What New Hampshire pays for your exported solar power
Export compensation is the single biggest payback lever in 2026. Here is New Hampshire's current rule in plain words, with the official source.
Under New Hampshire's export rules, compensation for surplus power decides the payback - which typically runs 10-14 years on unsubsidized 2026 math.
Installed home solar for Portsmouth homeowners averages about $2.58 a watt across the U.S. marketplace - roughly $30,960 for a 12 kW system before incentives.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire has about 22,938 residents, and its solar quotes are built from system size, roof complexity and export rules - not the town name.
The honest 2026 answer for Portsmouth: solar pays back slower without the 30% credit - paybacks that ran 7-10 years often now run 10-14 - but electricity rates keep rising and hardware is the cheapest it has ever been. The deciding factor is New Hampshire's export compensation, covered in the net metering section.
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.
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 |
Get solar quotes for Portsmouth
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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.
New Hampshire rules that decide your payback
| Rule | New Hampshire status |
|---|---|
| Export compensation (net metering) | Residential systems of 100 kW or less net meter under the 'alternative' NEM 2.0 tariff in effect since September 1, 2017, which credits exported generation at the full default-service (energy) rate and the full transmission rate but only 25% of the distribution rate, gives no credit at all for system benefits, stranded cost or storm recovery charges, and converts leftover net kWh into a monetary bill credit carried forward. |
| State incentive | No state-level incentive; utility rebates may apply |
| Sales tax on the system | Exempt |
| Property tax on added home value | No exclusion on record |
New Hampshire's Residential Renewable Electrical Generation Rebate Program is permanently closed - RSA 362-F:10 V-VII and IX were repealed by SB 303 (2024), and HB 2 (2025) closed all remaining Renewable Energy Fund rebate programs to new projects - so there is no state cash incentive for a 2026 homeowner install, and net metering is additionally rationed by a 100 MW statewide capacity cap allocated among utility territories.
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 Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth quotes
Marketplace platforms collect bids from multiple NH installers against the same spec, which is the only clean way to compare - same roof, same size, different prices. Getting quotes is free and does not commit you to anything; prices come from the installers, never from this site.
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
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.
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.
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.
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 Portsmouth
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.