What changed
The IRS states that the Residential Clean Energy Credit equals 30% of qualified residential clean-energy property costs for installations from 2022 through December 31, 2025, and that the credit is not available for property placed in service or expenditures treated as made after that date under the revised law.
Why old solar payback pages can now be misleading
A large amount of U.S. solar content was written around a long-running 30% federal residential credit assumption. A 2026 quote or calculator that still subtracts 30% without checking project timing can make a system look materially cheaper than the buyer’s actual situation.
Do not conclude that solar no longer makes sense everywhere
The change removes one national incentive assumption; it does not produce one national answer. Electricity prices, state and utility incentives, export compensation, roof production, financing and outage value differ dramatically. Some projects can remain attractive without the former credit while others may need a longer horizon.
Battery decisions deserve a separate calculation
Batteries can add resilience and shift solar production into expensive evening hours, but they also add capital cost and conversion losses. Compare solar-only, solar-plus-storage and backup-focused cases separately using local tariffs.
What to do now
Ask installers to show the exact incentives included in the quote, the legal/project date each one depends on and the economics without them. Start with Melnti’s U.S. guide or California guide, then use the incentive/payback guide.