What Colorado still offers after the federal credit ended
Every incentive on this page is verified against Colorado government sources - and the expired ones salespeople still quote are called out.
The 30% federal solar tax credit ended for installations finished after December 31, 2025 - Ault systems completed in 2026 get $0 from it.
Under Colorado's export rules, compensation for surplus power decides the payback - which typically runs 10-14 years on unsubsidized 2026 math.
Installed home solar for Ault homeowners averages about $2.58 a watt across the U.S. marketplace - roughly $30,960 for a 12 kW system before incentives.
If a salesperson in Ault tells you a 30% federal tax credit applies to your 2026 installation, they are quoting a dead law. What may still exist: Colorado's own incentives and tax treatment, listed below, and lease/PPA arrangements where a company claims commercial credits - in which case the credit belongs to them, not you.
Leased and PPA systems deserve extra scrutiny in 2026: the sales pitch often bundles 'tax savings' that now accrue to the leasing company under separate commercial rules - not to you. Get every claimed saving in writing, attributed to a specific law, before signing a 20-25 year contract.
The 2026 numbers
| System size | Installed price (marketplace avg) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 kW | $15,480 | Small roof / low usage |
| 8 kW | $20,640 | Typical starter system |
| 10 kW | $25,800 | Family home with AC |
| 12 kW | $30,960 | Large home / EV charging |
| Home battery (optional) | $12,000-$16,000 | Backup power + self-consumption |
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Colorado rules that decide your payback
| Rule | Colorado status |
|---|---|
| Export compensation (net metering) | Colorado requires investor-owned utilities to offer net metering: under PUC Rule 3664 (4 CCR 723-3), excess generation is carried forward month to month and credited at a 1:1 ratio against the customer's retail kWh consumption, with any accrued excess credits compensated within 60 days after each calendar year at the utility's average hourly incremental cost of electricity supply, unless the customer makes a one-time written election to roll credits forward indefinitely. |
| State incentive | Colorado Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Components Used to Produce Energy from a Renewable Energy Source (Sec. 39-26-724, C.R.S.); utility rebates may also apply. |
| Sales tax on the system | Exempt |
| Property tax on added home value | Excluded |
A Colorado net-metered system may be sized to supply no more than 120 percent of the customer's average annual electricity consumption at the site, and unless the homeowner files a one-time written election to keep rolling credits over, leftover credits are cashed out each year at the utility's average hourly incremental cost - well below the retail rate the credits were originally worth.
This guide is research, not advice: an independent summary of published prices and state rules. It is not an installer, lender or tax advisor - verify incentive eligibility with a licensed tax professional before relying on it.
What this means for Ault roofs
Beware of any 2026 payback estimate that looks as good as the 2025 ones: with the federal credit gone, a third of the old subsidy math vanished. If a sales projection has not gotten noticeably worse since 2025, it is hiding something - usually an inflated utility-rate escalation assumption.
This guide is research, not advice: an independent summary of published prices and state rules. It is not an installer, lender or tax advisor - verify incentive eligibility with a licensed tax professional before relying on it.
Getting Ault quotes
Same-day contracts are a red flag in this industry. Legitimate CO installers expect you to compare bids, check licenses, and read the interconnection terms. Anyone pressuring you to sign at the kitchen table is pricing in your haste.
This guide is research, not advice: an independent summary of published prices and state rules. It is not an installer, lender or tax advisor - verify incentive eligibility with a licensed tax professional before relying on it.
Common questions
Do I need a battery with my solar?
Not necessarily. Under full retail net metering, the grid effectively stores your surplus for free. Batteries earn their $12,000-16,000 price where export rates are low, outages are common, or time-of-use rates make evening self-consumption valuable.
How do I check if a solar quote is fair?
Divide the total price by the system's wattage. The U.S. marketplace average is about $2.58 per watt installed; $2.30-3.00 covers most fair quotes depending on roof complexity. Above that, ask exactly what you are paying extra for - in writing.
Is there still a federal solar tax credit in 2026?
No. The 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit was repealed effective for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, per the IRS. Only systems finished by the end of 2025 qualified. State-level incentives are separate and some survive - check the state page in this guide.
How long do solar panels actually last?
Panels are typically warrantied for 25 years of production and commonly outlive it, losing about 0.5% output per year. Inverters are the component that usually needs replacement - typically once, around year 12-15, at a few thousand dollars.
Does solar raise my property taxes?
It depends on the state - many exempt solar's added home value from property tax, others do not, and some exemptions have expiration dates. This guide's state page lists the verified rule and source for your state.
Get solar quotes for Ault
These platforms collect bids from licensed installers so you can compare against the same spec. Prices come from installers, not from this site.
Disclosure: this is an independent guide. If you request quotes through a link here, the platform may pay this site a referral fee. That fee never changes your quotes.