Macon, GA Solar Panels
In This Guide
Solar Power in Macon
Thinking about solar energy for your Macon home? You’re making a smart move. With Georgia electricity prices having increased 18% from 2020 to 2024, more homeowners are exploring how solar panels for home use can help manage rising energy costs.
Below, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about solar installation in Macon—from understanding local incentives to choosing the right system for your needs.
How Much Do Solar Panels Cost in Macon, GA?
Our calculator uses real installation data from Macon homeowners—including neighborhoods like Shirley Hills, Ingleside, and Bloomfield—to show you accurate solar costs. Get personalized estimates based on actual local projects, not national averages.
System
Cost
Savings
You can still access the solar tax credit through Palmetto. Talk to us today to find out how.
Key Takeaways
- Macon receives 5.3 peak sun hours daily, making solar panels highly effective for reducing electricity costs year-round in Georgia’s climate.
- A typical 10 kW system costs around $24,814 and can save Macon homeowners approximately $46,000 over 25 years.
- Georgia Power’s Net Billing program credits excess solar energy at approximately 8.5¢ per kWh, helping offset your monthly bills.
Macon Electricity Prices
Understanding electricity costs in Macon is essential when considering your home energy options. Let’s look at how rates have changed recently.
Georgia electricity rates have climbed from 12.5 cents per kilowatt-hour in 2021 to 14.1 cents in 2024—a 12.8% increase. For the average Macon household, that translates to noticeably higher monthly bills.
Solar panels generate electricity at a fixed cost, protecting you from these utility rate increases. Once your system is installed, sunlight becomes your primary energy source—with no monthly price fluctuations to worry about.
Over 25 years, locking in your energy costs today can mean substantial savings. While utility rates continue rising, your solar panels keep producing clean energy at the same predictable cost, year after year.
Price of Energy: Georgia vs National Average
Macon Area Utility Providers
Understanding your electricity costs is essential when evaluating energy options. In Macon, Georgia Power serves as the primary utility provider, with 2023 rates averaging 14.6¢ per kWh—below both the national average of 16.0¢ and Georgia’s state average of 13.70¢.
Georgia Power’s rates in the Macon area benefit from the state’s diverse energy mix, including nuclear and natural gas generation. However, electricity costs have still risen steadily in recent years, and future rate adjustments remain tied to fuel costs and infrastructure investments.
Even with below-average rates, Macon homeowners can benefit from predictable energy costs. Solar panels allow you to generate your own electricity, reducing reliance on utility rate fluctuations and providing long-term budget stability as energy prices continue evolving.
Macon Utilities Electricity Rates
Georgia Solar Incentives
Installing solar panels in Macon comes with financial benefits beyond energy savings. Georgia offers programs that help offset your initial investment through solar incentives in Georgia.
The primary incentive available to Macon homeowners is Georgia Power’s Net Billing program. This program credits you for excess electricity your solar panels generate, helping reduce your monthly utility costs while your system pays for itself over time.
Incentive programs can change, so it’s worth researching current offerings thoroughly. Understanding what’s available now helps you make an informed decision about solar for your home.
Georgia Power’s Net Billing program allows homeowners with solar panels to receive credits for excess electricity they send back to the grid. Unlike traditional net metering, this program values exported electricity at a rate lower than retail prices. Any solar energy you use immediately in your home offsets your electricity bill at the full retail rate, helping you avoid purchasing power from the grid. However, electricity exported to the grid receives a credit based on Georgia Power’s avoided cost rate.
As of 2024, exported electricity is credited at approximately 8.5 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), which includes a 4.5-cent avoided cost of power plus an additional 4-cent credit. This rate changes annually, and there is no rate lock-in period, meaning you’ll receive whatever the current year’s rate is. Credits are applied directly to your current month’s bill with monthly settlement—there is no annual true-up or carryover of excess credits to future months.
All Georgia Power residential customers with solar installations are eligible for this program. The key consideration for homeowners is that maximizing self-consumption of your solar energy (using it as it’s produced) provides the greatest financial benefit, since that electricity offsets your retail rate rather than being exported at the lower credit rate. This makes energy storage solutions or timing your energy use during peak solar production hours particularly valuable strategies for Georgia Power customers.
Ready to start saving with solar?
Speak with a Palmetto solar expert to find out exactly how much you can save with Georgia incentives.
Get a Free QuoteMacon Solar Irradiance
Solar panel production varies throughout the year based on daylight hours, weather patterns, and sun intensity. Understanding how seasons affect your solar system helps set realistic expectations for your investment.
Macon’s humid subtropical climate brings hot summers with strong solar potential and mild winters with shorter days. Despite occasional cloud cover, Georgia’s abundant sunshine makes solar highly effective year-round.
Solar Production in Macon by Month
What Can Your Solar System Power?
Summer Production (July)
In July, your 10 kW system could power:
- 3.6 average homes (15 kWh/day per home)
- or Run central AC for 18 hours AND power all other appliances
- or Fully charge 5.4 Tesla Model 3 electric vehicles
Winter Production (December)
In December, your 10 kW system could power:
- 2 average homes (15 kWh/day per home)
- or Keep your home heating system running for 15 hours
- or Fully charge 3 Tesla Model 3 electric vehicles
Annual Production
Over a year, your 10 kW system could:
- Offset 10 tons of carbon dioxide emissions
- or Equal the environmental benefit of planting 175 trees
- or Save approximately $4,234 in electricity costs
Want to know exactly how much solar can power your home?
Get a personalized solar analysis based on your actual home, energy usage, and roof characteristics.
Get My Custom EstimateSolar Panel Systems in Macon
We’ve mapped every solar installation across the United States to help you explore the growing solar movement in Macon. Click any hexagon to see how many of your neighbors have already made the switch to clean energy!
Leasing Solar Panels
In Macon, Palmetto offers Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) for customers served by Georgia Power. With a PPA, you agree to purchase the electricity your solar panels generate at a set price per kilowatt-hour, rather than paying a fixed monthly amount. This means your solar bill varies seasonally—typically higher in summer when panels produce more energy, and lower in winter.
The benefit of a PPA versus paying cash upfront is simple: no large initial investment, no loan payments, and no maintenance responsibilities. Palmetto handles system monitoring and upkeep, so you simply enjoy clean energy and predictable rates from day one. While cash purchases offer the highest long-term savings, PPAs provide immediate bill reduction without the financial commitment.
If you’re interested in exploring whether a PPA makes sense for your home, learn more about Palmetto’s LightReach program or read our guide on buying versus leasing solar.
Go solar without the investment
With LightReach, there are no investment costs to recoup, loan payments to manage, or maintenance needs to take on. As soon as your panels are active, your solar savings are too!
Learn MoreFrequently Asked Questions
Yes, solar makes strong sense in Macon. With 5.3 peak sun hours daily and Georgia electricity rates climbing 18% since 2020, solar panels offer both environmental and financial benefits for local homeowners.
A typical 10 kW system in Macon costs around $24,814 and can save approximately $46,000 over 25 years. Georgia Power’s Net Billing program credits excess energy production, helping offset monthly bills while you lock in predictable energy costs.
Macon does not have traditional net metering. Instead, Georgia Power offers a Net Billing program that works differently from standard net metering policies.
With Net Billing, solar energy you use immediately offsets your electricity bill at the full retail rate (14.1¢/kWh). However, excess electricity exported to the grid is credited at approximately 8.5¢ per kWh in 2024—roughly 60% of the retail rate. These credits apply to your current month’s bill with monthly settlement, and there’s no annual true-up or rate lock-in period.
Yes, solar panels typically increase home value in Macon. Research from Zillow shows homes with solar panels sell for approximately 4.1% more than comparable homes without solar systems.
For a median-priced Macon home, this could translate to thousands of dollars in added value. Buyers increasingly view solar as a desirable feature that offers long-term energy savings and protection from rising utility rates.
The cost of solar in Macon depends on your home size and energy needs. A typical system ranges from $20,033 for small homes (up to 2,000 sq ft) to $30,148 for larger homes (over 3,000 sq ft), with an average medium-sized system costing around $24,814.
These prices reflect the full system cost at approximately $2.73-$2.85 per watt. While Georgia Power’s Net Billing program provides credits for excess energy at roughly 8.5¢/kWh, most Macon homeowners see payback periods of 15-16 years with potential 25-year savings of $36,000-$57,000.
For most Macon homeowners, solar is financially worth it. A typical 10 kW system costs around $24,814 and can save approximately $46,000 over 25 years, with payback periods of 15-16 years.
Your actual savings depend on your energy usage, roof characteristics, and how much solar energy you use directly versus exporting to the grid. Georgia Power’s Net Billing credits excess production at roughly 8.5¢/kWh, so maximizing self-consumption provides the best financial return.
At Palmetto, we’ve completed over 2,471 installations across Georgia since 2020, bringing our national expertise to your local community. Our approach combines competitive financing options with a reliable installation network, making quality solar accessible to Macon homeowners.
We handle everything from initial design to system activation, with transparent pricing and ongoing support. Our focus is on helping you understand your options and find the solar solution that fits your home and budget.