Solar by City / Rhode Island / Cranston
Data last verified: 2026-08Is Solar Worth It in Cranston, Rhode Island? (2026)
The honest answer depends on four numbers unique to Cranston: your electricity rate, your solar production, your net metering policy, and your state incentives. Here are the real figures, with sources and dates. City production is a modeled estimate derived from Rhode Island's real NREL PVWatts v8 value adjusted for local latitude.
Solar Snapshot for Cranston, Rhode Island (2026)
| Residential electricity rate | 29.5¢/kWh (EIA, 2026 YTD May) |
| Solar production (modeled) | ~1295 kWh per kW per year (derived from NREL PVWatts v8 1294 kWh/kW, latitude-adjusted) |
| Net metering | full-retail net metering |
| State tax credit | None in 2026 |
| Rebates / performance | None |
| SREC market | No active SREC market |
| Property tax exemption | No |
| Sales tax exemption | No |
Estimate Your Own Payback in Cranston
The table above is a 6 kW benchmark using Rhode Island's real inputs. Your home is different — use the Solar ROI Calculator with Rhode Island pre-loaded to get your exact payback, or the 30-second worth-it quiz for a go/no-go verdict.
Cranston FAQ
How much solar production can I expect in Cranston?
PVFig models Cranston at ~1295 kWh per kW installed per year, derived from Rhode Island's NREL PVWatts v8 state value (1294 kWh/kW) adjusted for the city's latitude. This is a modeled estimate — a site-specific PVWatts run with your exact roof azimuth, tilt and shading will differ. Actual output also depends on panel quality and local weather.
What is the estimated solar payback in Cranston?
At a typical 3.00/W installed cost and 29.5¢/kWh electricity, a 6 kW system in Cranston has an estimated payback of about 7.5 years. That is one of the faster paybacks in the country.
Does Rhode Island have net metering and a solar tax credit in 2026?
Rhode Island uses full-retail net metering. There is no state income tax credit for residential solar in 2026. The federal residential credit (Section 25D) expired Dec 31, 2025 and does not apply to 2026 installations.
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Read →Compare Rhode Island with nearby states
- Massachusetts — 30.1¢/kWh, ~1302 kWh/kW
- Connecticut — 29.8¢/kWh, ~1252 kWh/kW
- Maine — 29.7¢/kWh, ~1319 kWh/kW
- New Hampshire — 26.8¢/kWh, ~1259 kWh/kW
- Vermont — 23.9¢/kWh, ~1222 kWh/kW
- New York — 29.2¢/kWh, ~1214 kWh/kW