See how much it will cost to install solar panels for your home in Tennessee
Solar power in Tennessee
Last fact-checked on June 21, 2023, by Catherine Lane
Tennessee sure does deliver when it comes to sunny weather and great live music. Plenty of sunshine coupled with a 30% federal tax credit make installing solar panels a worthwhile investment in the great state of Tennessee.
Despite the lack of incentives and no state-mandated net metering, some utilities, such as Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), do offer solar buyback programs to ensure that you will see some savings no matter what. If you’re a Tennessee resident looking to go solar for any reason at all, there are resources to ensure you are making a worthy investment!
Compare solar quotes from the top solar companies in Tennessee
Tennessee solar power facts
$2.68 watt
Average cost: 5kW solar power system
?7 Years 6 Months
Average payback time
$61,087
Average lifetime savings
?5¢ kWh
Levelized cost of solar energy
24¢ kWh
If you don't get solar
?14,545 kWh
Annual power production
Cash flow graph based on cash purchase of a 11.35kW system
This 11.35kW system would offset 100% of your energy usage if your typical monthly bill in Tennessee is $160, however, your situation may vary so try our solar calculator to get a result tailored to you.
3
Solar companies in Tennessee that provide pricing through the Solar-Estimate marketplace.
How much can solar panels save you in Tennessee
Average total cost of solar panel installation in Tennessee
| System Size | Cash purchase After 30% solar tax credit |
Financed purchase After 30% solar tax credit |
|---|---|---|
| 3kw | $6,090 | $6,577 |
| 4kw | $7,812 | $8,437 |
| 5kw | $9,380 | $10,130 |
| 6kw | $10,752 | $11,612 |
| 7kw | $12,005 | $12,965 |
| 8kw | $13,104 | $14,152 |
| 9kw | $14,049 | $15,173 |
| 10kw | $14,840 | $16,027 |
How much do solar panels cost in Tennessee?
$2.68 per watt
Cash purchased solar system
Before 26% solar tax credit
$4.08 per watt
Financed solar system
Before 26% solar tax credit
$0.0¢ /kWh
Lease/PPA
Ave 15 year term, 2.5% price escalator
What are the pros and cons of installing solar panels in Tennessee?
The advantage of installing solar panels in Tennessee is the state’s property tax assessment, which guarantees to keep your property taxes low when adding solar to your home. The state also gets a relatively good amount of sunshine, which can generate lots of energy to power your home.
The disadvantage of installing solar panels in Tennessee is that there aren’t any other state incentives or rebates besides a special property tax assessment. On top of that, Tennessee has no state-mandated net metering policy, so you are not guaranteed to be compensated if your solar system produces excess energy.
There is always the federal 30% tax credit to fall back on. So, there may still be an opportunity for great savings.
Best solar companies in Tennessee
Find local city information
Find local information for cities in Tennessee
Compare solar quotes from the top solar companies in Tennessee
How much electricity will solar panels produce in Tennessee
Solar panels produce different amounts of energy in different locations.
Around the Nashville area solar panels installed on a south-facing 30-degree pitch roof will typically produce:
1,449kWh
per year per 1kW of peak DC
(direct current) capacity
For more information about how your location, roof direction, and roof tilt affects solar power production use the solar panels calculator and enter your zip code.
I want to buy a solar panel kit and install it myself
What rebates, solar tax credits, and other solar incentives are available in Tennessee?
Green Energy Property Tax Assessment
Tennessee homeowners can save on their property taxes when they install a solar system on their home, thanks to the Green Energy Property Tax Assessment legislation. Typically, when a solar system is installed on a home, the value of the home increases, and so do the property taxes. With this statewide policy, property taxes can only increase up to 12.5% of the installed costs associated with the solar system.
Tennessee Solar Calculator
Regardless of what you want to know about the economics of installing solar panels for your home or business in Tennessee, we have a solar calculator that can show you exactly the information you require.
What you can find out about installing solar panels in Tennessee using our full monthly solar calculator
This solar calculator requires you to input your address, utility company, your average monthly power spend - It tells you:
- What size solar system do you need?
- Answers the question of how many solar panels do I need?
- How many square feet of roof space you need for solar panels
- Solar electricity production in annual kWh (kilowatt-hours) you can expect from your solar system in Tennessee
- The value of solar tax credits and other incentives you are entitled to based on the estimated size of system you need, your location and your utility provider.
- Likely cost based on an average of prices charged for solar systems of that size in the last year in Tennessee or Nashville ;
- The likely payback period on your solar panels and your investment return.
- Your total lifetime solar savings based on each of the major solar finance options, a cash purchase, a cash purchase funded with a HELOC sol (home equity line of credit) and a zero-down PPA or third party lease product.
If you want to see all of the above but also see live pricing, the three best solar deals available in your city and get binding quotes from each of these solar companies then use this Tennessee solar panels calculator. This calculator requires you to also input your name and contact details because most of our 200+ installer partners will only authorize the sharing of their live solar pricing where we have validated that you are a real homeowner with a home in their service area. We respect the privacy of your data and only share your contact details with the solar companies you ask us to get binding quotes from.
Going solar in Tennessee
Check out all of the ways energy providers of Tennessee can help you be more energy-efficient and save money.
The following programs are available:
| Incentive Name | Eligibility | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit | Federal | Personal Tax Credit |
| Green Energy Property Tax Assessment | State | Property Tax Incentive |
| TVA - Green Power Providers | Utility | Performance Based Incentive |
Find your local rebates and incentives
Your city may have further incentives to offer. Please keep in mind that the best source of up-to-date information on incentives is the solar installers who specialize in your area.
