Solar energy is growing in Georgia. The Peach State will soon have enough solar power to power 900,000 homes.
While Georgia’s statewide solar incentives for residential solar systems are not as strong as some other states, it’s still possible for homeowners to save money with clean, independent, and renewable energy from home solar panels. Taking full advantage of federal tax credits and other financial incentives makes the decision to go solar a good one for more Georgians.
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Available Solar Rebates, Tax Credits, and Incentives in Georgia
With Macon, Savannah, and Atlanta ranking as three of Georgia’s cities among the top 100 sunniest in the US, there is certainly no shortage of sunlight in the Peach State, especially in its most populous areas.
While many states have credits or exemptions for income tax, sales tax, or property tax when you install a solar energy system, Georgia does not offer any of the three. Despite this, there are still a handful of valuable solar incentives to keep in mind when installing your renewable energy system in Georgia.
Federal Solar Tax Credit
The most important tax credit to know when going solar is the Residential Clean Energy Credit. Also known as the solar tax credit, the Residential Clean Energy Credit allows renewable energy system owners to claim a tax credit of 30% of the cost of going solar.
Originally enacted in 2005, the solar tax credit was recently extended by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in 2022. With the passing of the IRA, a 30% investment tax credit is now available for residential solar energy systems installed through the end of 2032. The credit will then be lowered to 26% for systems installed in 2033, and 22% in 2034, before ultimately expiring for residential solar adopters.
At 30% of total system costs (including panels, batteries, and installation expenses), solar buyers can significantly reduce their federal income liability with a dollar-for-dollar credit towards taxes owed in the same calendar year. The Inflation Reduction Act also has a standalone storage tax credit for homeowners who choose to purchase a backup battery for energy resilience.
The tax credit isn’t a rebate. It only applies against taxes you’ve paid or owe in the year you buy your solar panel system, though the credit can be rolled over to future years.
Georgia Net Metering Availability
In 2001, the Georgia Cogeneration and Distributed Generation Act was passed, allowing utilities in the state to offer net energy metering programs for solar power systems. While this did not make net metering mandatory in Georgia, as it is in many other states, it opened the door for several electric utilities to incentivize solar power generation.
Net metering (or net energy metering) and net billing allow homeowners to “sell” the excess electricity produced by their solar panels to the grid in exchange for credit to reduce their electric bills.
Under net metering, electricity sent to the grid is worth the same as electricity you buy from the grid. In a net billing system, owners are credited at a solar avoided energy cost rate per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity sent to the grid. The net billing rate is typically much lower than the retail rate offered by net metering programs.
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Georgia Power
Georgia Power, the state’s largest utility serving over 2.4 million customers.
Solar customers with Georgia Power are rewarded for the electricity they send to the grid with net billing. In 2025, all exported power is credited at about 7.3 cents per kWh while the utility’s average electric rate is about 16 cents per kWh. The export rate changes each year. (It was 8.5 cents in 2024 and 6.89 cents in 2023.)
Georgia Power has had different plans in the past, including a brief period where people could sign up for monthly net metering. If you’re talking to neighbors who already have solar panels, they might receive credits in a different plan than what will be available to you now.
Other Georgia electricity utilities
While Georgia Power is the largest utility in the state by a wide margin, several smaller electric membership corporations, with about 1.1 million users combined, also offer solar buyback programs in Georgia. Although it can be very difficult to locate a true 1-to-1 net metering program in Georgia, most GA utilities will credit solar energy system owners for all of their excess energy produced and sent into the grid at a reduced buyback rate.
For more information about your utility’s net metering or net billing policy, visit their dedicated solar page below.
In areas without 1-to-1 net metering programs, solar energy system owners can get the most value out of their systems by using as much of the electricity they produce as possible. For homeowners who want to avoid purchasing utility power overnight or whenever else new solar energy is unavailable, adding a storage battery can help.
Getting Solar Panels in Georgia
From fine-tuning the technical aspects of your solar energy system to determining your eligibility for Georgia solar incentives, allow Palmetto to be your solar partner in the Peach State. We want to make your installation as stress-free and your home solar system as optimally efficient as possible. Our experts can design the perfect system to suit the energy demands of your property, and guide you through the entire process of going solar.
Want to know how much you can save by going solar today? Get started with our free solar design and savings estimate tool to learn more about your solar potential in Georgia.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to go solar in Georgia?
The Solar Energy Industries Association estimates the national average cost of residential solar panels as $3.33 per watt. Solar costs vary, even for homes in the same neighborhood. Cost can vary by the size of your solar panel system, the complexity of your roof, and the cost of labor.
How do I file the federal solar tax credit?
Qualifying homeowners with eligible installations can claim a federal tax credit worth 30% of the cost of getting and installing a solar power system in 2025. IRS Form 5695 is the form to file for residential energy credits. For more information and tax advice, please consult your own tax or accounting professional.
Is solar power from solar panels clean?
Solar power is clean and renewable energy. The sun is a virtually infinite and 100% renewable energy source. Solar panels emit no greenhouse gas and use no fossil fuels to generate electricity.
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only. Palmetto does not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. Please consult your own tax, legal, and accounting advisors. Your eligibility incentives, rebates, and programs can depend on your location, electric utility provider, income level, interest in battery storage, and more.
Andrew GiermakWriter and EditorAndrew joined Palmetto in Charlotte in August 2024. He’s been a writer in journalism, then in business, going back to almost the 20th century. He’s lived in Indiana, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia again, and now North Carolina for the last 12 years. He likes golf. Is he good at it? Not so much.
