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Get a Free QuoteWe sell solar — and we're telling you it's not for everyone. NH has no state rebate (SB 303 repealed it), no federal ITC, 84% forest cover, and NEM 2.0 at 85% (not 100%). Here's when you should NOT go solar.
$0 (Repealed)
State Rebate
$0 (Expired)
Federal ITC
84%
Forest Cover
~85%
NEM Credit
Most solar companies will tell every homeowner that solar is a great investment. We disagree. In New Hampshire in 2026, solar is a great investment for many homeowners — but not all homeowners. And the difference between a great solar investment and a poor one often comes down to a few specific factors.
NH has legitimate challenges for solar that other states do not share:
If any of these apply to your NH home, solar is either a bad investment or needs special consideration:
NH is 84% forested — the second most forested state. If tall trees shade your roof between 9am and 3pm, production drops 30-60%. Microinverters help but cannot overcome severe shading. Tree removal is expensive ($1,000-5,000 per tree) and may violate local ordinances.
What to do instead: Get a professional shade analysis before signing any contract. If Shade Loss Factor exceeds 20%, solar ROI becomes marginal. Consider community solar instead.
At $75/month ($900/year), even a small 4 kW system costing $12,120 takes 13+ years to pay back. Below $50/month, the math rarely works. Small bills mean low consumption — solar's fixed installation cost is too high relative to the savings.
What to do instead: Check if CPCNH community power is available in your town for 5-15% rate reduction. Consider NHSaves weatherization first. Solar may become worthwhile if you add a heat pump or EV charger that increases consumption.
If your roof is 15-20+ years old (asphalt shingles) or shows signs of wear, you will need to re-roof during the 25-year solar panel lifespan. Removing and reinstalling panels during re-roofing costs $3,000-5,000. Adding this to the system cost extends payback by 2-3 years.
What to do instead: Replace your roof first, then install solar on the new roof. Alternatively, consider a solar + reroof bundle that combines both projects.
Solar adds $15,000-20,000 to home value (Lawrence Berkeley Lab), but an 8 kW system costs $24,240. If you sell before the 9.5-year payback, you lose $4,000-9,000 on the investment. The value premium helps but does not fully offset the cost.
What to do instead: If you must have solar, consider a $0-down loan where monthly payments are less than electric savings. You break even from month one and transfer the loan at sale. Or consider a community solar subscription with no long-term commitment.
At NH's latitude (43°N), north-facing panels produce 30-40% less than south-facing. A system that should produce 9,400 kWh/year might only produce 5,600-6,500 kWh. Payback extends to 14-16 years. East and west are acceptable (15-20% less than south). North is rarely viable.
What to do instead: Check if you have a viable south, southeast, southwest, east, or west roof section. Even a partial south-facing section may work. Ground-mount solar is an alternative but costs $0.50-1.00/W more.
An 8 kW system needs approximately 400 sq ft of clear roof space (20 panels at ~20 sq ft each). Dormers, skylights, vents, and chimney reduce usable area. If your roof can only fit 3-4 kW, the payback extends significantly because fixed installation costs stay the same.
What to do instead: A system under 5 kW can still make sense if your electric bill is proportionally small. Otherwise, consider ground-mount or community solar.
These situations are not dealbreakers, but they reduce the financial return. Solar can still work, but you need to go in with realistic expectations:
Marginal — still works but payback extends to 11-12 years
NHEC serves rural northern NH with the lowest rate in the state. At $0.22/kWh (vs $0.27 average), year 1 savings drop 18%. The math still works for homeowners staying 12+ years.
Marginal — consider smaller system
NEM 2.0 credits exports at ~85% of retail. If you export more than 30-40% of production, your effective rate drops from $0.27 to ~$0.24. Size your system to match consumption — do not oversize in NH.
Possible with microinverters
Microinverters (Enphase IQ8) optimize per-panel, so one shaded panel does not bring down the whole array. If only 2-3 hours of shade, production loss is 10-20% — solar can still work with adjusted expectations.
Acceptable — 15-20% less production
East-facing produces more in the morning, west-facing in the afternoon. Both produce 80-85% of a south-facing system. With NH rates at $0.27, the payback extends by 1-2 years but solar remains viable.
Still viable but slower payback
~34% of NH towns have not adopted the solar property tax exemption. Without it, your assessment may increase ~$15,000, adding ~$584/year in property tax. This extends payback by 1-2 years but does not make solar non-viable.
If solar does not fit your situation, these alternatives can still reduce your energy costs significantly:
The Community Power Coalition of NH serves 40%+ of NH electricity customers across 50+ towns. They aggregate purchasing power to negotiate lower supply rates — typically 5-15% below your utility's default rate.
Subscribe to a share of a local solar farm without installing anything on your roof. Receive credits on your electric bill — typically saving 5-15% on electricity costs. No roof required, no installation, no long-term commitment in most programs.
Before considering solar, reduce your consumption. NHSaves offers rebates for insulation, air sealing, and window upgrades. A typical NH home can reduce energy consumption 20-30% through weatherization — lowering your bill before you even think about solar.
If you heat with oil or propane, switching to a mini-split heat pump saves $1,500-2,250/year in heating costs — often a faster payback than solar. NHSaves rebates of $250-1,250/ton make it more affordable. You can add solar later to power the heat pump with your own electricity.
If ALL of these are true, solar is likely a good investment in NH even without incentives:
If you meet all six criteria, an 8 kW system at $24,240 will likely pay back in 8-10 years and save $65,000-90,000 over 25 years. The lack of incentives hurts, but NH's high electric rates ($0.27/kWh) and NEM 2.0 policy stability make solar work on fundamentals alone.
Score yourself. If you have 4+ green checks, solar is likely worth it. 2-3, get a professional assessment. 0-1, consider alternatives.
| Factor | Good for Solar | Bad for Solar |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly electric bill | $100+ /month | Under $75/month |
| Shade situation | Minimal shade, 4+ sun hours | Heavy tree cover |
| Roof direction | South, SE, SW, E, or W | North only |
| Roof condition | 10+ years remaining | Needs replacement within 5 yrs |
| Time in home | 7+ years | Moving within 3 years |
| Roof space | 400+ sq ft clear | Under 200 sq ft usable |
| Town tax exemption | RSA 72:62 adopted | Not adopted (still OK) |
| Utility rate | $0.25+/kWh (Eversource, Unitil) | $0.22/kWh (NHEC) |
The case FOR solar — honest math
Solar ROI vs S&P 500 in NH
City-by-city pricing data
Alternative if rooftop solar doesn't fit
Post-ITC economics in NH
Reduce consumption before adding solar
For most NH homeowners with suitable roofs and bills above $100/month, yes — solar is still worth it. NH's $0.27/kWh average rate (48% above national average) drives the payback, not incentives. The payback period increased from ~6.5 years (with ITC) to ~9.5 years (without), but 25-year net savings still exceed $65,000. However, the narrower margins mean solar is NOT worth it for NH homeowners with small bills, heavy shade, bad roofs, or plans to move soon.
Generally, if your monthly electric bill is under $75, solar is a marginal investment in NH. At $75/month ($900/year), a 4 kW system costs ~$12,120 and takes 13+ years to pay back — past the typical 10-year payback window that makes solar financially compelling. Below $50/month, solar rarely makes financial sense. Consider CPCNH community power to lower your rate instead.
NH is 84% forested — the second-most forested state in the US. Shade is the #1 solar killer in NH. Even partial shading from one tree can reduce production 20-40% with string inverters (less with microinverters, but still significant). If your roof gets less than 4 peak sun hours per day between 9am-3pm, solar production drops dramatically. A professional shade analysis (using a SunEye device or satellite imagery) is essential before committing.
Probably not. Solar adds $15,000-20,000 to NH home value according to Lawrence Berkeley National Lab data, but an 8 kW system costs $24,240. If you sell before the ~9.5-year payback point, you are unlikely to recoup your full investment — the home value premium does not equal the remaining unpaid cost. Exception: if you finance with $0-down and monthly payments are less than your electric bill savings, you break even from day one.
No. NH NEM 2.0 credits solar exports at approximately 85% of retail rate (100% supply + 100% transmission + 25% distribution), NOT the full retail rate. This means every kWh you export to the grid is worth roughly $0.23, not the full $0.27 you pay. This reduces the value of oversized systems — you want to size solar to match your consumption, not overproduce. Credits roll over indefinitely and cash out at $100 threshold.
If solar does not fit your situation: (1) CPCNH community power — 50+ towns aggregate purchasing for 5-15% lower supply rates, no installation needed. (2) Community solar — subscribe to a share of a solar farm, receive credits on your bill (5-15% savings), no roof needed. (3) Energy efficiency — NHSaves weatherization rebates (insulation, air sealing) can reduce consumption 20-30%, lowering your bill without solar. (4) Heat pump — switching from oil to a mini-split saves $1,500-2,250/year in heating costs.
Get an honest, no-pressure assessment. We will tell you if solar makes sense for your specific situation — and if it does not, we will recommend alternatives. Free shade analysis, ROI calculation, and roof assessment included.