Louisiana · Net metering

LA Net Metering

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

Retail rate credit
stated benefit
Residential
eligible customers
17.8 yr
Louisiana baseline payback
2
other Louisiana programs

What it means

In Louisiana, a 6 kW system already pays back in about 17.8 years on ~$911/year of modeled savings, and the LA Net Metering stacks on top of that, on top of any federal credit.

Retail rate cr…
stated benefit
17.8 yr
baseline payback (pre-incentive)
3
Louisiana programs that stack
full
net-metering policy

Payback and savings are modeled from public NREL/EIA data; the program benefit is summarized from DSIRE and may change.

Program description

Louisiana IOUs offer full retail net metering 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
10.2¢/kWh
Louisiana solar score
27/100

How Louisiana compares to the U.S. average

Why this incentive matters more (or less) here - Louisiana's solar fundamentals against the national average.

Irradiance
Louisiana: 5.1 kWh/m²/day
U.S. avg: 4.82 kWh/m²/day
Electricity rate
Louisiana: 10.2¢/kWh
U.S. avg: 15.98¢/kWh
Modeled payback
Louisiana: 17.8 yr
U.S. avg: 14.2 yr

Source: NREL irradiance and U.S. EIA rates; payback modeled by PlainSolarData. Bars are scaled to the larger of the two values per metric.

Solar's trajectory in Louisiana

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

-500 MW0 MW500 MW1.0 GW1.5 GW 20172018201920202021202220232024 1.1 GW
Louisiana now has about 1.1 GW 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

Louisiana's solar incentive stack

How this net metering sits among Louisiana's 2 tracked programs, by type

programs

What this shows Louisiana tracks 2 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 incentive fits Louisiana's solar picture

The LA Net Metering governs how Louisiana 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. Louisiana averages 5.1 kWh/m²/day of usable sunlight and residential rates of 10.2¢/kWh, producing an estimated 8,935 kWh/year and $911 of annual utility offset on a typical 6 kW system costing $16,200. That baseline already implies a 17.8-year simple payback and a 25-year modeled net of roughly $6,575 before this incentive - every dollar this net metering delivers compresses that payback further.

A handful of other levers are worth checking alongside this one. Louisiana has 3 solar incentive programs indexed in DSIRE, including adjacent options like LA Solar Property Tax Exemption. 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.

Your next step

  • See Louisiana's full solar profile, score, irradiance, rates, payback, and every program you can claim. Louisiana solar data
  • Run the savings calculator with your real bill to see how this incentive changes your own payback. ROI calculator
  • See how net-metering credits are valued state by state. Net-metering guide

Estimates here are modeled from public data and are not financial advice; confirm program terms and your own eligibility before relying on a dollar figure.

Frequently asked questions

What is the LA Net Metering?
The LA Net Metering is a net metering available to residential solar customers in Louisiana. The stated benefit is Retail rate credit.
How does the LA Net Metering work?
Louisiana IOUs offer full retail net metering for systems up to 25 kW.
Who is eligible for the LA Net Metering?
The program is available to residential customers in Louisiana. Check the official program page for current eligibility requirements and deadlines.
How does this incentive affect solar ROI in Louisiana?
Louisiana has an estimated 17.8-year payback for a 6 kW system before incentives, with about $911/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.
Are there other solar incentives in Louisiana?
Yes - Louisiana has 3 solar incentive programs tracked in DSIRE, including LA Solar Property Tax Exemption. 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.