Utah · Net metering

UT Net Metering

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

Retail rate credit
stated benefit
Residential
eligible customers
14.5 yr
Utah baseline payback
3
other Utah programs

What it means

In Utah, a 6 kW system already pays back in about 14.5 years on ~$1,116/year of modeled savings, and the UT Net Metering stacks on top of that, on top of any federal credit.

Retail rate cr…
stated benefit
14.5 yr
baseline payback (pre-incentive)
4
Utah 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

Rocky Mountain Power and other Utah IOUs offer net metering for residential systems.

Program at a glance

Program type
Net metering
Eligible customers
Residential
Stated benefit
Retail rate credit
State electricity rate
10.8¢/kWh
Utah solar score
40/100

How Utah compares to the U.S. average

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

Irradiance
Utah: 5.9 kWh/m²/day
U.S. avg: 4.82 kWh/m²/day
Electricity rate
Utah: 10.8¢/kWh
U.S. avg: 15.98¢/kWh
Modeled payback
Utah: 14.5 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 Utah

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

-500 MW0 MW500 MW1.0 GW1.5 GW2.0 GW2.5 GW 2012201420162018202020222024 2.2 GW
Utah now has about 2.2 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

Utah's solar incentive stack

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

programs

What this shows Utah 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 incentive fits Utah's solar picture

The UT Net Metering governs how Utah 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. Utah averages 5.9 kWh/m²/day of usable sunlight and residential rates of 10.8¢/kWh, producing an estimated 10,337 kWh/year and $1,116 of annual utility offset on a typical 6 kW system costing $16,200. That baseline already implies a 14.5-year simple payback and a 25-year modeled net of roughly $11,700 before this incentive - every dollar this net metering delivers compresses that payback further.

A handful of other levers are worth checking alongside this one. Utah has 4 solar incentive programs indexed in DSIRE, including adjacent options like UT Solar Property Tax Exemption, UT Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit. 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 Utah's full solar profile, score, irradiance, rates, payback, and every program you can claim. Utah 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 UT Net Metering?
The UT Net Metering is a net metering available to residential solar customers in Utah. The stated benefit is Retail rate credit.
How does the UT Net Metering work?
Rocky Mountain Power and other Utah IOUs offer net metering for residential systems.
Who is eligible for the UT Net Metering?
The program is available to residential customers in Utah. Check the official program page for current eligibility requirements and deadlines.
How does this incentive affect solar ROI in Utah?
Utah has an estimated 14.5-year payback for a 6 kW system before incentives, with about $1,116/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 Utah?
Yes - Utah has 4 solar incentive programs tracked in DSIRE, including UT Solar Property Tax Exemption, UT Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit. 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.