There can be solar tax credits and incentives available at the federal, state and local levels. The calculator above will show you the value of all incentives your home is eligible for.
There are two huge factors working to boost home solar in Rhode Island: the state's Small-Scale Solar grant program and the Renewable Energy Growth Program. Combined, they mean you'll save thousands up front on a new solar system and can sell the electricity it produces for thousands more.
Solar is cheaper than ever, so the Rhode Island incentives combined with the Federal 26% tax credit for solar means a solar panel system pays itself back quickly and makes you lots of money over its 25-year warrantied life!
Learn what solar incentives are available to Rhode Island homeowners
See what Rhode Island solar incentives you qualify for based on your utility company and city
Find out how much these incentives and/or Rhode Island solar tax credits will reduce your cost to go solar and add batteries
The federal solar investment tax credit will have the biggest impact on the cost you will face to go solar in Rhode Island
If you install your photovoltaic system before the end of 2032, the federal tax credit is 30% of the cost of your solar panel system. This is 30% off the entire cost of the system including equipment, labor, and permitting.
Example: If your solar energy system costs $20,000, your federal solar tax credit would be $20,000 x 30% = $6,000.
The federal tax credit falls to 26% starting in 2033.
With net metering in some states, you get full retail rate credit for the amount of electricity you send back into the grid with your solar panels.
Net Metering requires your utility to monitor how much energy your solar power system produces and how much energy you actually consume, and make sure you get credit for the surplus.
Rhode Island has a strong net metering program that ensures you get credit for your surplus energy production -- up to 125% of your monthly consumption. Surplus is credited to you at the utilities avoided-cost rate, and may be either carried forward to the next bill or purchased by the utility, at their discretion.
After 2016, the legislature doubled the net metering limit to 10 Megawatts of total generation capacity, and also added net metering for 3rd-party-owned systems.
That’s a pretty solid law overall, but there are definitely some easy tweaks the legislature could implement to make net metering even stronger. For one, municipal and cooperative electric companies are currently exempt from the statewide net metering standards. The law should be expanded to cover all utilities.
We’d also like to see the option for bill rollovers or cash payments moved from the utility to you, so you can decide how the savings help you most.
While Rhode Island does not have a dedicated state rebate for solar panel installation, some manufacturers like LG offer their own solar rebates. These programs are usually time sensitive. For example, LG offers a $600 solar rebate on their equipment, which your installer can help you redeem over the next year.
National Grid’s Renewable Energy Growth program in Rhode Island provides an awesome incentive to go solar. You get a performance based incentive (PBI) payment which is reflected both as a credit to your monthly electric bill and as a cash payment every month.
For 2021, you can expect the PBI to be at $.25- $.29 cents per kilowatt-hour (kwh). The PBI gets split between a credit to your existing electric bill and that cash payment. Since an average 6-kW home solar system generates about 10,000 kwh annually, you can expect bill credits and payments of $2,500 annually for a term length of 15-20 years! Even though the cash portion of the PBI is taxable income (meaning you’ll get an IRS 1099 form), this program is a huge boon to you for installing solar.
Rhode Island policymakers also created a fund for those who may not be sure if they’re going to live in their homes for the next 20 years to go solar as well. If you decide not to participate in the PBI above, you can elect to take a solar grant from the Rhode Island Renewable Energy Fund instead.
For 2021, the grant amount is up to $850 per kilowatt of installed solar, up to a maximum of $7,000. On an average 6-kW system, that amounts to $5,100 upfront! This solar grant program is among the best in the nation. Way to go, Rhode Island!
Thankfully there are tax exemptions for solar power here as well. When you install a solar power system, your home goes up in value by a factor of 20 times your electricity bill savings. No one should ever be penalized for converting to renewable energy, a sentiment with which the Rhode Island legislature agrees.
That’s why they passed a property tax law ensuring that your solar power system will never be assessed at any higher value than the equivalent standard, non-renewable energy production system. That means all that increase in value you get from a solar power system over a conventional system stays with you and not with the state tax collectors.
Those shiny new solar panels are also 100% exempt from all sales and use taxes when you purchase and install them.
Showing data for:
Prices based on a 8.0kW system, after 30% federal tax credit
14 solar companies in Rhode Island provide pricing on SolarReviews. Here are the best rated companies near you.
4.91 109 Reviews
Dick B, 1 month ago
Sunergy Solotions salesman Angelo was a gream man to deal with. He was very informative on solar systems. I was a former owner owner of an HVAC company and was very impressed with the entire crew of installers. They were very professional, respectful of my property during the entire process of the solar installation. I highly recommend reaching out to Sunergy Solutions for the installation of your solar project.
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Dick B, 1 month ago
Sunergy Solotions salesman Angelo was a gream man to deal with. He was very informative on solar systems. I was a former owner owner of an HVAC company and was very impressed with the entire crew of installers. They were very professional, respectful of my property during the entire process of the solar installation. I highly recommend reaching out to Sunergy Solutions for the installation of your solar project.
4.83 72 Reviews
D Yeroshalmi, over 1 month
NEC Solar did solar panels for our primary residence a couple of years ago. It was a great experience with Artie as the company representative. Communications were quick and clear and he explained every steps of the project and met all the timelines We have been so pleased with our solar panels and the amount of power production that decided to do the same for our vacation home. NEC Solar was the first company we contacted.
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D Yeroshalmi, over 1 month
NEC Solar did solar panels for our primary residence a couple of years ago. It was a great experience with Artie as the company representative. Communications were quick and clear and he explained every steps of the project and met all the timelines We have been so pleased with our solar panels and the amount of power production that decided to do the same for our vacation home. NEC Solar was the first company we contacted.
4.77 313 Reviews
Bill Howe, 2 days ago
I'm an orphan solar panel system owner and I spent 2 years trying to get a company to determine what problem I was having (a raccoon), figure out how to correct it, and get the system operating again. Thankfully I finally found New England Clean Energy and boy am I glad I did: They immediately were engaged, came promptly, took care of the problem and explained everything to me...I will be a customer for life!! Thank you New England Clean Energy! Bill Howe
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Average cost (5kW system)
$21,450 ($4.29 per watt)
Bill Howe, 2 days ago
I'm an orphan solar panel system owner and I spent 2 years trying to get a company to determine what problem I was having (a raccoon), figure out how to correct it, and get the system operating again. Thankfully I finally found New England Clean Energy and boy am I glad I did: They immediately were engaged, came promptly, took care of the problem and explained everything to me...I will be a customer for life!! Thank you New England Clean Energy! Bill Howe
4.72 600 Reviews
Barbara S, 1 week ago
From the first meeting with the sales team through the installation process it was a wonderful experience. The sales team was very informative and had patience to explain the complete process. The installation team from roofing through electrical were knowledgeable, helpful and did amazing job. Fully recommend for anyone looking for a solar solution.
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Barbara S, 1 week ago
From the first meeting with the sales team through the installation process it was a wonderful experience. The sales team was very informative and had patience to explain the complete process. The installation team from roofing through electrical were knowledgeable, helpful and did amazing job. Fully recommend for anyone looking for a solar solution.
4.67 91 Reviews
Tom, over 1 month
Very skeptical at first probably like everyone else. The sales team with Dylan, answered all my questions from the actual solar panels and equipment to the service and warranty I would expect. He was outstanding knowledgeable and readily available for my many calls. As for the team the electricians Ray and Jarret went the extra mile for panel placement, conduit hidden very well wiring in the attic on a hot day. Both extremely knowledgeable for many more questions. The roofers Jason and Juan were neat did a fantastic job and I am pleased with the appearance. 6 hours installed perfectly. Unfortunately the slowest process waiting for RI Energy to change out my meter. I would highly recommend RTP over anyone else. They truly are a team.
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Tom, over 1 month
Very skeptical at first probably like everyone else. The sales team with Dylan, answered all my questions from the actual solar panels and equipment to the service and warranty I would expect. He was outstanding knowledgeable and readily available for my many calls. As for the team the electricians Ray and Jarret went the extra mile for panel placement, conduit hidden very well wiring in the attic on a hot day. Both extremely knowledgeable for many more questions. The roofers Jason and Juan were neat did a fantastic job and I am pleased with the appearance. 6 hours installed perfectly. Unfortunately the slowest process waiting for RI Energy to change out my meter. I would highly recommend RTP over anyone else. They truly are a team.
4.08 141 Reviews
Brian Bernard, over 1 month
The sales process was great. They were very attentive and offered the best deal on the best equipment. Then.. After signing the deal, they stopped returning e-mails and phone calls. It took them 6 months to get the materials delivered. Then it took 2 weeks before installation started. And the meter was installed incorrectly. They corrected that quickly as I was still holding the final 10% progress payment and their sales team was back to calling and e-mailing every other day. 4 years in, one of the micro-invertors stopped working. For 4 weeks, no one at RGS responded to my calls; e-mails; or web-chats. I initiated the replacement part request with the manufacturer and the next day RGS e-mailed me back to say a replacement part had been ordered and should be arriving in 2-4 weeks. I got the part in 4 weeks, notified RGS, and, again, they went silent on me. 4 weeks after that, I got an e-mail from RGS with a workorder stating that I would have to pay $350 plus additional costs for them to complete the work under warranty. That is where we stand now. If I had to do it again, I would go with a company that had positive reviews after the sales process. That is when you are going to need them they most. Good luck with your solar projects.
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Average cost (5kW system)
$23,400 ($4.68 per watt)
Brian Bernard, over 1 month
The sales process was great. They were very attentive and offered the best deal on the best equipment. Then.. After signing the deal, they stopped returning e-mails and phone calls. It took them 6 months to get the materials delivered. Then it took 2 weeks before installation started. And the meter was installed incorrectly. They corrected that quickly as I was still holding the final 10% progress payment and their sales team was back to calling and e-mailing every other day. 4 years in, one of the micro-invertors stopped working. For 4 weeks, no one at RGS responded to my calls; e-mails; or web-chats. I initiated the replacement part request with the manufacturer and the next day RGS e-mailed me back to say a replacement part had been ordered and should be arriving in 2-4 weeks. I got the part in 4 weeks, notified RGS, and, again, they went silent on me. 4 weeks after that, I got an e-mail from RGS with a workorder stating that I would have to pay $350 plus additional costs for them to complete the work under warranty. That is where we stand now. If I had to do it again, I would go with a company that had positive reviews after the sales process. That is when you are going to need them they most. Good luck with your solar projects.
Jack Breen, over 1 month
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4.06 8 Reviews
MRiggs, over 1 month
Chose Sol Power over other companies and glad we did. We found the prices quoted were very similar as were the array builds. It was a comfort that they were so knowledgeable as well as local that was the differentiator. Project started with a full assessment of our home and a detailed quote. The process for application, permitting, installation and implementation with utility went exactly as it was explained. Installation was seamless and created no interruptions. They made it easy to communicate via email and text and docu-sign made the paperwork quick and easy. We are a few months in, the array is producing as promised and we are net exporting to the grid. Sol Power was and is a great choice.
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MRiggs, over 1 month
Chose Sol Power over other companies and glad we did. We found the prices quoted were very similar as were the array builds. It was a comfort that they were so knowledgeable as well as local that was the differentiator. Project started with a full assessment of our home and a detailed quote. The process for application, permitting, installation and implementation with utility went exactly as it was explained. Installation was seamless and created no interruptions. They made it easy to communicate via email and text and docu-sign made the paperwork quick and easy. We are a few months in, the array is producing as promised and we are net exporting to the grid. Sol Power was and is a great choice.
4.06 4 Reviews
Anonymous, over 1 month
After comparing prices with other companies SunWatt had the most value without any inflated system performance predictions. Every part of the system, the incentives and the return on cost was carefully explained during the sale. Fast, professional installation. Excellent performance of the system. Happy to be helping the environment and lowering my energy costs.
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Anonymous, over 1 month
After comparing prices with other companies SunWatt had the most value without any inflated system performance predictions. Every part of the system, the incentives and the return on cost was carefully explained during the sale. Fast, professional installation. Excellent performance of the system. Happy to be helping the environment and lowering my energy costs.
3.75 1 Reviews
Anonymous, over 1 month
Working with Greenside Energy was an unbelievable experience. We got a half dozen proposals from installers before we pulled the trigger. Greenside didn't just sell us a solar system but educated us about all the componets like the inverters, power optimizers, snd solar panels. They set us up with an amazing web based monitoring portal so we are able to track our power production in real time. After The install was complete they used their quad copter to take an aerial photo of our system which we have hung up in our office! I would highly recommend giving them a call.<br /><br />West Main Self Storage Team
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Anonymous, over 1 month
Working with Greenside Energy was an unbelievable experience. We got a half dozen proposals from installers before we pulled the trigger. Greenside didn't just sell us a solar system but educated us about all the componets like the inverters, power optimizers, snd solar panels. They set us up with an amazing web based monitoring portal so we are able to track our power production in real time. After The install was complete they used their quad copter to take an aerial photo of our system which we have hung up in our office! I would highly recommend giving them a call.<br /><br />West Main Self Storage Team
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