Is solar worth it in Wisconsin in 2026?

How Wisconsin pays for your solar power

No statewide rule; set by each utility. No statewide net metering law: each utility's PSC-approved tariff decides. We Energies credits monthly excess at a low avoided-cost rate (2026); MGE and Alliant differ.

In the calculator, 40% of your solar output is used at home at the retail price and the rest is exported at about 19% of retail, so each solar kWh is worth 51% of the retail price on average. Change it if your utility pays more or less. Method

State or utility incentive	What it is worth
Focus on Energy residential solar rebate	$600 per kW, up to $2,400 per single-family system; apply within 60 days of installation, no later than Jan 31, 2027
State sales tax exemption on solar power systems	Exempt if the system produces at least 200 watts AC (Wis. Stat. 77.54(56))
Property tax exemption for solar energy systems	Exempt from general property tax (Wis. Stat. 70.111(18))

How exports are credited

Wisconsin has no single statewide net metering rate. The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) approves a tariff for each investor-owned utility, so the credit for exported power depends on who serves the home. The figures below come from tariff sheets effective in 2026.

We Energies (the largest utility in the state) serves net metered systems under rate schedule CGS NM, open to systems under 300 kW. Power used and power exported are netted over each billing period. When a customer sends out more than it draws in, the excess is credited at an “Avoided Energy Cost Rate,” set each January from forecast wholesale prices. For 2026 the flat residential rate is $0.03636 per kWh. The residential base energy charge is $0.19342 per kWh, before the fuel adjustment and other charges, which makes the credit roughly a fifth of the base retail energy price. The tariff also adds a small daily generation customer charge. Bill credits are paid by check once they pass $100.

Madison Gas and Electric offers schedule Pg-2 for renewable systems of 100 kW AC or less. Excess is credited monthly, and the rate depends on the customer’s last 12 months. A net purchaser, which describes a system sized to the home’s use, is credited at its regular energy rate. A net seller is credited at the lower parallel generation buyback rate. Credits are reduced by the monthly customer charge and grid connection charge.

Alliant Energy (Wisconsin Power and Light) applies a tariff to systems of 20 kW or less. Energy is netted by billing month, and any excess is credited at a per-kWh rate set out in its parallel generation schedule; the average figure listed for secondary service is $0.04254 per kWh. Municipal utilities and cooperatives set their own rules, so ask yours.

State incentives in 2026

• Focus on Energy rebate. The statewide program pays $600 per kW up to $2,400 for a single-family system installed in 2026, on new equipment at a property served by a participating utility. Applications are due within 60 days of installation and no later than January 31, 2027. Orientation, tilt and shading limits apply.
• Sales tax exemption. The Wisconsin Department of Revenue states that solar power systems that produce at least 200 watts AC are exempt from sales and use tax (Wis. Stat. 77.54(56)).
• Property tax exemption. Solar energy systems are exempt from general property tax under Wis. Stat. 70.111(18), as described by the Department of Revenue.

The federal residential credit (Section 25D) ended for systems installed after 31 December 2025.

What it means for payback

With a credit of roughly 4 cents per kWh at the largest utilities against a much higher retail energy price, exports are worth far less than power the home uses directly. Savings come mainly from daytime use during production. Sizing to daytime load, shifting appliances to sunny hours or adding storage matters more than building a large system. MGE net purchasers are the exception, since their credit follows the regular energy rate for as long as they stay net purchasers over 12 months.

Other rules worth knowing

The PSC rejected MGE and Alliant proposals to change their net metering in November 2023, citing the need for further study. A PSC review of net metering was still reported as open in August 2025, and utility rates are reset each year, so credits and rules can change. No later decision was confirmed for this page.