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Connecticut Residential Solar Incentives

Offset the cost of your electric bill with energy you generate with solar.

Note: If you applied to install solar before January 1, 2022, you are participating in the Net Metering Program.

Residential Renewable Energy Solutions

Through Renewable Energy Solutions, you can sell the power you generate with your residential solar installation and any renewable energy certificates (RECs) to Eversource. If you applied to install solar before January 1, 2022, you are participating in the Net Metering Program.

How it works

To get started, you should contact a licensed solar installer in Connecticut. The installer will work with you to design your system and submit your application to Eversource.

Incentive options

On your application, you'll be able to select from two incentive compensation options: Buy-All and Netting. Each is designed to provide a similar return on investment. You may also qualify for additional income-based incentives.

Buy-All Incentive

With the Buy-All Incentive, you will export all power that your system produces to the electric grid without first supplying power to your home.

residential-solar-incentive-buy-all-light

If you choose this option:

  1. We will purchase power from you at a rate approved by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA)
  2. You'll receive compensation as either an on-bill credit to offset your monthly bill or a cash payment once per quarter. You may specify a percentage of your compensation to be split between the two options
  3. You will purchase the electricity you need to power your home directly from Eversource
  4. Any on-bill credits not used to offset your bill can be cashed out once annually
  5. Any cash payments (quarterly or annually) must go to a third party that is not the account holder

Current incentive rate

The Buy-All rate for approved applications submitting in 2023 is $0.2943 per kWh, and the Buy-All rate for approved applications submitting in 2024 is $0.3189 per kWh. This rate includes the REC value. Once enrolled, your incentive rate is locked in for a 20-year term.

Meter setup

With the Buy-All Incentive, your power generation and consumption are measured using separate meters installed at your home.

Netting Incentive

With the Netting Incentive, you'll first supply power from the system to your home and only export excess power to the electric grid.

residential-solar-incentive-netting-light

If you choose this option:

  1. Power produced by your system, but not consumed within the month, is "netted" at the same rate you pay Eversource for electricity
  2. Net credits are applied to your bill in dollars and will be used to offset future customer, supply and delivery charges
  3. Any excess credits can be carried over each month and cashed out if you stop electric service
  4. Once enrolled, your compensation rate (in dollars per kilowatt hour) for net production will fluctuate with the prevailing retail rate over a 20-year term

Current incentive rate

The netting incentive rate is the current retail rate plus a quarterly Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) payment. The REC payment rate for approved projects submitting in 2023 is $0.0318 per kWh, and for approved projects submitting in 2024 is $0.000 per kWh. This rate is set by the state and remains the same for 20 years.

While the 2024 base rate is $0.000/kWh, projects may still receive a REC payment if that project is eligible for adders. See the Additional Income-Based Incentives section for more information.

What are Renewable Energy Certificates?

A REC is generated for each megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity that your system generates regardless of whether you use the energy or it is exported to the electric grid. 

Meter setup

With the Netting Incentive, you’ll receive a new meter that measures how much energy you consume and how much is exported to the grid. You'll also receive a second meter to measure the energy produced by your solar installation.

Additional Income-Based Incentives

You may be eligible for an additional incentive if your income is at or below 60% of the state median income or if your solar installation is in an economically-distressed community. You can only receive one additional incentive.

Additional Buy-all IncentivesRate for Applications Submitted in 2023Rate for Applications Submitted in 2024
At or below 60% state median income$.030/kWh$.055/kWh
In an economically-distressed community$.0175/kWh$.0275/kWh
Additional Netting IncentivesRate for Applications Submitted in 2023Rate for Applications Submitted in 2024
At or below 60% state median income$.025/kWh$.035/kWh
In an economically-distressed community$.0125/kWh$.0175/kWh

Participation in Eversource’s Winter Protection Program, New Start, Matching Payment Program, Low Income Discount Rate, or the Home Energy Solutions Income Eligible (HES-IE) program indicates a customer is eligible for the additional income-based  incentive.

Program Data

When determining if solar is right for you, we recommend comparing multiple estimates from different solar installers. To help with your comparisons, here are some average costs from applications approved for the Residential Renewal Energy Solutions (RRES) program over the last six months. Compare these costs to those included in your installation estimates and those listed on your Residential Renewable Energy Disclosure document. The average price is in $/kWh and is based on data from the previous six months.

Average Installed Cost ($/watt)Average Power Purchase Agreement
(PPA) price ($/kWh)
Average Lease Price ($/kWh)Average System Size (kW DC)
$4.61$0.23$0.239.546


Below are historical retail rates to help you anticipate the savings from your potential solar investment. 

March 2024February 2024
Supply Rate* ($/kWh)0.147140.14714
Distribution Rate ($/kWh)0.058440.05844
Total Retail Rate ($/kWh)0.277450.27745

*These rates apply if you receive your energy supply from Eversource. Visit the Energize CTSM Rate Board for third-party supplier rates. 

For other aggregated RRES program data including system cost, capacity, ownership, and production estimates, download the excel workbooks by monthby town or by project.

Eligibility

To be eligible for Renewable Energy Solutions, you must:

  • Be a current or future electric customer of Eversource
  • Live in a 1-4 family property
  • Not be approved for or already receiving an incentive under the Connecticut Green Bank’s Residential Solar Incentive Program
  • Be installing a system sized ≤ 25 kW

Systems with battery storage are eligible.

System size limit

Your solar installer will provide you with a system size recommendation based on your highest average annual consumption over the last 5 years.

You may request additional allowance for the standard expected kWh of up to two electric vehicles and a whole-home heat pump system, as listed here:

  • Electric vehicle (per vehicle): 3,285 kWh 
  • Whole-home air source heat pump: 3,608 kWh
  • Whole-home ground source heat pump: 2,458 kWh

Additional solar generation

If you already have solar and are installing additional generation at your home, the new system will be separately metered.

Note: solar PV projects can also interconnect under Rate 980 as an alternative to RRES, however this is not typically preferred by residential customers. For more information, see our Rate 980 FAQ.

Typical fees

Your installer will build these fees into their proposal to you.

Application fees

Cost
Distributed Generation Application Fee$200
Renewable Energy Solutions Application Fee$129

 

Meter fees

Your installer will help determine which meter type you need.

Voltage/Meter TypeCost
120/240v Single Phase$230
120/208v Single Phase (Network)$282

Energy Storage Solutions

Customers installing storage with their solar PV system may be interested in the Energy Storage Solutions incentive program. Energy Storage Solutions was designed to help Eversource customers install energy storage at their homes and lowers the cost of a battery by providing both upfront and performance incentives. To learn more, see www.energystoragect.com. 

Contractors and Installers

Get information for interconnecting residential and non-residential projects in Connecticut for Renewable Energy Solutions.

Visit contractor page