All states · Delaware
Updated October 2026 · ranks 8 of 50
Yes, for most households
6 kW system · $12,000 after incentives · $1,512 returned in year one
0 yrs25 yrs
At 8.0 years the system repays itself well within the warranty period of its major components, though the capital is committed for over a decade. For a household likely to move within six years, the effect on resale value matters more than the payback figure.
For most households, yes. 8.0 years falls inside the warranty period of every major component, although the capital is committed for more than a decade.
The case modeled here approximates an average Delaware household on the state average rate of 18.5¢, with an unshaded roof and no financing: $12,000 of capital, $1,512 returned in the first year, and break-even near year 8.0. Above-average consumption, a south-facing roof or a competitive installed price shorten that period; shading, a loan carrying a dealer fee, or a sale within six years lengthen it. Exports earn 18.5¢, close to the retail rate, so daytime occupancy makes little difference to the result.
At 18.5¢ per kilowatt-hour, Delaware pays 12% more for electricity than the United States average of 16.5¢. A high retail rate is the principal driver of a short payback, since each kilowatt-hour generated displaces an expensive one.
A 6 kW array in Delaware generates approximately 8,182 kWh a year, above the national median. Irradiance is the one input that no change in policy can remove.
Delaware operates full-retail net metering. Each exported kilowatt-hour is credited at the same 18.5¢ charged for consumption, so the grid functions as storage and there is no penalty for generating more than is consumed during daylight hours. This is the principal reason payback here is shorter than in states with comparable irradiance.
State support reduces the installed price of $16,200 by $4,200, to $12,000 before financing. This comprises $4,200 of state rebate and tax credit.
A 6 kW system, the size typical of Delaware households, costs approximately $16,200 installed at $2.7 a watt before deductions. State support reduces this by $4,200, to $12,000. Prices vary with roof complexity, equipment selection and local installer demand; quotes $0.40 a watt either side of this figure are common. Smaller systems cost more per watt and larger ones less, although sizing beyond on-site consumption is not penalized, since exports earn 18.5¢.
| System size | 6 kW |
|---|---|
| Annual production | 8,182 kWh |
| Installed cost | $16,200 |
| Incentives | -$4,200 |
| Net cost | $12,000 |
| Electricity rate | 18.5¢ / kWh |
| Export credit | 18.5¢ / kWh |
| Year-one saving | $1,512 |
| Break-even | 8.0 years |
| 25-year gain | $33,997 |
Of the 50 states published here, Delaware ranks eighth for how quickly a bought system repays itself. Fastest right now: Hawaii, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts. Slowest: South Dakota, Louisiana, North Dakota, Tennessee. Compare them all on the map.
Solar economics change at state lines rather than at county lines, because the export tariff and the netting period do. These states share a border with Delaware, and the figure each produces on the same assumptions.
About $16,200 installed for a 6 kW system at $2.7 a watt. State support reduces this by $4,200, to $12,000. Larger systems are not penalized here, since exports earn the full 18.5¢.
Yes, for most households. A 6 kW system breaks even in 8.0 years on the assumptions used here, following the expiry of the 30% federal tax credit on 31 December 2025.
Approximately $1,512 in the first year on a 8,182 kWh system, rising thereafter as Delaware electricity rates increase. Exports are valued the same as self-consumption at 18.5¢, so the figure holds regardless of daytime occupancy.
A 6 kW array is about 14 modules at 430 W and generates 8,182 kWh a year here, which covers a household using roughly that much. Sizing above on-site use is not penalized here, since exports earn 18.5¢. The sizing calculator works it out from a bill.
Yes, for most households. The retail rate here is 18.5¢ against a national average of 16.5¢, exports earn 18.5¢, and a 6 kW system breaks even in 8.0 years. What separates Delaware from states with similar sunshine is the rate and the export tariff, not the weather.
Delaware operates full-retail net metering.
Generation is taken from NREL PVWatts v8 for the largest metropolitan area in Delaware, south-facing at 20°. The retail rate is from the EIA and the export credit from the state's net metering rule. The break-even figure incorporates 0.5% annual panel degradation, 3% annual electricity price growth, $150 a year in maintenance and an inverter replacement in year 12. The federal credit is set to $0 — Section 25D expired 31 December 2025. Credits accumulate across the year, so close to 95% of generation is valued at the full retail rate. Full method and sources. Privacy. Export terms checked against the state source in August 2026.
These are estimates for comparison between states, not quotations. Roof orientation, shading, consumption pattern and installer pricing all affect the result. At least three written quotations are advisable before purchase.