New York · Net metering · Deep-stack program

NY Net Metering

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

Retail rate credit
stated benefit
Residential
eligible customers
11.1 yr
New York baseline payback
4
other New York programs
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Deep-stack program · early directory

New York runs a 5-program DSIRE stack; this net metering is one layer on a 11.1-year modeled baseline, not the whole story.

  • Stack5 programs
  • In-state #1/4
  • Type #31/46
  • Baseline11.1 yr

In-state directory place #1 of 4 (early alphabet). National net metering directory #31 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

New York offers full retail net metering for residential systems up to 25 kW.

Program at a glance

Program type
Net metering
Eligible customers
Residential
Stated benefit
Retail rate credit
State electricity rate
22¢/kWh
New York solar score
38/100

Solar's trajectory in New York

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

0 MW1.0 GW2.0 GW3.0 GW 20112013201520172019202120232024 2.7 GW
New York now has about 2.7 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

New York's solar incentive stack

How this net metering sits among New York's 4 tracked programs, by type

programs

What this shows New York 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 New York's deep stack

The NY Net Metering governs how New York 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. New York averages 4.4 kWh/m²/day of usable sunlight and residential rates of 22¢/kWh, producing an estimated 7,709 kWh/year and $1,696 of annual utility offset on a typical 6 kW system costing $18,900. That baseline already implies a 11.1-year simple payback and a 25-year modeled net of roughly $23,500 before this incentive - every dollar this net metering delivers compresses that payback further.

New York bundles a deep incentive stack, so this program rarely stands alone. New York has 5 solar incentive programs indexed in DSIRE, including adjacent options like NY Solar Property Tax Exemption, NY Solar Sales Tax Exemption, NY-Sun Megawatt Block Incentive. 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 NY Net Metering sit in New York's deep program stack?
The NY Net Metering is a net metering available to residential solar customers in New York. The stated benefit is Retail rate credit.
How does this net metering work beside New York's other programs?
New York offers full retail net metering for residential 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 New York. Check the official program page for current eligibility requirements and deadlines. In-state directory place #1 of 4 (early alphabet).
How does this incentive affect solar ROI in New York?
New York has an estimated 11.1-year payback for a 6 kW system before incentives, with about $1,696/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 New York programs stack with this one?
New York has 5 solar incentive programs tracked in DSIRE, including NY Solar Property Tax Exemption, NY Solar Sales Tax Exemption, NY-Sun Megawatt Block Incentive. 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 · New York solar data · ROI calculator · All incentives.