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New York · Updated August 2026
What solar costs in New York
Real production math for New York, how to size a system from your own bill, and the difference between buying and a $0-down power purchase agreement.
~1,110kWh per kW per yearRanked #1 by Solar Power World · Inc. 5000 · 20,000+ installations
The honest version
Why nobody can quote you a price from a web page
Solar cost is not a sticker price. It is a function of three things: how much electricity you use, what your utility charges for it, and what your specific roof can produce. Two houses on the same street with the same roof can need systems that differ by 40% because one has a pool pump and the other has gas heat.
What we can do honestly is show you the arithmetic for New York and let you place yourself in it.
What a system produces in New York
| System size | Annual production | What that is worth |
|---|---|---|
| 6 kW | ~6,660 kWh/yr | ~$1,792 of electricity a year at 26.9¢ |
| 8 kW | ~8,880 kWh/yr | ~$2,389 of electricity a year at 26.9¢ |
| 10 kW | ~11,100 kWh/yr | ~$2,986 of electricity a year at 26.9¢ |
| 12 kW | ~13,320 kWh/yr | ~$3,583 of electricity a year at 26.9¢ |
Based on 3.8 peak sun hours a day and a 80% system derate, at a rate of 26.9¢.
Sizing from your bill instead
| Your bill today | Roughly this much power | Roughly this size system |
|---|---|---|
| $100/month | ~372 kWh/mo | roughly a 4.0 kW system to cover it |
| $150/month | ~558 kWh/mo | roughly a 6.0 kW system to cover it |
| $200/month | ~743 kWh/mo | roughly a 8.0 kW system to cover it |
| $300/month | ~1,115 kWh/mo | roughly a 12.1 kW system to cover it |
This is deliberately rough. It ignores shading, roof orientation, available roof area and how your usage is distributed across the year. It is a starting point, not a quote.
The part that decides your monthly number
Buying versus a power purchase agreement
If you buy
Highest lifetime value if you have the capital and you stay in the home. You own the equipment and any renewable credits, and you carry maintenance. As of 2026 a homeowner purchase carries no federal credit.
If you use a PPA
$0 upfront. We install and own the system and you buy the power at a rate set in your agreement. No loan, no lien on the house, no maintenance bills. You only pay for power the system actually produces.
The residential federal tax credit (25D) ended for property placed in service after December 31, 2025.
You will still see ads promising a 30% credit that “ends December 31.” Read the date on them. If you buy a system today as a homeowner, you cannot claim that credit. What remains under 48E applies to the owner of the system — which, under a PPA, is us. SolarAmerica does not provide tax advice; talk to your tax professional about your situation.
What New York adds on top
New York gives a 25% state credit capped at $5,000, and it applies to power purchase agreements as well as purchases — which is unusual. NY-Sun pays the installer $0.20–$0.40 per watt. Solar equipment is exempt from state sales tax and there is a 15-year property tax exemption.
What moves the price on your specific roof
Roof age and condition, pitch and orientation, shading from trees and neighboring structures, electrical panel capacity, whether a main panel upgrade is required, roof penetration type, and whether you add storage. Any of these can change the system design materially, which is why the quote step reads your actual address rather than a state average.
New York guides
Solar by county in New York
Who you would be working with
SolarAmerica
We design your system and manage the project; installation is performed by vetted licensed partners in your area. SolarAmerica is not itself the installing contractor.
Questions
The things people actually ask
How much do solar panels cost in New York?
There is no single number, and anyone publishing one is guessing. Cost tracks system size, and system size tracks your usage. A 9 kW system in New York produces about 9,990 kWh a year, worth roughly $2,687 against a 26.9¢ rate. Under a PPA the upfront cost is $0 and you pay for the power instead of the hardware.
What size solar system do I need in New York?
Divide your annual kilowatt-hours by about 1,110 — that is what one kilowatt of panels produces in New York in a year. A home using 12,000 kWh a year needs roughly 10.8 kW before accounting for shading and roof area.
Is $0 down real?
Yes, under a power purchase agreement, and it is real because someone else owns the system. There is no loan and no lien on your home. You buy the power the system produces at an agreed rate. If that rate does not beat what you pay your utility, we will tell you.
Do I get a tax credit if I buy solar in New York in 2026?
Not the residential one. 25D ended for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. The remaining 48E credit goes to the owner of the system. Talk to your tax professional about your situation.
Get the number for your actual roof in New York
About 60 seconds. No cost, no obligation, and we will tell you if solar does not make sense for your home.
Ranked #1 by Solar Power World · 20,000+ installations · Licensed installers
The questions people actually search before buying
How many solar panels do I need?
It follows from your usage, not your roof size. A home using 1,500 kWh a month needs roughly 13 kW in the Mid-Atlantic — about 33 panels at 400 W each, or 690 square feet of panel area. Usable roof is smaller than total roof: fire setbacks, vents and chimneys typically remove 20–30% before a panel is placed.
1,000 kWh a month · 1,500 kWh · 2,000 kWh · or work out your own
What is a reasonable cost per watt?
Divide the installed price by the system size in watts. Above roughly $3.50 per watt on a straightforward roof is worth questioning — though complex roofs, panel upgrades and main service work legitimately raise it. Ask for the figure in writing before comparing quotes; a total price alone tells you nothing without the system size next to it.
Is solar worth it here?
It turns on three things and none of them is the panel brand: your all-in rate, your export credit structure, and your roof. A high rate with poor export credit and a shaded north-facing roof is a worse case than a moderate rate with retail net metering and clear south exposure.
Work out payback · What your exported power is worth · The full answer
What does it cost per month under a PPA?
There is no system cost under a power purchase agreement — you buy the power the system makes at a set price per kilowatt-hour. The comparison is between that price and your utility's all-in rate, plus whatever escalator the agreement carries. Ask for the escalator as a number, not a description.
Estimate a PPA payment · Lease vs PPA vs buy
What happened to the 30% federal credit?
The residential credit (25D) ended for property placed in service after 31 December 2025. Advertising still promising a 30% homeowner credit that “ends December 31” is describing something that already expired. What remains applies to the owner of the system — under a PPA, that is us, not you. SolarAmerica does not provide tax advice.