New Jersey Solar Guide 2026
Everything New Jersey homeowners need to know: costs, incentives, net metering policy, and what makes this state unique for solar.
Quick answer
New Jersey solar economics depend mainly on 4.2 average peak sun hours, an estimated $3/W installed cost, 17.0¢/kWh electricity, and the state's current net-metering rules.
Reviewed 2026-07-26
- Best for
- New Jersey homeowners comparing solar costs, incentives, and payback assumptions.
- Inputs needed
- annual kWh usage, utility rate, installed $/W, net-metering policy
- Formula used
- Typical production = system kW × peak sun hours × 365.
- Source checked
- state incentive data, utility tariff checks, Wattcrunch price benchmarks
Key fact about New Jersey solar
New Jersey's SuSI program provides a guaranteed per-kWh incentive for 15 years in addition to retail net metering, making NJ one of the most financially attractive states for solar in the Northeast.
Peak sun hours
4.2
hrs/day avg
Avg electricity rate
17.0¢
per kWh
Median install cost
$3/W
before incentives
Typical payback
8 yrs
8 kW system, avg usage
Typical 8 kW system in New Jersey
Annual production
12,264 kWh
Year-1 savings
$2,085
System cost (est.)
$24,000
No federal tax credit — Section 25D expired December 31, 2025.
New Jersey Net Metering Policy
Full retail net metering
New Jersey offers full retail net metering. The Successor Solar Incentive (SuSI) program provides additional compensation for both residential and community solar.
New Jersey Solar Incentives
Available in addition to any utility rebates. Federal 25D credit is $0 for homeowner-owned systems from 2026.
- ✓SuSI residential incentive ($0.06–$0.09/kWh for 15 years)
- ✓Sales tax exemption
- ✓Property tax exemption
- ✓TREC program for certain locations
Top Utilities in New Jersey
Interconnection timeline: 4–10 weeks
State-specific decision guide
What to verify before signing a New Jersey solar quote
In New Jersey, the financial result depends on more than sunshine or the headline installation price. Confirm the export rule, program eligibility date, and interconnection timeline for your exact utility before treating a payback estimate as a promise.
Export value
This page models full retail net metering. Ask which tariff and export credit apply to your account, not only which program name appears in the proposal.
Incentive eligibility
Check equipment, income, installer, application, and placed-in-service rules before subtracting an incentive from the quote. Programs can close or change terms.
Interconnection
Budget for the published 4–10 weeks and confirm who pays for a required meter, service upgrade, or engineering review.
Source trail: production assumptions use NREL PVWatts; incentive discovery should be checked against DSIRE; electricity-market context is available from the EIA. Confirm final tax treatment with the IRS and your utility.
Calculate your New Jersey solar economics
Our calculators are pre-filled with New Jersey data. Run any tool below.