13 FREE CALCULATORS

Solar calculators

Every solar decision comes down to three numbers: how big a system you need, what it costs installed, and how many years it takes to pay you back. These calculators work through all three using 2026 EIA electricity rates, state-level installed costs, and current DSIRE incentive data — and each one shows the formula it used so you can check it against an installer's quote.

Start here if you are still deciding

Run the solar payback period and ROI calculator first. It takes your state, your bill, and your roof's sun hours and returns a break-even year plus a 25-year cash flow. If the payback is longer than you want to hold the house, none of the sizing detail matters yet.

If you already know you want solar

Use the how many solar panels calculator to convert your annual kWh into a panel count, then the solar panel estimate calculator to turn that system size into an installed 2026 cost for your state. Together they give you the two figures an installer's quote should broadly agree with.

If you are checking a quote or an incentive

The solar tax credit and solar ITC calculators cover the residential and business credits separately, because they are different sections of the tax code with different rules. The feed-in tariff calculator values your exported energy under full-retail net metering or a NEM 3.0-style avoided-cost rate.

If you are wiring or mounting the system

The fuse size calculator applies the NEC 690.8 continuous-current margin, and the snow load calculator works from ASCE 7 ground snow loads. These are sizing checks, not a substitute for a licensed electrician or structural engineer signing off on the install.

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