What is the solar score for New Mexico?

New Mexico has a solar score of 57/100 (Moderate), ranking #4 of 51. The composite blends solar irradiance (6.4 kWh/m²/day, 40%), incentive density (30%), and modeled payback (30%).

How long does it take for solar panels to pay for themselves in New Mexico?

The estimated payback for a 6 kW system in New Mexico is 10.3 years, ranking #9 of 51 for speed to break-even. At a $16,200 system cost and $1,570/year modeled savings, that implies +$23,050 net over 25 years before rate escalation.

How much does a solar system cost in New Mexico?

A 6 kW residential system in New Mexico averages $16,200 before incentives, or $2.70 per watt. New Mexico has 3 tracked state and utility incentive programs that can lower net cost.

How much electricity do solar panels produce in New Mexico?

A 6 kW system in New Mexico produces an estimated 11,213 kWh/year, based on average irradiance of 6.4 kWh/m²/day. Actual output varies with roof orientation, shading, and panel efficiency.

What solar incentives are available in New Mexico?

New Mexico offers 3 solar incentive programs including tax exemption, net metering, tax credit. Net metering here is classified as full.

Does New Mexico have net metering for solar?

New Mexico's net-metering policy is classified as "full." Homeowners receive full retail credit for excess solar exported to the grid.

State solar profile · #4 of 51

Solar in New Mexico: fast modeled payback

Name: New Mexico Solar Data, Cost, Incentives & ROI
Creator: PlainSolarData
Published: 2024-10-01
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

New Mexico clears a modeled 10.3-yr break-even (#9 of 51) at 14¢/kWh and 6.4 kWh/m²/day, with 3 DSIRE programs in the stack.

6.4
kWh/m²/day irradiance: 14¢
avg electricity rate: 10.3 yr
payback (#9): 3
incentive programs

57 Moderate

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EIA Form 860 nameplate strip

Nameplate NM · New Mexico score #4/51

New Mexico | 57/100 | 10.3 yr payback | 2.3 GW

PAY 57/100
CAP #4/51
PROG 6.4 kWh
NEM 14c/kWh
PHOTO 10.3 yr
BOOK 2.3 GW
VS-AVG 3 programs
GW near Arizona

Stamps derive from this state's NREL irradiance, EIA Form 860 / Electric Power Monthly nameplate, and DSIRE incentive row (score, rank, sun, rate, payback, capacity, programs, peer), not a quote or site assessment. Modeled figures use a typical 6 kW system; your roof, shading, and utility tariff decide the real return. See our disclaimer. Verify with EIA Form 860 → · Read with methodology → · Net-metering guide → · Personalized estimate → · All state rows → · States ranked → · Payback vs U.S. avg (14.2 yr): 3.9 yr faster

ME

9
RI

10
NH

10
NM

10
AZ

10
NY

11

What this shows New Mexico sits at 10.3 years among nearest payback peers (3.9 yr faster vs the 14.2-yr U.S. average).

Fast-band 25-year ROI · New Mexico

$16,200

system cost

$1,570/yr

modeled savings

10.3 yr

break-even

+$23,050

25-year net

At $16,200 and $1,570/yr, New Mexico is already in the faster third of modeled paybacks. Roof, shading, and tariff still move the real number. Run a personalized estimate →

Installed solar capacity in New Mexico, 2010–2024

Total solar nameplate capacity in New Mexico reported to the EIA, utility-scale and reported distributed systems. The number of reporting facilities grew 87x (1 to 87) between 2010 and 2024, and the average site size held near 27 MW per site, a steady installation profile.

New Mexico now has about 2.3 GW of installed solar capacity across 87 reported facilities.

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

New Mexico on the sun-and-speed corner

Irradiance 6.4 kWh/m²/day (at/above the 4.8 national mean) vs 10.3-yr payback (fast band vs 14.2-yr mean). Crosshairs mark those means.

New Mexico (highlighted): 6.4 kWh/m²/day, 10.3-yr modeled payback - faster than the national average.

Source: PlainSolarData model, NREL irradiance + EIA rates As of 2024

Solar & grid details

Net-metering policy: full
Renewable portfolio standard: Mandatory (50% by 2030)
Installed cost / watt: $2.70/W
Annual production (6 kW): 11,213 kWh
Installed capacity (EIA 2024): 2.3 GW
Notable programs: NM SREC Market

Top incentive programs

3 programs available for New Mexico residents

Tax exemption NM Solar Property Tax Exemption · Full property tax exemption Net metering NM Net Metering · Retail rate credit Tax credit NM Solar Market Development Income Tax Credit · 10% of cost, max $9,000

All New Mexico solar incentives (3)

Tax exemption

NM Solar Property Tax Exemption

Full property tax exemption

Solar energy systems are fully exempt from New Mexico property taxes.

Net metering

NM Net Metering

Retail rate credit

New Mexico utilities provide net metering at retail rates for residential systems.

Tax credit

NM Solar Market Development Income Tax Credit

10% of cost, max $9,000

New Mexico state income tax credit for residential solar installations.

Other fast-payback peers for New Mexico

Two non-geographic peer sets for New Mexico: composite score neighbors and payback-year neighbors (deduped so each row links a distinct comparison).

Similar composite solar score

Nearest nationwide matches on the NREL/EIA/DSIRE blend (57/100 here).

Arizona · score 61/100
Nevada · score 53/100
Texas · score 49/100
California · score 66/100

Similar modeled payback

Nearest payback-year peers nationwide (10.3 yr modeled here).

New Hampshire · 9.8 yr payback
Rhode Island · 9.7 yr payback
New York · 11.1 yr payback

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published composite scores and modeled 6 kW payback years; rankings above use the same fields but sort the full corpus.

Solar resource from NREL; electricity rates and installed capacity from the U.S. EIA; incentive programs from DSIRE. See our methodology.

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher. · Updated July 2026