Delaware · Net metering · Deep-stack program

DE Net Metering

Sets the billing terms for excess solar generation sent back to the grid by residential customers in Delaware -- see the credit rate and how it shapes payback below.

Retail rate credit
stated benefit
Residential
eligible customers
15.4 yr
Delaware baseline payback
3
other Delaware programs
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Deep-stack program · early directory

Delaware runs a 4-program DSIRE stack; this net metering is one layer on a 15.4-year modeled baseline, not the whole story.

  • Stack4 programs
  • In-state #1/3
  • Type #6/46
  • Baseline15.4 yr

In-state directory place #1 of 3 (early alphabet). National net metering directory #6 of 46. Amounts and eligibility change; verify with the official program page before relying on a dollar figure. Informational only - not financial advice. See our disclaimer.

Program description

Delaware provides net metering at full retail rate for systems up to 25 kW.

Program at a glance

Program type
Net metering
Eligible customers
Residential
Stated benefit
Retail rate credit
State electricity rate
14.8¢/kWh
Delaware solar score
24/100

Solar's trajectory in Delaware

The market this incentive operates in: total installed solar capacity in Delaware reported to the EIA.

0 MW20 MW40 MW60 MW80 MW100 MW120 MW 20112013201520172019202120232024 97 MW
Delaware now has about 97 MW of installed solar, the backdrop programs like this one are built on.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, installed solar nameplate capacity As of 2024

Delaware's solar incentive stack

How this net metering sits among Delaware's 3 tracked programs, by type

programs

What this shows Delaware tracks 3 incentive types; net metering (1 program) governs the billing side, while the state's other tracked types handle upfront cost or ongoing payments.

Source DSIRE incentives registry As of 2024

How this net metering layers inside Delaware's deep stack

The DE Net Metering governs how Delaware credits excess solar generation sent back to the grid, one of the state's DSIRE-tracked solar policies. Eligibility is scoped to residential customers, with a stated benefit of Retail rate credit. DSIRE lists no scheduled sunset, though enabling legislation and appropriations can still be revised year to year.

That baseline is slower than most states, which raises the stakes for every incentive on the table. Delaware averages 4.5 kWh/m²/day of usable sunlight and residential rates of 14.8¢/kWh, producing an estimated 7,884 kWh/year and $1,167 of annual utility offset on a typical 6 kW system costing $18,000. That baseline already implies a 15.4-year simple payback and a 25-year modeled net of roughly $11,175 before this incentive - every dollar this net metering delivers compresses that payback further.

Delaware bundles a deep incentive stack, so this program rarely stands alone. Delaware has 4 solar incentive programs indexed in DSIRE, including adjacent options like Delaware Green Energy Fund Rebate, Delaware SREC Program. The state's net-metering policy is classified as full, which governs how excess generation is credited and often decides whether a given program is worth claiming for a specific household.

Frequently asked questions

Where does the DE Net Metering sit in Delaware's deep program stack?
The DE Net Metering is a net metering available to residential solar customers in Delaware. The stated benefit is Retail rate credit.
How does this net metering work beside Delaware's other programs?
Delaware provides net metering at full retail rate for systems up to 25 kW.
Who qualifies, and why is this an early in-state directory row?
The program is available to residential customers in Delaware. Check the official program page for current eligibility requirements and deadlines. In-state directory place #1 of 3 (early alphabet).
How does this incentive affect solar ROI in Delaware?
Delaware has an estimated 15.4-year payback for a 6 kW system before incentives, with about $1,167/year in modeled savings. A net metering like this lowers upfront cost or raises annual return, shortening that payback. Run the calculator for a figure based on your own bill.
Which other Delaware programs stack with this one?
Delaware has 4 solar incentive programs tracked in DSIRE, including Delaware Green Energy Fund Rebate, Delaware SREC Program. State programs are designed to stack on top of any available federal solar tax credit rather than replace it.

Incentive data from the DSIRE (Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency); state solar economics from NREL and the U.S. EIA. See our methodology · Delaware solar data · ROI calculator · All incentives.