Last reviewed: October 17, 2026. Prices, rates and rules change. Every figure below links to its source.

This guide explains solar panel cost Connecticut homeowners may see, using the state average installed price of $2.74 per watt (EnergySage Connecticut cost data (average, before incentives), August 2026) before incentives. At that price a 7 kW system costs about $19,180. Connecticut’s high electricity rates help payback, but owners who enroll in 2026 also pay a charge on every kWh their panels produce.
Solar panel cost Connecticut: compare typical system sizes
At the average price above:
| System size | Estimated installed cost |
|---|---|
| 5 kW | about $13,700 |
| 7 kW | about $19,180 |
| 9 kW | about $24,660 |
| 11 kW | about $30,140 |
Compare quotes in dollars per watt (total price · system watts) so different system sizes line up. Homeowners who buy in 2026 get no federal tax credit (Solar.com), so do not subtract 30% from any quote.
Connecticut’s electricity rate
The average Connecticut residential rate was 24.51¢ per kWh (U.S. EIA, Electric Power Monthly (residential average price), updated automatically, August 2026), well above the U.S. average of 18.31¢ for the same month. Each kWh your panels make is worth more here than in most states. Use the rate on your Eversource or UI bill in the calculator if you can.
How solar is credited: the RRES program
Connecticut replaced net metering in January 2022 with the Residential Renewable Energy Solutions (RRES) program, which PURA describes as a six-year program run by Eversource and United Illuminating. You choose one of two tariffs:
- Netting Tariff (what most homeowners use): your solar offsets your use, and extra energy is credited at the retail rate (Palmetto’s Connecticut guide).
- Buy-All Tariff: all production is sold to the utility at a fixed rate, and you buy all your power as usual. Very few homeowners choose it, and Palmetto reports it may be discontinued.
Systems up to 25 kW qualify (EnergySage).
The 2026 charge on solar production
Netting Tariff applications submitted in 2026 pay a Solar Energy Adjustment of $0.0402 per kWh (source) on all production, for 20 years. The rate is locked by the year you apply; it was $0.005 for 2025 applications (Palmetto). At the average rate above, that charge takes roughly a sixth of the value of each kWh. Our calculator subtracts it automatically. Ask installers whether their savings estimates include it.
Batteries: Energy Storage Solutions
Eversource and UI customers can get incentives for home batteries through the Energy Storage Solutions program, administered by the Connecticut Green Bank. It pays an upfront incentive per kWh of battery capacity, which declines as funds are reserved, plus performance payments if you let the utility use the battery during peak demand. Palmetto reported an upfront incentive of $212.50 per kWh for standard customers as of November 2025 (source). Confirm the current amount with the program before counting on it.
Connecticut tax exemptions and financing
- Solar equipment is exempt from Connecticut sales tax, and solar is exempt from property tax (EnergySage). Ask your town assessor how the exemption applies.
- The Connecticut Green Bank offers long-term, low-interest financing for home energy upgrades including solar (EnergySage).
Buying vs. leasing in Connecticut
Companies that own a system on your roof can still claim a 30% federal business credit, which can lower lease or PPA prices. That credit has deadlines, so ask any provider how it applies to your project. See our lease vs. buy guide, and enter a lease or PPA quote in the calculator to compare it with buying.
Use the solar panel cost calculator to compare your own inputs, and read how solar savings are calculated.
Questions to ask every installer
- Does your savings estimate include the 2026 Solar Energy Adjustment?
- Which RRES tariff are you assuming, and why?
- What is the price per watt, and what is included (permits, monitoring, roof work, electrical upgrades)?
- Which panels, inverters and batteries, and what are the warranties?
- Will you handle the RRES and Energy Storage Solutions applications?
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Sources
- EnergySage: Connecticut solar costs and incentives
- U.S. EIA, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A
- PURA: Residential Renewable Energy Solutions program
- Palmetto: Connecticut utility guide
- Solar.com: end of the residential solar tax credit
Connecticut solar cost questions
- How much do solar panels cost in Connecticut?
- The average installed price of home solar in Connecticut is $2.74 per watt, before any incentives, according to EnergySage. At that price a 5 kW system costs about $13,700, a 7 kW system about $19,180, a 9 kW system about $24,660 and an 11 kW system about $30,140. Compare quotes in dollars per watt so different system sizes line up. EnergySage: Connecticut solar cost data
- What is the RRES program in Connecticut?
- The Residential Renewable Energy Solutions program replaced net metering in Connecticut in January 2022. PURA describes it as a six-year program run by Eversource and United Illuminating. You choose the Netting Tariff, where your solar offsets your use and extra energy is credited at the retail rate, or the Buy-All Tariff, where all production is sold to the utility at a fixed rate. Systems up to 25 kW qualify. PURA: Residential Renewable Energy Solutions program
- What is the 2026 charge on solar production in Connecticut?
- Netting Tariff applications submitted in 2026 pay a Solar Energy Adjustment of $0.0402 per kWh on all production, for 20 years. The rate is locked by the year you apply; it was $0.005 for 2025 applications. At the average electricity rate, that charge takes roughly a sixth of the value of each kWh. Our calculator subtracts it automatically. Palmetto: Connecticut utility guide
- Are there Connecticut solar incentives?
- Solar equipment is exempt from Connecticut sales tax and solar is exempt from property tax. The Connecticut Green Bank offers long-term, low-interest financing for home energy upgrades including solar. Eversource and UI customers can get incentives for home batteries through the Energy Storage Solutions program run by the Connecticut Green Bank, which paid an upfront incentive of $212.50 per kWh for standard customers as of November 2025. EnergySage: Connecticut incentives guide
- Is solar worth it in Connecticut?
- Connecticut's higher electricity rate helps payback. The average Connecticut residential rate was 24.16 cents per kWh in July 2026, well above the U.S. average of 18.31 cents, so each kWh your panels make is worth more here than in most states. Use the rate on your Eversource or UI bill in the calculator for a closer estimate. U.S. EIA: residential electricity rates