How much do solar panels cost in Louisiana?

Louisiana homeowners pay about $2.55/W installed before incentives, putting a typical 9 kW Entergy Louisiana or Cleco Power service-area system around $22,950. The state's former 50% tax credit is closed to new applicants. Since the federal Section 25D residential credit expired at the end of 2025, 2026 projects should plan without it unless IRS guidance changes.

Is solar worth it in Louisiana given the hurricane risk?

Solar can still make financial sense in Louisiana, but the math changes if you need battery backup for hurricane outages. At $0.14/kWh residential rates and full retail net metering (Entergy/Cleco/SWEPCO), the solar-only payback runs 7–9 years. Adding a home battery for storm resilience can push total cost above $30,000 and extend payback past 12 years. Get quotes for both scenarios.

Does Louisiana still have net metering in 2026?

Yes, Louisiana maintains full retail net metering through Entergy Louisiana, Cleco Power, and SWEPCO. However, the Louisiana Public Service Commission has been reviewing export credit policy, and future changes are possible. Each utility administers its own tariff — check whether your utility uses monthly rollover or annual true-up, and confirm any system-size caps before installing.

What happened to the Louisiana solar tax credit?

Louisiana's 50% state solar tax credit — capped at a dollar amount listed at dsireusa.org — is no longer available to new applicants. The program was fully phased out. Homeowners who installed systems before the phase-out cutoff may still claim it, but anyone shopping for solar in 2026 should not include it in their payback calculation.

What financial incentives still work in Louisiana in 2026?

Beyond full retail net metering through Entergy, Cleco, or SWEPCO, Louisiana currently offers no statewide cash rebate or tax credit for new residential solar. The federal Section 25D credit expired for 2026+ projects. Your best remaining financial lever is maximizing self-consumption during high summer AC hours and confirming your utility's exact export credit rate before signing an installer contract.

Which utilities serve Louisiana for solar?

The three largest electric utilities in Louisiana are Entergy Louisiana (serving most of the state including Baton Rouge and the greater New Orleans metro), Cleco Power (central Louisiana parishes), and SWEPCO (Shreveport and northwest Louisiana). Each operates its own net metering tariff, so your payback math depends directly on which one serves your address.

State Guide

Solar Panel Cost in Louisiana (2026)

See how much solar panels cost in Louisiana with local electricity rates, incentives, and payback estimates.

Last updated: 2026-06-09· Source label: EIA residential electricity rates, IRS federal clean energy credit, NREL/PVWatts solar assumptions

Louisiana sits on the hurricane-prone Gulf Coast, where Entergy Louisiana provides power to most residential customers, followed by Cleco Power in central parishes and SWEPCO around the Shreveport area. The state's residential rate averages $0.14/kWh per latest EIA data — right at the national figure — which means solar savings come primarily from offsetting heavy summer air-conditioning load rather than escaping a high per-kWh price. Louisiana's 50% state tax credit (verify current cap at dsireusa.org) is now closed to new applicants, and full retail net metering remains available but faces ongoing legislative review. Homeowners in hurricane zones should model battery storage and storm-hardened mounting costs separately; the calculator's planning payback of 7–9 years reflects solar-only economics at $2.55/W installed cost and does not include resilience upgrades.

$0.14/kWhAvg. Electricity RateAt the national residential average. Entergy Louisiana and Cleco Power rates typically fall in the $0.12–$0.15/kWh band. Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly (March 2026 data).

7-9 yearsSolar PaybackPlanning range from Louisiana defaults: $0.14/kWh, $2.55/W, 5.0 peak sun hours/day, and current state or utility incentive assumptions.

$2.55/WAvg. Install CostFor a typical 9 kW system, roughly ~$22,950 before incentives. The federal residential credit (Section 25D) expired Dec 31, 2025 and is not available by default for 2026 projects.

—Climate ZoneASHRAE/IECC heating climate zone classification

Net cost before federal residential credit~$22,950Uses Louisiana's $2.55/W installed-cost default and no statewide cash incentive default; no 2026+ federal residential credit is applied by default.

Estimated payback7-9 yearsDepends on actual utility rate, Full retail net metering, installed cost, roof production, financing, and incentive eligibility.

Annual bill offset$1,200-$1,600/yrEstimate based on a 9.0 kW system, 5.0 peak sun hours/day, $0.14/kWh, and PVWatts-style production before fixed charges or export-credit adjustments.

Estimates based on louisiana state averages. Your actual cost depends on roof, equipment, installer, and financing.

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Overview

Use this result

Use the calculator inputs first, then compare the result against local rates, incentives, roof conditions, and utility export rules.

Method, assumptions, and sourcesOpen this section when you want to audit the calculation behind the estimate.Show

Calculation Method

Louisiana solar payback = net installed cost after incentives / annual avoided electricity cost plus export credits

Key Assumptions

Policy last reviewed: 2026-06-09. Federal residential credit assumptions are project-year dependent and not applied by default for 2026+ projects.
Residential rate and installed-cost figures are planning benchmarks, not a final utility bill audit or installer quote.
The model assumes a roof with usable sun exposure; shading, roof age, electrical upgrades, permitting, and financing can materially change cost.
Louisiana economics should be checked against Gulf Coast heat and humidity, utility-specific export credits, and storm resilience considerations.
The federal tax credit only helps households with sufficient tax liability and qualifying project documentation.

Data Sources

Electricity rates

EIA Electric Power Monthly

Residential electricity-rate benchmark used for avoided-bill savings.

Solar production

NREL PVWatts

Solar production assumptions should be checked against local roof orientation, shading, and climate.

Federal incentive

IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit

Supports 2026 Section 25D expiration (residential ITC no longer available by default) for qualifying residential solar costs.

State and utility policy

DSIRE and local utility tariff pages

Used as a reminder to verify state incentives, net-metering, export-credit, and rebate rules before relying on an estimate.

Result Summary

Net cost before federal residential credit

~$22,950

Uses Louisiana's $2.55/W installed-cost default and no statewide cash incentive default; no 2026+ federal residential credit is applied by default.

Estimated payback

7-9 years

Depends on actual utility rate, Full retail net metering, installed cost, roof production, financing, and incentive eligibility.

Annual bill offset

$1,200-$1,600/yr

Estimate based on a 9.0 kW system, 5.0 peak sun hours/day, $0.14/kWh, and PVWatts-style production before fixed charges or export-credit adjustments.

Related Calculators

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Try the Solar ROI Calculator for Solar Panel Cost in Louisiana (2026)→Enter your system size, electricity rate, and state incentives to estimate your solar return on investment.

Solar Panel Cost in Louisiana (2026)

Incentives & Rebates

Federal Residential Credit Caveat

State and Utility Incentive Context

Net Metering

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