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Solar Tax Credit Calculator
Enter your system cost and any battery storage cost to see your 30% federal residential clean energy credit and the net cost after it applies.
By Jessica Martinez · Updated June 2026
Enter your system cost and any battery storage cost to see your 30% federal residential clean energy credit and the net cost after it applies.
Planning figure, not tax advice. Confirm the final amount with a tax professional.
The federal Residential Clean Energy Credit takes 30% off your total system cost directly from your federal tax bill. On a $24,000 installation that is $7,200 off what you owe. A credit reduces your tax liability dollar for dollar, while a deduction only reduces your taxable income, which is worth much less. If the credit exceeds your tax bill in the year you install, the unused balance carries forward to the next return automatically.
The credit applies to your total eligible installed cost: panels, inverter, racking, labor, permitting, and qualifying battery storage all count. The calculator adds your system cost and any battery cost together, then applies the 30% rate in one step to show the credit amount and your net cost.
| Eligible cost | Credit (30%) | Net after credit |
|---|---|---|
| $18,000 | $5,400 | $12,600 |
| $24,000 | $7,200 | $16,800 |
| $35,000 | $10,500 | $24,500 |
| $24,000 system + $12,000 battery | $10,800 | $25,200 |
Confirm the details with a tax professional before filing, but the basic math above is exactly what the calculator runs. Add a battery to any of those first three rows and you get the fourth: the credit simply scales with total eligible cost, panels and storage treated the same way.
If you have not priced your system yet, the cost calculator gets you a number, and the system size calculator tells you how many kilowatts to plan for.
30% of total eligible installed cost, including panels, inverter, installation labor, and qualifying battery storage. There is no cap on system size.
No. It is a nonrefundable credit, meaning it can reduce your federal tax bill to zero but will not generate a refund on its own. Any unused portion carries forward to the next tax year.
Yes. Battery storage systems of 3 kWh or larger qualify for the 30% credit. Starting in 2023, that includes standalone storage installed without solar panels.
No. This calculator is for planning purposes. Confirm your eligibility and filing requirements with a tax professional or CPA before claiming the credit on your return.