Free Solar Tool
Solar Net Metering Calculator
See how much solar net metering can reduce your electric bill — enter your system size, monthly usage, electricity rate, and your state's net metering policy for an instant estimate.
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Calculate Your Net Metering Savings
Adjust the inputs below to match your home and solar proposal. Savings update in real time.
Average US home installs 6–10 kW. Check your installer's proposal for your system size.
US average is ~900 kWh/month. Find yours on your electric bill.
US average is $0.13–$0.16/kWh. CA and HI can be $0.25–$0.40+.
Estimated annual savings
$1,166
$97/month average · 72% of usage offset by solar
Monthly production
648 kWh
7,776 kWh/year
Self-consumed savings
$97/mo
648 kWh at full rate
Net metering credits
$0/mo
0 kWh exported
Bill after solar
$38/mo
down from $135/mo
System size
6 kW
Peak sun hours
4.5 hrs/day
Grid imported
252 kWh/mo
NEM rate factor
100% of retail
Ballpark estimate only
These figures are rough estimates based on simplified production models. Actual production varies by panel orientation, shading, system degradation, local weather, and net metering rules. Net metering policies change frequently — verify your utility's current policy before signing a contract.
📋 Important: All calculator results are ballpark estimates
These figures are approximate estimates based on simplified production models and averaged data. Actual savings depend on panel orientation, shading, degradation, local weather patterns, and your utility's specific net metering tariff. Net metering policies change frequently. Always confirm with a licensed solar installer and your utility before making financial decisions.
How to Use This Calculator
Enter your solar system size
System size is measured in kilowatts (kW) of DC power at standard test conditions. A typical residential system is 6–10 kW. Your installer's proposal will show the exact size. If you're comparing proposals, try different system sizes to see how production and savings scale.
Enter your monthly electricity usage
Your monthly kWh consumption is on your electric bill, usually in a chart or table. The US average is about 900 kWh/month, but homes with electric vehicles, pool pumps, or electric heat can be 1,500–2,500 kWh/month. Use your highest-usage month and your average month to understand your range.
Select your region
Your region determines peak sun hours — the single biggest geographic factor in how much electricity your panels produce. Homes in Arizona produce roughly 57% more solar energy than the same system in Seattle. Use the region closest to your location.
Select your net metering policy
Net metering rules vary by state and utility. Full retail net metering (still common in many states) earns credits at your full retail electricity rate. Some states have shifted to avoided-cost or export rates, which are lower. California's NEM 3.0 (2023+) pays significantly less for exports than the retail rate. If you're not sure, call your utility or ask your solar installer.
Enter your electricity rate
Your electricity rate is on your monthly bill — total charges divided by total kWh. The higher your rate, the more valuable net metering is. Homeowners in California ($0.30–$0.40/kWh), Hawaii ($0.40+/kWh), and the Northeast ($0.20–$0.30/kWh) see the strongest financial case for solar.
What Affects Your Net Metering Savings
Your electricity rate
Net metering savings scale directly with your electricity rate. At $0.12/kWh, exporting 200 kWh earns $24 in credits. At $0.30/kWh, the same export earns $60. High-rate states like California and Hawaii have the strongest financial case for solar + net metering.
Self-consumption vs. export ratio
Solar energy used directly in your home (self-consumption) is always worth the full retail rate. Exported energy earns only net metering credits, which may be less than retail. Shifting loads to daytime hours — dishwasher, laundry, EV charging — maximizes self-consumption and savings.
Net metering policy in your state
40+ states have mandatory net metering. Rates range from full retail (most favorable) to avoided cost (typically $0.03–0.08/kWh). California's 2023 NEM 3.0 reform significantly reduced export credits, changing the economics of solar in the state. Always confirm current policy with your utility.
System size vs. usage
Oversizing your system (producing more than you use) means more exports, which earn only net metering credits — not the full retail rate. Under some policies, you may lose unused credits at year end. Right-sizing to roughly 90–105% of annual usage maximizes financial return.
Panel orientation and shading
South-facing panels with no shading produce maximum energy. West-facing panels produce more in the afternoon when grid demand (and electricity prices in TOU pricing) peaks. Trees, chimneys, or neighboring buildings that cast shade reduce production and erode the economics.
Battery storage
Adding a battery (Tesla Powerwall, Enphase IQ, etc.) lets you store excess solar production and use it at night instead of exporting it. In states with low net metering credits, batteries can improve economics by maximizing self-consumption. A solar+storage system requires a larger upfront investment but may perform better long-term in NEM 3.0 states.
Are You a Solar Contractor? Show Customers Their Savings at the Door
Homeowners who see their net metering savings projected out over 25 years don't need to be sold — they need a proposal that matches the numbers in their head. SubcontractorHub's EasyQuote builds a complete solar proposal on a tablet at the customer's home, including system size, projected savings, and monthly financing options.
GoodLeap and Sunlight Financial are embedded directly in the proposal. The customer reviews net savings vs. loan payment, applies for financing, and signs — before your rep drives away. Solar contractors using SubcontractorHub report 25–35% improvement in same-day close rates.
See How It WorksBuild solar proposals on a tablet at the home
Show 25-year savings vs. financing payment side-by-side
Include net metering credits in the savings projection
GoodLeap & Sunlight Financial embedded — instant approval
Closed job flows to operations — no data re-entry
Common Questions About Solar Net Metering
What is net metering and how does it work?
Net metering is a utility billing arrangement that credits solar panel owners for excess electricity they export to the grid. When your solar panels produce more electricity than your home uses, the surplus flows back to the utility grid. Your meter runs backward, earning credits at or near the retail electricity rate. At night or on cloudy days, you draw power from the grid as usual, and those credits offset your usage. Net metering rules vary by state and utility — 40+ states have some form of mandatory net metering policy.
How much can I save with net metering?
Savings depend on your system size, local electricity rate, net metering policy (full retail vs. avoided cost), and how well your production matches your consumption. A 6 kW system in California producing 8,700 kWh/year at a full retail rate of $0.30/kWh saves roughly $2,600/year if consumption matches production well. In states with reduced net metering (like post-NEM 3.0 California), savings are lower because exported power earns less per kWh than you pay to import.
What is a good solar system size for my home?
A common starting point is to size the system to cover 100% of your annual electricity usage. Divide your annual kWh consumption (from your utility bills) by your local peak sun hours × 365 × 0.80 system efficiency. For example, a home using 12,000 kWh/year in Phoenix (5.5 peak sun hours) needs approximately 12,000 ÷ (5.5 × 365 × 0.80) = 7.5 kW. Many homeowners size for 80–100% offset to maximize the financial return under net metering.
What are peak sun hours and how do they affect solar production?
Peak sun hours represent the equivalent number of hours per day that the sun shines at maximum intensity (1,000 W/m²). Phoenix, AZ averages 5.5 peak sun hours per day; Seattle, WA averages 3.5. A 6 kW system in Phoenix produces 6 × 5.5 × 365 × 0.80 = 9,636 kWh/year, while the same system in Seattle produces 6 × 3.5 × 365 × 0.80 = 6,132 kWh/year — 36% less. Peak sun hours are the single biggest geographic driver of solar production.
What is the difference between self-consumption and net metering savings?
Self-consumption savings occur when solar power is used directly in your home at the moment it is produced — you avoid buying that electricity from the grid at the full retail rate. Net metering savings occur when you export excess solar power to the grid and earn credits. Self-consumption savings are always worth the full retail rate. Net metering savings depend on your state policy — full retail, a percentage of retail, or avoided-cost rates. Maximizing self-consumption (by shifting loads like dishwashers, EV charging, and laundry to daytime hours) is more financially efficient than exporting.
How can solar financing help make a system affordable?
Most solar installations cost $15,000–$35,000 before the federal 30% tax credit (ITC). After the ITC, a $20,000 system costs $14,000 net. Solar loans with 10–25 year terms can bring monthly payments below the current electricity bill, creating positive cash flow from day one. Lenders like GoodLeap and Sunlight Financial specialize in solar financing with competitive rates for homeowners with good credit.
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Book a Free DemoAll calculations are estimates based on historical information and should be verified by the user.