The lack of statewide exemption is a meaningful headwind.
Expired for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025.
Federal Section 25D expired 2026-01-01. Without state-level credits, robust net metering, or sales/property tax exemptions, Georgia residential solar economics are significantly weaker post-ITC. Strong solar resource (4.7 PSH) keeps payback workable but typical 2026 installs land at 13–16 year payback. Solar in Georgia in 2026 is increasingly an energy-resilience and long-term inflation-hedge play rather than a fast-payback financial decision. See /guides/solar-after-itc-expired.
Our calculator uses Georgia's actual sun hours (4.7 hrs/day) and electricity rates.
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