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Tennessee solar and rebates

Tennessee Net Metering and Efficiency Rebates by Utility

Net metering and utility efficiency rebates in Tennessee, from federal data: how many homes use net metering, what utilities paid out and where to find current offers.

Reviewed Net metering and efficiency data: EIA Form EIA-861, 2025. Federal rules checked October 10, 2026

Net metering customers

109

0.0 per 1,000 homes

Capacity

1.1 MW

10.1 kW per customer

Efficiency incentives per home

$6.94

31st of 50

Average price

13.22 cents

23% below the US average

Net metering in Tennessee

Utilities in Tennessee reported 109 residential customers on net metering in 2025, with 1.1 megawatts of capacity, which averages 10.1 kilowatts per customer. That is 0.0 customers per 1,000 homes. Among the 51 places that reported, Tennessee ranks 51st, and the national ranking is on the net metering by state page.

Tennessee utilities with the most residential net metering customers, 2025
UtilityNet metering customersMegawatts
Kingsport Power970.7

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 (final 2025 data), net metering schedule, residential. The count covers net metering only. Solar homes on other export arrangements are tracked separately by EIA.

What an exported kWh is worth in Tennessee

The value of a solar export depends on the credit your utility pays. As an illustration, take 7,000 kWh of solar power in a year, a made-up figure and not a forecast for any home. At the 2025 Tennessee average price of 13.22 cents per kWh, that power is worth $925 if the utility credits it at the full retail price. If the utility credits exports at half that rate, it is worth $463.

The gap shows why the export credit matters so much. Ask the utility which applies to you, and use the solar savings calculator to set the retail and export prices separately.

Utility efficiency rebates in Tennessee

In 2025, 1 Tennessee utility reported efficiency programs to EIA. Together they paid about $22,214,000 in incentives to residential customers, or $6.94 per home, which ranks 31st of 50. The programs reported 114,191 megawatt hours of first year residential savings, about 5.1 kWh for each dollar of incentive.

Tennessee utilities paying the most residential efficiency incentives, 2025
UtilityPaid to residential customers
Tennessee Valley Authority$22.2 million

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 (final 2025 data), energy efficiency schedule. Paid incentives show what a utility spent, not what you can get. See efficiency rebates by state for the national ranking.

What the federal credits mean in Tennessee

The IRS says the residential clean energy credit, which covered solar panels, does not apply to expenditures made after December 31, 2025, and the home improvement credit does not apply to property placed in service after that date. That is true in every state. What remains are state and utility offers, and the federal home energy rebates that states run. See solar incentives and home energy rebates.

Source: IRS FS-2025-05, read October 10, 2026. This is not tax advice.

Where to look for current Tennessee offers

  1. Search the DSIRE database for Tennessee incentives and net metering rules.
  2. Enter your ZIP code in the ENERGY STAR rebate finder.
  3. Ask your electric company about its net metering, export credit and rebate programs. Find it in the Tennessee utility list.
  4. Read the rules at the Tennessee Public Utility Commission, which oversees investor-owned utilities.

Tennessee solar and rebate questions

Does Tennessee have net metering?

Tennessee utilities reported 109 residential net metering customers and 1.1 megawatts in 2025. The credit for exports depends on the utility and the state rules, so ask yours.

Is there a federal solar tax credit in Tennessee?

The IRS says the residential clean energy credit does not apply to expenditures made after December 31, 2025, so it does not apply in any state for new installs.

How much do Tennessee utilities pay in efficiency rebates?

In 2025, Tennessee utilities that reported to EIA paid about $22,214,000 in efficiency incentives to residential customers, about $6.94 per home.

Where do I find Tennessee solar and rebate offers?

Search the DSIRE database and the ENERGY STAR rebate finder, then ask your electric company and your state energy office before you sign anything.

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