Solar panels in Georgia: cost, payback and the rules that matter
Georgia homes pay 15.4¢ per kWh for electricity, the 29th highest of 51, up 4.5% in a year. A typical home needs 23 panels. With no federal tax credit they pay for themselves in about 14.0 yrs.
Four facts that decide solar in Georgia
1. The sun. One kilowatt of panels makes about 1,375 kWh a year in the median Georgia city, from 1,370 in Marietta to 1,462 in Albany.
2. The price of electricity. Every kWh your panels make is worth what you would otherwise pay: 15.4¢ in Georgia today.
3. What your utility pays for exports. Most Georgia utilities still credit exported solar close to the retail rate, but rules differ by utility and change often.
4. Incentives. The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (IRC §25D) ended for systems whose installation is completed after December 31, 2025 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act, P.L. We don't know of a statewide income-tax credit for home solar in Georgia.
Georgia's homes
4,074,366 households; 65.7% own their home. 2,415,907 owner-occupied single-family houses: the main market for rooftop solar. The median home was built in 1992; 57% heat with electricity.
ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau.
Plan a specific Georgia home
Solar in every Georgia city with 50,000+ people
| City | Sun hrs/day | kWh per kW | Best tilt | Typical kW | Payback (NM) | Payback (NB) | Solar ¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | 5.0 | 1,374 | 32° | 9.7 | 14.0 yrs | 22.5 yrs | 11.3 |
| Columbus | 5.1 | 1,391 | 31° | 9.7 | 13.8 yrs | 22.3 yrs | 11.1 |
| Augusta | 5.2 | 1,438 | 32° | 9.2 | 13.4 yrs | 21.6 yrs | 10.8 |
| Macon | 5.2 | 1,415 | 31° | 9.2 | 13.6 yrs | 21.7 yrs | 10.9 |
| Savannah | 5.2 | 1,460 | 29° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.4 yrs | 10.6 |
| Athens | 5.1 | 1,393 | 32° | 9.7 | 13.8 yrs | 22.3 yrs | 11.1 |
| South Fulton | 5.0 | 1,374 | 32° | 9.7 | 14.0 yrs | 22.4 yrs | 11.3 |
| Sandy Springs | 5.0 | 1,373 | 32° | 9.7 | 14.0 yrs | 22.5 yrs | 11.3 |
| Roswell | 5.0 | 1,372 | 32° | 9.7 | 14.0 yrs | 22.5 yrs | 11.3 |
| Warner Robins | 5.2 | 1,425 | 31° | 9.2 | 13.5 yrs | 21.7 yrs | 10.8 |
| Johns Creek | 5.0 | 1,375 | 32° | 9.7 | 14.0 yrs | 22.5 yrs | 11.3 |
| Mableton | 5.0 | 1,372 | 32° | 9.7 | 14.0 yrs | 22.5 yrs | 11.3 |
| Alpharetta | 5.0 | 1,374 | 32° | 9.7 | 14.0 yrs | 22.5 yrs | 11.3 |
| Albany | 5.3 | 1,462 | 30° | 9.2 | 13.1 yrs | 21.4 yrs | 10.6 |
| Marietta | 5.0 | 1,370 | 32° | 9.7 | 14.0 yrs | 22.5 yrs | 11.3 |
| Stonecrest | 5.1 | 1,380 | 32° | 9.7 | 13.9 yrs | 22.4 yrs | 11.2 |
| Brookhaven | 5.0 | 1,375 | 32° | 9.7 | 14.0 yrs | 22.5 yrs | 11.3 |
| Smyrna | 5.0 | 1,371 | 32° | 9.7 | 14.0 yrs | 22.5 yrs | 11.3 |
| Valdosta | 5.3 | 1,449 | 30° | 9.2 | 13.2 yrs | 21.4 yrs | 10.6 |
| Dunwoody | 5.0 | 1,374 | 32° | 9.7 | 14.0 yrs | 22.5 yrs | 11.3 |
NM = exports credited at retail (net metering); NB = exports at ~30% of retail (net billing). Systems sized to the Georgia average home. $3.00/W, cash, 25 years.
Rule changes that affect Georgia
All changes and deadlines →- Federal: In-service deadline for the lease/PPA solar credit · Tax credits
- Federal: National data: solar prices fell to a median $3.60 per watt · Prices
- Federal: Construction-start deadline passed for the lease/PPA credit · Tax credits
- Federal: The 30% homeowner solar tax credit is gone · Tax credits
Questions about solar in Georgia
How much do solar panels cost in Georgia?
A 9.7 kW system, the size the average Georgia home needs, costs about $24,250 to $36,375 before incentives in 2026.
Is solar worth it in Georgia?
In the median Georgia city, solar pays for itself in about 14.0 yrs if exported power earns the retail rate, or 22.5 yrs if it earns about 30% of retail. Most utilities here still offer some form of net metering; check yours.
Is there a solar tax credit in Georgia?
We know of no statewide income-tax credit for home solar in Georgia; utilities and cities sometimes offer rebates. The 30% federal credit ended for homeowner systems installed after December 31, 2025.
How many solar panels does a Georgia home need?
About 23 panels of 420 watts for the state-average 1,074 kWh a month. Sunnier cities need fewer: Albany gets 1,462 kWh per kW a year, Marietta 1,370.