Rhode Island Solar Guide 2026
Everything Rhode Island homeowners need to know: costs, incentives, net metering policy, and what makes this state unique for solar.
Key fact about Rhode Island solar
Rhode Island's DGSC program stacks on top of retail net metering, providing an additional per-kWh payment for 15 years — effectively doubling the per-kWh value for some customers.
Peak sun hours
4.1
hrs/day avg
Avg electricity rate
23.0¢
per kWh
Median install cost
$3.1/W
before incentives
Typical payback
9 yrs
8 kW system, avg usage
Typical 8 kW system in Rhode Island
Annual production
11,972 kWh
Year-1 savings
$2,754
System cost (est.)
$24,800
No federal tax credit — Section 25D expired December 31, 2025.
Rhode Island Net Metering Policy
Full retail net metering
Rhode Island offers full retail net metering. The Distributed Generation Standard Contract (DGSC) provides an additional per-kWh incentive for qualifying systems through National Grid.
Rhode Island Solar Incentives
Available in addition to any utility rebates. Federal 25D credit is $0 for homeowner-owned systems from 2026.
- ✓DGSC incentive program (~$0.02–$0.05/kWh for 15 years)
- ✓Property tax exemption (by municipality)
- ✓Sales tax exemption
Top Utilities in Rhode Island
Interconnection timeline: 5–10 weeks
Calculate your Rhode Island solar economics
Our calculators are pre-filled with Rhode Island data. Run any tool below.