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We use your location to provide localized solar offers and incentives.
We serve MA, NH, CT, RI, ME, VT, NJ, PA, and TX
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Heat pumps increase your electricity usage. Solar panels offset it. Use this calculator to find exactly how many extra panels you need, what they cost, and how quickly they pay for themselves in your state.
Total annual electric cost (all 12 months)
8,400 kWh/yr
700.0 kWh/month avg
6.8 kW
~16 panels (440W each)
$21,233
Cash/loan price (no federal credit)
$2,352/yr
$196/mo offset
$62/mo
Section 48 ITC reduces cost 30%
9.0 years
Simple payback (no rate increases)
Lease or PPA? Section 48 saves you 30%
The federal residential solar tax credit (Section 25D) expired December 31, 2025 — homeowners who buy with cash or a loan get $0 from the feds. However, if you lease or sign a PPA, the third-party system owner claims the 30% commercial ITC under Section 48/48E (for projects starting construction before July 4, 2026) and passes the savings to you through a lower monthly payment.
Your estimated lease payment: $62/mo for the additional 6.8 kW — compared to $196/mo in electricity the panels offset.
A heat pump replaces your furnace/boiler fuel cost (oil, gas, propane). Solar replaces your electric bill. Together, you eliminate both energy costs. Most homeowners in the Northeast spend $3,000-6,000/year on fuel plus electricity. Solar + heat pump can reduce that to near $0.
Utility rates rise 3-5% annually. Oil and gas prices are volatile. Once you own solar panels (or sign a fixed-rate lease), your energy cost is locked for 20-25 years. A heat pump powered by your own solar panels produces heat at roughly $0.03/kWh equivalent — cheaper than any fuel on the market.
Heat pumps move heat instead of creating it, delivering 3 units of heat for every 1 unit of electricity (COP of 3.0+). Even without solar, switching from oil to a heat pump typically saves 30-50% on heating costs. Add solar, and you are producing your own fuel for free.
Homes with solar sell for 4-6% more according to Zillow research. A fully electrified home with solar and a heat pump is increasingly attractive to buyers who want predictable energy costs and modern HVAC. In states with property tax exemptions (MA, ME, RI, NH), the added value is tax-free.
$0
Federal tax credit for homeowners
Section 25D expired December 31, 2025 under the OBBBA. If you buy solar panels with cash or a home improvement loan, you receive no federal tax credit. Your cost is the full retail price.
30% ITC
Claimed by the system owner, passed to you
Section 48/48E is still available for projects beginning construction before July 4, 2026. The third-party system owner (financing company) claims the 30% commercial ITC and reduces your monthly payment. You get solar at a lower effective cost without needing any tax liability.
July 4, 2026 Deadline
The Section 48/48E commercial ITC requires projects to begin construction before July 4, 2026. If you are considering a lease or PPA for solar (especially to pair with a heat pump), acting before this deadline locks in the 30% cost reduction. After this date, even leased solar may cost more.
We multiply your heat pump size (in tons) by a climate zone factor to estimate annual kWh consumption. Colder zones use more electricity because the heat pump runs more hours for heating. Warmer zones use less because the load is primarily cooling.
We add your current electricity usage (derived from your annual bill and state average rate) to the heat pump consumption. This gives your total post-heat-pump electricity need.
Using your climate zone's peak sun hours and an 80% production factor (accounting for shading, inverter losses, and degradation), we calculate the additional kW of solar needed to offset just the heat pump electricity.
We apply your state's average installed cost per watt to determine the price. For cash/loan, that's the full cost ($0 federal credit). For lease/PPA, we reduce by 30% (Section 48 ITC) and spread over 20 years.
A typical 3-ton heat pump in a cold climate (Zone 5-6) uses 8,400-9,600 kWh per year. To offset that with solar, you need roughly 5-7 additional kW of panels depending on your location's sun hours. In warmer climates like Texas, a 3-ton unit uses only about 3,600 kWh/year and needs around 2 kW of additional solar.
No. The residential solar tax credit (Section 25D) expired on December 31, 2025. Homeowners who purchase solar with cash or a loan receive $0 from the federal government. However, the commercial ITC (Section 48/48E) is still available for third-party owned systems — if you lease or sign a PPA, the financing company claims the 30% credit and passes savings to you through a lower payment. This applies to projects beginning construction before July 4, 2026.
With a solar lease or PPA, a third-party company owns the panels on your roof and claims the 30% Section 48 commercial ITC. This reduces their cost, which they pass along as a lower monthly payment to you. For example, if the additional solar costs $15,000 at retail, the lease payment is based on roughly $10,500 (after the 30% ITC) spread over 20 years — typically $40-60/month for the heat pump offset alone.
Yes. A heat pump replaces fuel-based heating (oil, gas, propane) with electric heating and cooling. In cold climates, a 3-ton heat pump adds roughly 8,400 kWh/year to your electricity usage, which could add $2,000-2,800/year to your electric bill depending on your state's rates. Solar panels offset this increase, and you eliminate your fuel costs entirely — often saving $1,500-4,000/year net when combining solar with a heat pump.
Ideally, size your solar system to cover your entire electricity usage including the heat pump. This calculator shows both the additional solar needed for just the heat pump and the total system size for your whole home. If you already have solar panels, you only need to add the incremental capacity. If you're starting fresh, sizing for everything at once is more cost-effective because installation labor is a fixed cost.
IECC climate zones range from 1 (hottest) to 7 (coldest). Most of Texas is Zone 1-2. New Jersey and southern Pennsylvania are Zone 3-4. Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and southern New Hampshire are Zone 5. Maine, Vermont, and northern New Hampshire are Zone 6-7. Your climate zone determines how much electricity your heat pump uses annually — colder zones require more heating energy.
Get a free, customized quote for solar panels sized to offset your heat pump. We will show you cash, loan, and lease/PPA options with real pricing for your home.