EnergySage Marketplace Report: Utility Rate Hikes and Expanding Financing Keep Solar and Storage Within Reach for Homeowners

The 23rd edition finds that as utilities raise rates, homeowners are turning to expanding financing options, including a near tripling of third-party ownership, to help keep solar and storage savings accessible after the loss of the federal tax credit.

BOSTON, Sept. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Throughout the first six months after the expiration of the 30% federal tax credit for purchased residential solar systems, homeowners still found a clear path to savings through solar and storage, according to the 23rd EnergySage Intel: Home Electrification Marketplace Report released today. The report analyzed millions of transaction-level data points from homeowners shopping on EnergySage.com between January 1 and June 30, 2026, alongside results from EnergySage's 2026 Electrification Contractor Survey.

The data shows an industry adapting quickly: shifting utility rate structures are pushing shopper interest in battery storage to a high and expanding financing options are helping keep solar and storage within reach even after the loss of the federal tax credit.

Below are key insights from the latest report, which can be downloaded for free at energysage.com/data.

Utility rate changes are adding urgency, even as solar-plus-storage prices climbed modestly
Utility rates are rising across the country: Average electricity rates already top 29 cents per kilowatt-hour in states like Massachusetts and New York and reach 35 cents in California. But despite median solar and storage prices increasing by 3% and 5%, respectively, alongside the absence of the 30% tax credit, utility bill savings remained the primary driver of customer demand: 70% of contractors said customers purchase solar to save money, while time-of-use rates, fixed charges, and net metering rollbacks boost the ROI of battery storage.

"Rate structures are changing faster than they used to, and that's part of what's keeping solar's value proposition strong and driving homeowners' urgency," said Sam Thompson, Head of Solar at EnergySage. "We're seeing it show up most clearly in states where rates are skyrocketing."

Financing is closing some of the gap left by the loss of the tax credit
For homeowners weighing the upfront cost of solar, the math still works in their favor: the average cost of a power purchase agreement (PPA) came in below utility electricity rates in every qualifying state this half-year, with the largest discounts in high-cost markets like California (59% below) and Illinois (55% below). More installers are offering third-party ownership (TPO) options to help homeowners get there: the share quoting TPO on EnergySage climbed from about 14% to roughly 41% in just six months, though that growth varies by market and is partly due to TPO's recent availability on the marketplace. Pre-paid "lease-to-own" options delivered the biggest savings of any financing type: compared with a cash purchase, pre-paid PPAs and leases were 57% and 39% cheaper, respectively.

"TPO isn't replacing solar ownership as the goal," said Thompson. "It's giving the industry, including homeowners, an affordability bridge while everyone adjusts to a very different set of economics than we had a year ago."

Storage interest hit an all-time high, and affordability is the next hurdle
Self-reported homeowner interest in battery storage climbed to 76% in H1 2026, the highest level EnergySage has recorded. Attachment lags at 31%, likely due to upfront costs.

"As utility rates keep climbing, storage could go from a nice-to-have to a must-have for more homeowners," Thompson said. "We're already seeing that show up in high customer consideration—the industry's job now is turning that interest into actual attachment."

Pricing reflects rising labor costs, not a step back for solar
While the loss of the 30% federal tax credit increased homeowners' effective costs relative to a year ago, installer pricing remained notably resilient against the backdrop of policy headwinds. The median price of solar rose about 3% between H2 2025 and H1 2026, though the highest average quoted price actually fell, from $3.07/W to $2.94/W, as installers who held outsized pricing power during last year's tax-credit rush gave some of it back. Solar-only pricing held flat, while solar-plus-storage pricing rose 5%, a gap that can likely be attributed to labor rather than equipment.

"Solar-plus-storage installs are simply more complex and time-intensive than solar-only," Thompson said. "With contractors telling us broadly that their labor costs are up this year, that's the most likely explanation for why the more complicated installs are seeing the pricing pressure and the simpler ones aren't."

With the 30% tax credit gone for purchased systems, installers are focused on keeping solar and storage within reach: reducing costs, testing new financing models, and helping homeowners navigate a shifting utility rate landscape. 

"The incentive landscape changed overnight, but the reasons homeowners want solar and storage haven't," said Thompson. "Our job is to make sure affordability and accessibility keep pace with that demand." 

For questions or additional insights, please contact [email protected].

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SOURCE EnergySage