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Your electricity plan still determines what you pay for grid imports, fixed fees, delivery charges, and contract terms.
Compare Texas electricity plans →Start with the honest math
Price, financing, roof, usage, export credit, and how long you will own the home decide whether solar works.
Run the solar reality check →Start with the decision you actually need to make
Is solar worth it for this home?
Model your roof, 12-month usage, cash and financed cost, production, exports, and ownership timeline.
Run the solar reality check →Which incentives still exist?
Separate the ended federal homeowner credit from Texas property-tax rules and territory-specific programs.
Check 2026 Texas incentives →How will exports be credited?
Read the buyback plan before using a retail-rate credit in any savings estimate.
Understand Texas buyback plans →Buy renewable electricity instead
A renewable retail plan is simpler than owning generation and keeps the electricity comparison as the first decision.
Compare the two paths →The six numbers that matter
- Your last 12 months of electricity use. A single summer bill is not a system-size estimate.
- Expected annual solar production. It should reflect your address, roof direction, shade, equipment, and realistic system losses.
- The cash price. This is the cleanest baseline for comparing installers.
- The total financed amount. Include dealer fees, interest, and every required payment—not only the first month's payment.
- Self-consumed versus exported energy. Electricity used in your home usually has a different value from electricity sent to the grid.
- Your likely ownership period. A long payback cannot rescue a plan if you expect to sell first or the contract complicates the sale.
What changed in 2026
The old federal talking point is now stale. The IRS says the Residential Clean Energy Credit under section 25D is not allowed for expenditures made after December 31, 2025. A salesperson should not build a 2026 homeowner proposal around a federal credit you cannot claim.
Texas still provides a property-tax exemption for the amount of appraised value attributable to a qualifying solar or wind energy device. That protects against a solar-driven increase in taxable value; it is not a cash rebate and does not erase the rest of your property tax bill.
Three Texas-specific traps
- Buyback is not the same as retail rate. A plan may credit exports differently, cap credits, let them expire, or still charge delivery and fixed fees.
- A low monthly payment can hide a high system price. Compare cash price, total payments, term, interest, and any dealer fee.
- “No electric bill” is not a reliable promise. Weather, usage, system output, fixed charges, and plan rules all move.
Consumer-protection check
In April 2026, the Texas Attorney General announced an initiative investigating alleged deceptive solar-sales practices after receiving complaints. An investigation is not a finding of wrongdoing, but it is a loud reason to insist on written claims, independent quote comparisons, and enough time to read every agreement.
Ways to compare solar quotes
Do not treat any one quote source as a verdict. Compare at least three written proposals using the same system size, production assumptions, cash price, total financed cost, equipment, and warranties.
| Quote path | Best use | Relationship status | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| EnergySage marketplace | Request multiple installer proposals through one marketplace. | Application pending | Visit EnergySage → |
| Independent local installers | Get direct written quotes and compare local service, equipment, and workmanship coverage. | No commercial relationship | Request two or more local quotes |
| Independent review | Ask a qualified roof, electrical, or financial professional to test assumptions before signing. | No commercial relationship | Review the roof, contract, and financing |
Relationship disclosure: I Moved to Texas has applied to EnergySage but has not yet been approved for compensation. The link is marked as sponsored because it may become a compensated referral if the application is accepted. No quote source can pay to change our electricity-plan rankings or solar guidance. Other potential solar partnerships are not shown until their terms and approval are confirmed.
Primary sources used
- IRS: energy-credit termination FAQs
- Texas Comptroller: solar and wind property-tax exemption
- Public Utility Commission of Texas: homeowner solar guidance
- Texas Attorney General: April 2026 solar-sales investigation announcement
Frequently asked questions
Is solar automatically worth it in Texas?
No. Texas has strong sunlight, but the answer depends on your roof, annual usage, system price, financing, how long you will own the home, and the exact value of electricity you use or export.
Is there still a federal residential solar tax credit in 2026?
For a new homeowner-owned system completed in 2026, the federal Residential Clean Energy Credit under section 25D is no longer available. The IRS says the credit is not allowed for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, and generally treats the expenditure as made when installation is completed.
Does Texas require my electricity provider to buy all of my excess solar power?
Not in Texas's competitive retail areas. A retail electric provider may offer a solar buyback plan, but the provider is not generally required to buy your exports, and the credit can be worth less than the electricity you purchase.
Should I add a battery?
A battery can provide backup capability and increase how much solar energy you use at home, but it adds substantial cost. Compare its resilience value and incremental bill savings separately from the panels.
This is general consumer information, not tax, legal, engineering, or financial advice. Verify current program rules and final contract terms before spending money.