Cost of solar in New Hampshire: what it really costs in 2026
Solar in NH costs $3.00–$3.50/watt installed. No sales tax, a property tax exemption, and Eversource net metering make the real net cost lower than the sticker price — here is the honest math.
Solar costs in New Hampshire are competitive with the broader New England market. What makes NH interesting is not the sticker price — it is the incentive structure underneath it. No sales tax means no sales tax exemption needed: you simply don't pay it. A strong property tax exemption means your home value goes up without your tax bill following. And Eversource's full retail-rate net metering credits every kilowatt-hour your system exports at the rate you'd otherwise pay for grid power. The result is a net cost picture that looks better than the gross price suggests.
What solar actually costs in New Hampshire in 2026
Installed solar in New Hampshire runs $3.00 to $3.50 per watt, with $3.25 a common midpoint. System size drives total cost:
- 6 kW system — $18,000–$21,000. Common for smaller NH homes or lower-usage households. Produces roughly 7,500–8,500 kWh/year in NH.
- 8 kW system — $24,000–$28,000. The most common residential size. Produces roughly 10,000–11,500 kWh/year.
- 10 kW system — $30,000–$35,000. For larger homes or those adding battery storage. Produces roughly 12,500–14,500 kWh/year.
Important: the federal solar tax credit expired at the end of 2025. No 30% federal credit applies to 2026 NH installations. Any quote showing a federal credit is using stale numbers.
NH incentives that reduce your net cost
- No sales tax — NH has no general sales tax. Zero sales tax on a $26,000 system versus 6.25% in MA. A built-in $1,625 advantage.
- Property tax exemption — Solar-added home value is exempt from NH property taxes. Your home is worth more; your tax bill stays the same.
- Full retail net metering — Eversource NH credits excess solar at $0.22–$0.26/kWh. Over a 25-year system life at typical NH production, this credit value contributes significantly to lifetime savings.
The NH payback math
An 8 kW system in NH producing 11,000 kWh/year at an average Eversource rate of $0.24/kWh offsets approximately $2,640/year in electricity costs. Net system cost after no-sales-tax advantage: approximately $24,000 for a mid-range 8 kW system. Payback: roughly 9 years. Over 25 years, net savings approach $42,000 at today's rates. NH electricity rates have risen over time, which adds to the value of a fixed-cost solar investment.
Battery storage in New Hampshire
New Hampshire's winter storms, nor'easters, and ice storms produce more multi-day power outages per year than most states. Battery storage is increasingly popular among NH homeowners — not for financial return alone, but for the certainty of power through February storms. Battery add-ons run $12,000–$20,000 for a standard residential system. No state incentive specifically targets batteries in NH; the general property tax exemption applies to the full solar-plus-battery system. All NH solar incentives.