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 - Blue River 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 Blue River homeowners averages about $2.58 a watt across the U.S. marketplace - roughly $30,960 for a 12 kW system before incentives.
The federal Residential Clean Energy Credit - the 30% one every solar ad still quotes - was repealed by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed July 4, 2025. Per the IRS, it is not available for any system placed in service after December 31, 2025, and 'placed in service' means the installation completion date, not the contract date.
If a salesperson in Blue River 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.
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 Blue River 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 Blue River quotes
Before requesting quotes, have your last 12 months of electricity bills handy - system sizing should follow your real usage, not a salesperson's template. A bid sized far above your usage is a margin play, especially now that surplus export pays less in most states.
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
What happens if my installer goes out of business?
Panel and inverter warranties come from the manufacturers and survive, but the workmanship warranty usually dies with the company. That is a real risk in the post-credit shakeout - prefer installers with years of local history, and get manufacturer-backed workmanship coverage where offered.
How much does home solar cost in 2026?
The U.S. marketplace average is about $2.58 per watt installed - roughly $15,500 for a 6 kW system and $31,000 for 12 kW, before any state incentives. Quotes meaningfully above that level deserve a written explanation of what justifies the premium.
Is solar still worth it without the federal credit?
It depends mostly on your state's export rules and your daytime usage. Paybacks lengthened by roughly a third when the credit ended, but rising electricity rates and record-cheap hardware keep the math workable in states with decent export compensation - and marginal where exports pay avoided cost only.
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.
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.
Get solar quotes for Blue River
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.
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