Arizona Residential Solar
Arizona solar research, rate math, and installer matching.
Arizona Solar Hub is an independent directory for Arizona homeowners evaluating rooftop solar and battery storage. We publish the utility-specific math APS, SRP, and TEP customers need — then match you with 2–4 Arizona-licensed installers. No cost to homeowners, no nationwide boiler-room shops.
Why Arizona solar math has changed
Net metering ended in Arizona in 2016. Every residential solar project approved after that has exported excess generation to the grid at a utility-set export credit far below the retail rate. That single fact now drives every payback calculation in the state.
On the APS side, exports are credited under the Resource Comparison Proxy (RCP). Following the ACC Decision No. 78979 methodology and the annual 10% step-down cap, the RCP export credit is roughly $0.0544/kWh for new 2026 applicants, compared with retail time-of-use rates that peak above $0.29/kWh on plans like APS Time-of-Use 4pm–7pm Weekdays. That spread — export at five cents, import at twenty-nine cents — is why batteries now carry the economics in APS territory.
SRP runs a parallel but different structure. Solar customers are placed on the Customer Generation Price Plan (E-27 or E-28), which includes a demand charge tied to the single highest 30-minute on-peak interval in the billing cycle. Exports to SRP are credited at a low avoided-cost rate. Getting paid back in SRP territory generally requires a battery sized to shave that monthly demand peak.
TEP customers fall under the Tucson Electric Power Residential Solar buy-all/sell-all style export rate approved under ACC Decision No. 77872. The export rate is reset annually and has followed APS downward.
Takeaway: a 2016-era "net metering payback" calculation does not apply in 2026. Any installer quote that models exports at full retail rate is wrong. See solar cost in Arizona for a current breakdown.
What this site is (and isn't)
Arizona Solar Hub is a publisher and a referral directory. When you submit the quote form, we match your address, utility, roof type, and budget against a short list of Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC)-licensed installers — usually 2 to 4 — who serve your territory. Those installers contact you directly with proposals.
- Homeowners pay nothing. Installers pay us a per-lead fee or a monthly retainer.
- We do not hold an Arizona ROC license and we do not install anything.
- We are not affiliated with Arizona Solar Systems, Inc., the installer based in Scottsdale. We are a separate research and referral directory.
- You own the decision. If none of the quotes fit, walk away.
Where to start
Pick the page that matches what you're trying to figure out.
- Solar panels in Arizona — which brands survive 115°F roof-deck temps, typical system sizes by monthly bill, tile vs. shingle vs. flat-roof install specifics.
- Solar cost in Arizona — cash and financed pricing for 5 kW to 15 kW systems, payback math by utility, the dealer fees hiding in financed deals.
- APS solar rate plans — how the Resource Comparison Proxy credit actually gets applied on the bill and which APS time-of-use plan pairs best with solar + battery.
- Solar battery in Arizona — Tesla Powerwall 3 vs. Enphase IQ 5P vs. Franklin aPower sizing for Arizona homes, demand-charge math for SRP customers.
Also useful: Arizona solar incentives, SRP solar specifics, Tesla Powerwall in Arizona, and solar financing in Arizona.
Quick Arizona solar snapshot
Typical 2026 numbers for an owner-occupied home in APS or SRP territory. Individual quotes vary with roof complexity, equipment tier, and whether battery storage is included.
| Metric | Typical Arizona range (2026) |
|---|---|
| Average residential system size | 8.0–11.5 kW DC |
| Cash cost before incentives | $2.70–$3.60 per watt ($21,600–$41,400 for a typical system) |
| Federal Investment Tax Credit | 30% of gross cost (IRA, through 2032) |
| Arizona Residential Solar Energy Credit | 25% of system cost, capped at $1,000 (Form 310) |
| AZ sales & property tax exemption | Full exemption on solar equipment (A.R.S. §§ 42-5159, 42-11054) |
| Payback period (APS, solar only, cash) | 11–14 years |
| Payback period (APS, solar + battery, cash) | 9–12 years |
| 25-year net savings (cash, $250/mo bill) | $35,000–$60,000 depending on rate escalation |
Cost ranges from NREL 2025 U.S. Solar PV Cost Benchmark and EnergySage Arizona marketplace data. Production assumes PVWatts output of 1,700–1,800 kWh/kW/yr for Arizona.
How matching works
- You submit the quote form. We capture your address, utility, approximate monthly bill, roof type, and whether you're interested in battery storage.
- We match 2–4 installers. We filter to Arizona ROC-licensed contractors whose service area covers your ZIP code and whose portfolio matches your project (tile roof, large system, battery retrofit, etc.).
- Installers contact you directly. You compare proposals on equipment, price, financing, and warranty. No one from Arizona Solar Hub is on the sales call.
If you're in a less-common utility — Mohave Electric Cooperative, UniSource Energy Services, Trico, or a city-run utility like Mesa or Page — matching takes longer because the installer pool is thinner. We'll tell you up front if we can't find a fit.
FAQ
What does solar really cost in Arizona in 2026?
Cash price for a residential system typically runs $2.70–$3.60 per watt installed before incentives. An 8 kW system lands around $22,000–$29,000 gross, or roughly $14,400–$19,300 after the 30% federal ITC and the $1,000 Arizona state credit. Financed deals run higher because of dealer fees rolled into the loan principal. See the full breakdown on solar cost in Arizona.
How long does payback take?
With a cash purchase and no battery, typical payback in APS territory is 11–14 years given the current Resource Comparison Proxy export credit. Adding a properly sized battery shortens payback to 9–12 years by shifting self-consumption into the on-peak window. In SRP territory the battery is close to mandatory for acceptable payback because of the demand charge on the E-27/E-28 plans.
Is battery storage worth it with APS and SRP export cuts?
In most cases yes. The RCP export credit for new APS applicants is about $0.0544/kWh while on-peak retail is north of $0.29/kWh. Every kWh you self-consume through a battery instead of exporting is worth roughly five times more. For SRP customers on the Customer Generation Price Plan, a battery is the only practical way to reduce the monthly demand charge. See solar batteries in Arizona for sizing guidance.
Are you an installer?
No. azsolarsystems.com is an independent Arizona solar research and referral directory. We are not affiliated with Arizona Solar Systems, Inc. or AZSS Services. We publish Arizona-specific research and match homeowners with Arizona ROC-licensed installers. Your contract, installation, and warranty are with the installer you choose.
How do you pick the installers you match me with?
We require an active Arizona Registrar of Contractors license in the relevant classification (typically ROC KB-1, K-11, or CR-11), proof of insurance, and at least two years of in-state residential solar installations. We prioritize installers whose portfolio matches your project — tile-roof experience, battery retrofits, larger systems, etc. Installers pay us per lead or on retainer; we do not stack the matches to favor higher bidders.
What if I'm in a less common utility like Mohave Electric or UniSource?
We cover every Arizona utility, but the installer pool for Mohave Electric Cooperative, UniSource Energy Services (Santa Cruz and Mohave counties), Trico, and some city-run utilities is thinner than APS, SRP, or TEP. Matching may return only one or two installers or take longer. If we can't match you, we'll say so up front rather than sending your information to a shop that doesn't serve your area.
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