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Solar + Heat Pump + Battery + EV Charger: What it really costs and how to pay for it.
Last updated: February 2026
A full whole-home electrification in the Northeast costs $54,000–$103,000 before incentives. After state rebates and tax credits, most homeowners pay $38,000–$75,000 net. Monthly energy savings of $300–$600 make the 10–15 year payback viable. The federal residential solar tax credit (Section 25D) is no longer available for homeowner purchases, but state heat pump rebates ($450–$11,500) and HEAR rebates (up to $8,000 for income-qualified households) remain active with limited funding.
Every system required to fully electrify a typical 2,000–2,500 sq ft Northeast home, with gross costs, available credits, and net cost ranges.
| Component | Gross Cost Range | Available Credits | Net Cost Range |
|---|---|---|---|
Solar (8-12 kW) | $25,000–$40,000 | State incentives only ($0 ITC) | $15,000–$35,000 |
Heat Pump (whole-home) | $8,000–$25,000 | State rebates ($450–$11,500) + HEAR (up to $8,000) | $3,000–$18,000 |
Battery (10-15 kWh) | $15,000–$25,000 | ConnectedSolutions revenue | $15,000–$25,000 |
EV Charger (L2) | $1,500–$3,000 | 30C credit ($1,000) exp. June 30, 2026 | $500–$2,000 |
Panel Upgrade (200A) | $2,000–$5,000 | None | $2,000–$5,000 |
Heat Pump Water Heater | $3,000–$5,000 | HEAR rebate eligible | $1,500–$3,500 |
| TOTAL | $54,500–$103,000 | — | $37,000–$88,500 |
State incentives only ($0 ITC)
State rebates ($450–$11,500) + HEAR (up to $8,000)
ConnectedSolutions revenue
30C credit ($1,000) exp. June 30, 2026
None
HEAR rebate eligible
Federal Residential Solar Tax Credit Has Expired
Section 25D expired December 31, 2025 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Homeowner cash and loan solar purchases receive $0 federal credit in 2026. The Section 25C energy efficiency credit expired December 31, 2025 (no longer available). The 30C EV charger credit ($1,000) is still available for installations completed by June 30, 2026. Solar lease/PPA providers still capture 30% under Section 48/48E.
State and utility incentives vary dramatically across the Northeast. Massachusetts and New Jersey lead with $20,000+ in combined incentives, while New Hampshire and Pennsylvania offer significantly less.
| State | Solar | Heat Pump | Battery | Other Programs | Total Potential |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAMassachusetts | SMART + net metering | Mass Save rebates (up to $10,000) | ConnectedSolutions $1,485/yr | 0% HEAT Loan, weatherization rebates | $25,000+ |
| NJNew Jersey | SuSI $0.90/W + net metering | NJ Clean Energy rebates ($4,000) | SuSI battery adder | 0% financing, whole-home rebates | $20,000+ |
| CTConnecticut | RRES $0.25/W + net metering | Energize CT rebates ($7,500) | Limited programs | 0% loan, weatherization | $12,000+ |
| NYNew York | VDER + NY-Sun $0.20-0.40/W | NY Clean Heat ($4,000) | NYSERDA storage incentive | NYSERDA low-interest loans | $12,000+ |
| RIRhode Island | REF $0.35/W + net metering | RI Energy rebates ($5,000) | ConnectedSolutions $1,350/yr | HEAT Loan 0% | $12,000+ |
| VTVermont | Net metering (strong policy) | Efficiency VT rebates ($4,500) | Limited programs | EVT 0% loan, weatherization | $6,000+ |
| MEMaine | Net metering | Efficiency Maine rebates ($4,000) | No state program | Heat pump loan program | $5,000+ |
| NHNew Hampshire | Net metering | NHSaves rebates ($250/ton standard, $1,250/ton enhanced) | No state program | NHSaves limited | $3,000+ |
| PAPennsylvania | Net metering + SRECs | Limited state programs ($750) | No state program | Limited utility programs | $2,000+ |
Incentive amounts are approximate and subject to change. NuWatt verifies current availability and handles all rebate applications during your project.
The order you electrify directly impacts cost and performance. Each step informs the next's sizing. Installing components out of sequence leads to undersized arrays, unnecessary panel upgrades, and wasted money on resizing.
An energy audit identifies where your home loses heat and how much energy each system consumes. This data drives every subsequent decision. Many utilities (Mass Save, Energize CT, NHSaves) offer free home energy assessments.
Why this order: Without baseline data, you are guessing at system sizes and missing the cheapest savings (air sealing, insulation).
Reduce your heating and cooling load by 20-30% before installing new equipment. Air sealing, attic insulation, and basement rim joist insulation are the highest-ROI improvements in most homes. Many states rebate 50-75% of weatherization costs.
Why this order: A tighter home needs a smaller (cheaper) heat pump system and a smaller solar array. Every dollar spent here saves $2-3 on equipment.
Install cold-climate heat pumps rated to -15F or below for whole-home heating and cooling. This is the biggest single operating cost reduction, eliminating $1,500-$4,000 per year in heating fuel costs. Choose ductless mini-splits or ducted systems based on your home layout.
Why this order: Heat pumps determine your new total electrical load, which is essential for sizing solar. A home that used 6,000 kWh/year before heat pumps may need 12,000-15,000 kWh/year after.
Size your solar array to cover your full electrified consumption, not just your pre-electrification usage. After adding heat pumps, HPWH, and EV charging, most homes need a 10-12 kW system producing 12,000-15,000 kWh/year.
Why this order: If you install solar before heat pumps, your array will be undersized. Adding panels later means a new permit, additional mounting hardware, and possibly a second inverter.
Add battery storage after knowing your actual production and consumption patterns. A 13.5 kWh battery covers essential loads; two batteries provide whole-home backup during outages. In MA and RI, ConnectedSolutions pays $1,350-$1,485/year in demand response revenue.
Why this order: Right-sizing requires actual usage data. A battery installed too early may be undersized for your electrified home or oversized for your actual needs.
Install a Level 2 (240V, 40-48 amp) charger when you purchase or lease an electric vehicle. Home charging costs roughly $0.04-$0.06 per mile with solar versus $0.10-$0.15 per mile for gasoline. This is the simplest installation in the electrification stack.
Why this order: Lowest priority because it is the simplest install, the lowest cost, and only needed when you have an EV. Your solar array is already sized to include EV charging load.
Doing Everything at Once?
If NuWatt installs all components simultaneously, you save 10–15% on total cost through shared labor, one permit, and one site mobilization. The design still follows this logical sequence — heat pump load determines solar sizing, which determines battery configuration — even if installation happens in parallel.
What a typical fully electrified household in the Northeast looks like compared to a conventional fossil-fuel-dependent home. Based on a 2,000 sq ft home with oil heat and one vehicle.
| Category | Before (Fossil Fuel) | After (Electrified) | Monthly Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heating (oil/gas) | $250–$400 | $80–$150(heat pump) | $100–$320 |
| Cooling (AC) | $80–$150 | $40–$80(heat pump) | $40–$70 |
| Hot Water (gas/oil) | $40–$80 | $20–$35(HPWH) | $20–$45 |
| Electricity | $150–$250 | $0–$50(solar offset) | $100–$250 |
| Gasoline (1 EV) | $150–$250 | $40–$80(home charging) | $110–$170 |
| TOTAL | $670–$1,130/mo | $180–$395/mo | $300–$735/mo |
Actual savings vary by home size, energy usage, fuel type, and state. Homes with heating oil or propane see the largest savings. Homes with natural gas see smaller but still significant savings. NuWatt uses your actual utility bills for project-specific savings analysis.
With net costs of approximately $50,000–$75,000 and monthly savings of $300–$600, the payback period is 8–15 years. After payback, every dollar saved is pure return. Here is the 25-year cash flow projection for a median scenario.
Net cost after incentives (median scenario)
Savings accumulating at ~$6,000/year
HEAT Loan paid off, cash flow improves
Equipment maintenance costs still minimal
Break-even point for median scenario
Strong net positive, equipment still under warranty
Solar panels at ~85% original output
Lifetime net savings (NPV ~$65,000 at 3% discount)
Assumes 3% annual utility rate escalation, 0.5% annual solar degradation, and $200/year average maintenance cost. Does not include potential home value increase (estimated 3–5% for fully electrified homes).
Nobody writes a check for $62,000. Here are the financing tools that make electrification affordable. Many homeowners combine two or three of these options to minimize total interest cost.
5-7% APR — Tax-deductible interest, lowest rate option
Use your home equity for all or part of the project. Interest may be tax-deductible if used for home improvement. Rates are typically 2-4% lower than unsecured solar loans. Best for homeowners with significant equity who want the lowest total interest cost.
5.99-8.99% APR — 12-25 year terms available
Dedicated solar financing covers panels and battery storage. NuWatt uses cash pricing (no hidden dealer fees), so your loan principal is lower than competitors who inflate prices to cover lender fees. Monthly payments typically offset by energy savings.
5-8% APR — Repaid through property tax
Property Assessed Clean Energy financing is repaid through your property tax bill. Available in CT, NY, and several other states. No personal credit check required. Transfers with the property if you sell. Longer terms (15-25 years) keep payments low.
0% in some states — HEAT Loan (MA, RI), Energize CT
Many utilities offer 0% interest loans specifically for heat pumps and weatherization. Massachusetts HEAT Loan covers up to $25,000 at 0% for 7 years. Connecticut and Rhode Island have similar programs. This is free money -- always use it when available.
$0 down, fixed rate — Still gets 30% ITC via financing company
Third-party ownership means the financing company claims the 30% federal ITC under Section 48/48E and passes savings to you through lower monthly payments. You do not own the system, but you pay no upfront cost. Monthly lease payment is typically 20-40% less than your current electric bill.
Monthly energy savings of $400–$600/month offset most of the $679/month in combined payments. After the HEAT Loan is paid off in year 7, total payments drop to $489/month and you become cash-flow positive. After all loans are paid, the full $400–$600/month savings continue for the remaining equipment life.
These are the most expensive mistakes homeowners make during electrification projects. Each one can cost $3,000–$15,000 in unnecessary spending or lost incentives.
Installing solar based on your current electricity usage, then adding heat pumps that double or triple your load. The result: an undersized array that needs expensive expansion. Always size solar for your projected electrified load.
Jumping straight to equipment installation without understanding where your home loses energy. An energy audit costs $0-$500 and typically identifies $3,000-$8,000 in weatherization savings that reduce the size and cost of every other system.
Upgrading your electrical panel separately from solar installation means two electrician visits, two permits, and double the labor cost. Bundling the panel upgrade with solar saves $500-$1,500 in shared mobilization and wiring.
Installing battery storage before knowing your actual post-electrification usage patterns leads to wrong-sized batteries. Installing solar before heat pumps means undersized arrays. Following the correct sequence saves 10-20% on total project cost.
The Section 25C energy efficiency credit expired December 31, 2025. State heat pump rebates and HEAR rebates have limited funding allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. ConnectedSolutions enrollment windows are seasonal. Waiting costs money.
Hiring one company for solar, another for heat pumps, and another for electrical work creates integration failures, finger-pointing on warranty claims, and higher total costs. An integrated approach saves 10-15% and eliminates coordination headaches.
Based on NuWatt installation data from 2025–2026 projects across New England, anonymized and averaged. Ranges reflect variation in system size, roof complexity, and existing infrastructure.
Compiled from state incentive program websites and DSIRE as of February 2026. Programs change frequently. NuWatt verifies current program availability and handles all rebate applications during your project.
Average residential rates from EIA data and utility company rate filings. Actual rates vary by provider, rate class, and season. NuWatt uses your actual utility bills for project-specific savings analysis.
Section 25D expiration confirmed by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) signed 2025. Section 25C expired Dec 31, 2025. Section 30C expires June 30, 2026 per IRS guidance. HEAR rebate status per DOE program guidance.
Links to relevant programs: Mass Save (masssave.com), Energize CT (energizect.com), NJ Clean Energy (njcleanenergy.com), NYSERDA (nyserda.ny.gov), RI Energy (rienergy.com), Efficiency Vermont (efficiencyvermont.com), Efficiency Maine (efficiencymaine.com), NHSaves (nhsaves.com), DSIRE (dsireusa.org).
Every home is different. Get a project-specific cost breakdown, incentive analysis, and financing plan tailored to your home, state, and budget. One site visit, one integrated design, one company for every system.