What is the solar score for Texas?

Texas has a solar score of 49/100 (Moderate), ranking #6 of 51. The composite blends solar irradiance (5.7 kWh/m²/day, 40%), incentive density (30%), and modeled payback (30%).

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

The estimated payback for a 6 kW system in Texas is 11.8 years, ranking #12 of 51 for speed to break-even. At a $16,500 system cost and $1,398/year modeled savings, that implies +$18,450 net over 25 years before rate escalation.

How much does a solar system cost in Texas?

A 6 kW residential system in Texas averages $16,500 before incentives, or $2.75 per watt. Texas has 4 tracked state and utility incentive programs that can lower net cost.

How much electricity do solar panels produce in Texas?

A 6 kW system in Texas produces an estimated 9,986 kWh/year, based on average irradiance of 5.7 kWh/m²/day. Actual output varies with roof orientation, shading, and panel efficiency.

What solar incentives are available in Texas?

Texas offers 4 solar incentive programs including tax exemption, net metering, performance incentive, and more. Net metering here is classified as partial.

Does Texas have net metering for solar?

Texas's net-metering policy is classified as "partial." Homeowners receive partial (often avoided-cost) credit for excess exports.

State solar profile · #6 of 51

Solar in Texas: fast modeled payback

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

Texas clears a modeled 11.8-yr break-even (#12 of 51) at 14¢/kWh and 5.7 kWh/m²/day, with 4 DSIRE programs in the stack.

5.7
kWh/m²/day irradiance: 14¢
avg electricity rate: 11.8 yr
payback (#12): 4
incentive programs

49 Moderate

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EIA Form 860 nameplate strip

Nameplate TX · Texas score #6/51

Texas | 49/100 | 11.8 yr payback | 22.5 GW

RATE 49/100
PAY #6/51
CAP 5.7 kWh
PROG 14c/kWh
NEM 11.8 yr
PHOTO 22.5 GW
BOOK 4 programs
VS-AVG near Florida

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 → · Tax credits and incentives → · Personalized estimate → · All state rows → · States ranked → · Payback vs U.S. avg (14.2 yr): 2.4 yr faster

NY

11
VT

12
TX

12
NV

12
FL

12
CO

12

What this shows Texas sits at 11.8 years among nearest payback peers (2.4 yr faster vs the 14.2-yr U.S. average).

Fast-band 25-year ROI · Texas

$16,500

system cost

$1,398/yr

modeled savings

11.8 yr

break-even

+$18,450

25-year net

At $16,500 and $1,398/yr, Texas 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 Texas, 1990–2024

Total solar nameplate capacity in Texas reported to the EIA, utility-scale and reported distributed systems.

Texas now has about 22.5 GW of installed solar capacity across 180 reported facilities.

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

Texas on the sun-and-speed corner

Irradiance 5.7 kWh/m²/day (at/above the 4.8 national mean) vs 11.8-yr payback (fast band vs 14.2-yr mean). Crosshairs mark those means.

Texas (highlighted): 5.7 kWh/m²/day, 11.8-yr modeled payback - faster than the national average.

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

Solar & grid details

Net-metering policy: partial
Renewable portfolio standard: Mandatory (10,000 MW)
Installed cost / watt: $2.75/W
Annual production (6 kW): 9,986 kWh
Installed capacity (EIA 2024): 22.5 GW
Notable programs: Austin Energy Solar PBI, CPS Energy Rebate

Top incentive programs

4 programs available for Texas residents

Tax exemption TX Renewable Energy Property Tax Exemption · Full property tax exemption Net metering TX Retail Net Metering (Deregulated Areas) · Varies by retail provider Performance incentive Austin Energy Solar PBI · $0.05/kWh for 10 years Rebate CPS Energy Solar Rebate (San Antonio) · Up to $1,800 for 6 kW system

All Texas solar incentives (4)

Tax exemption

TX Renewable Energy Property Tax Exemption

Full property tax exemption

Texas exempts 100% of the added value of solar systems from property taxes.

Net metering

TX Retail Net Metering (Deregulated Areas)

Varies by retail provider

In deregulated Texas markets, some retail electricity providers offer buy-back programs for solar.

Performance incentive

Austin Energy Solar PBI

$0.05/kWh for 10 years

Austin Energy offers a performance-based incentive for residential solar systems.

Rebate

CPS Energy Solar Rebate (San Antonio)

Up to $1,800 for 6 kW system

CPS Energy in San Antonio offers rebates for grid-tied solar installations.

Other fast-payback peers for Texas

Two non-geographic peer sets for Texas: 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 (49/100 here).

Florida · score 47/100
Colorado · score 45/100
Nevada · score 53/100
Connecticut · score 41/100

Similar modeled payback

Nearest payback-year peers nationwide (11.8 yr modeled here).

Vermont · 11.5 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