Nebraska Solar: Net Metering Until Your Utility Hits 1%

Written by Dean Mahmoud, CEO, and checked by Trevor Guilday, founder.Prices from the September 2026 Cost Index. Utility rates read October 14, 2026. Updated October 19, 2026.

Every Nebraska home buys power from a public utility, and state law makes each one offer net metering until home solar reaches 1% of its peak demand. A typical 7.57 kW system costs about $22,029 in cash at $2.91 per watt. At OPPD, the largest utility, it pays back in 18.5 years, and in 18.5 to 28.1 years at OPPD, LES and NPPD, because power is cheap here.

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OPPD, LES, NPPD or a local district: Nebraska’s public power utilities

Nebraska is the only state where every home is served by a publicly owned utility: a public power district, a city utility or a co-op. There are 166 of them. Each board sets its own credit for the solar power you send out.

Omaha Public Power District (OPPD)

3.52¢ per leftover kWh now

4.00¢ June to September, 3.52¢ the rest of the year, under Rider 483. Its home energy charge is 11.937¢ in summer and 9.503¢ the rest of the year, plus $30 a month and its fuel and purchased power adjustment (Rider 461).

Next: ask an OPPD Trade Ally about the $2,000 rebate.

Lincoln Electric System (LES)

2.8¢ per leftover kWh now

Half its home energy charge: about 3.9¢ in summer and 2.8¢ the rest of the year, never below its avoided cost. Plus a one-time payment of $375 or $475 per kW of panels.

Next: pick an installer in the LES Solar Trade Ally Network.

Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD)

5.06¢ per leftover kWh now

9.07¢ June to September, 5.06¢ the rest of the year, for homes NPPD bills itself, such as in Kearney, Norfolk, Scottsbluff and York. No solar rebate found.

Next: if your town resells NPPD power, ask the town for its own credit.

What a new home system earns, by utility (rates read October 14, 2026)
UtilityLeftover power, June to SeptemberRest of the yearCash at installBilling for new systems
OPPD4.00¢3.52¢$2,000 rebateNet metering, up to 100 kW AC
LESabout 3.9¢about 2.8¢$375 or $475 per kWNet metering, up to 25 kW AC
NPPD9.07¢5.06¢None foundNet metering, up to 25 kW AC
Norris PPD6.25¢4.41¢Ask NorrisNet billing on every kWh sent out, plus $1.00 per kW of billing demand a month

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

What “leftover power” means, and smaller utilities

Under net metering, each kWh you send out cancels a kWh you bought in the same month. Only power left over after that swap earns the cents in the table. It is credited in dollars, carried to later bills, and what is left is paid to you once a year: at the end of the calendar year at OPPD and LES, at the end of the yearly period at NPPD.

Nebraska has many more districts, city utilities and co-ops. The same law applies, but each sets its own credit. Southern Public Power District, based in Grand Island, lists 2.61¢ all year in its January 1, 2026 rate sheet. Ask your utility in writing for its credit per kWh and whether net metering is still open to new customers. Each utility’s own board sets its rates, so only your utility can answer.

How long Nebraska solar takes to pay back: 18.5 to 28.1 years at the three largest utilities

Two things set a Nebraska payback: cheap power, and how much of your solar power is swapped within the month rather than left over. Our figures use each utility’s own price and the share of solar power its homes reported left over at month end.

Swapped within the month 7.44¢ to 10.63¢

  1. Power you use as it is made never reaches the meter.
  2. Power you send out cancels power you buy later that month.
  3. Both save your full price per kWh: 10.63¢ at OPPD, 7.44¢ at LES and 9.15¢ at NPPD, after monthly charges.

Left over at month end 2.61¢ to 9.07¢

  1. A sunny month can make more than your home uses.
  2. The extra earns your utility’s credit, a few cents per kWh.
  3. Credit left at the end of the year is paid to you.
Typical 7.57 kW system, $22,029 cash
Utility and export rule
Left over at month end
Yearly savings
Simple payback before incentives
OPPD, net metering, leftover power earns about 3.72¢
0.06%
$1,192
18.5 years
LES, net metering, leftover power earns about 3.24¢
10.9%
$783
28.1 years
NPPD, net metering, leftover power earns about 6.65¢
14.9%
$984
22.4 years
Norris PPD, net billing: every kWh sent out earns 6.25¢, its summer credit (our older illustration)
60% sent out
$765 after upkeep
28.8 years

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

Where your home lands depends on how much power is left over each month and on your utility’s credit. A Norris home earns 4.41¢ from October to May and pays a monthly charge, so it would take longer than 28.8 years.

How we calculated this
  • Output: 7.57 kW × 1,482 kWh per kW = 11,219 kWh a year.
  • OPPD: power used at home or swapped within the month is worth 10.63¢ (OPPD’s 13.94¢ average price, less its $30 monthly charge). OPPD homes reported 0.06% of their solar power left over at month end, earning about 3.72¢ (4.00¢ in summer and 3.52¢ the rest of the year, weighted by when panels produce). Savings: $1,192 a year. $22,029 ÷ $1,192 = 18.5 years.
  • LES: 7.44¢ (LES’s 11.67¢ average price, less its $34.93 in monthly charges: the customer charge plus the Level 1 Facilities Charge every home pays, averaged over the 12 months), with 10.9% left over (the state average share, because LES reported none) at about 3.24¢ (3.91¢ and 2.80¢, weighted). Savings: $783 a year, so 28.1 years, or 28.3 years if every leftover kWh earns 2.80¢.
  • NPPD: 9.15¢ (NPPD’s 12.06¢ average price, less its $26.75 monthly charge), with 14.9% left over at about 6.65¢ (9.07¢ and 5.06¢, weighted). Savings: $984 a year, so 22.4 years, or 23.0 years if every leftover kWh earns 5.06¢.
  • Prices are each utility’s EIA average for the 12 months to August 2026. The leftover share is what the utility reported to the EIA, not measured at your meter. No upkeep, rate changes, rebate or LES payment are counted.
  • Norris is not yet in our per-utility figures, so its row is our older illustration: 4,488 kWh used at home × the 12.74¢ state average, plus 6,731 kWh sent out × 6.25¢ = $992, less $227.10 upkeep ($30 per kW a year) = $765.

Run your own Nebraska numbers

Nebraska’s 1% limit: when a utility may stop net metering

One state law, in force since 2009, gives every Nebraska utility the same floor. It also lets a utility close the door to new customers.

25 kWSize covered by law

A utility must offer net metering up to this size. It may offer more: OPPD allows 100 kW AC.

1%The limit

Once home and business solar reaches 1% of the capacity a utility needs for its average monthly peak, it may refuse new net metering customers.

Once a yearPayout of leftover credit

With the last bill of each yearly period, or within 60 days if you end service.

60 daysNotice before you install

The law asks you to tell your utility at least 60 days before installation.

Norris Public Power District, based in Beatrice, shows what can follow. Since January 1, 2026, a new home system there gets net billing. Power you use as you make it still lowers your bill, but every kWh you send out is paid 6.25¢ from June to September and 4.41¢ the rest of the year, with no monthly swap. Norris also adds a Facility Recovery Charge of $1.00 per kW of billing demand each month. Homes that already had net metering keep it.

Each utility measures the 1% against its own peak demand and reports its totals every year, so yours can tell you where it stands. NPPD’s own rider repeats the 1% limit.

What Nebraska solar costs at $2.91 per watt, from 5 kW to 15 kW

At the $2.91 per watt benchmark. These are modeled cash prices, not quotes we collected, and Nebraska’s small market gives the benchmark few quotes to work from.

Cash price and power made a year
Size (kW)Cash pricePower made a year
5 kW$14,5507,410 kWh
7.57 kW (typical)$22,02911,219 kWh
10 kW$29,10014,820 kWh
15 kW$43,65022,230 kWh
How we got these numbers
  • Too few Nebraska homes install solar to measure a local median, so 7.57 kW is modeled from neighboring states. Size yours to your own monthly use, because leftover power earns only a few cents.
  • Output uses the Cost Index figure of 1,482 kWh per kW a year. Shade lowers it.
  • Prices as of September 25, 2026, solar only, no battery.
  • A system you own gets no federal tax credit after December 31, 2025.

Full Nebraska price guide

Nebraska solar money in 2026: two utility payments and a state loan

The cash for solar in Nebraska comes from Omaha’s and Lincoln’s utilities, not from a state rebate. Everyone else can borrow through a state loan program.

$2,000OPPD solar rebate

One time, through an OPPD Trade Ally. OPPD’s page said rebates were still open on October 14, 2026.

$375/kWLES capacity payment

$475 per kW for west-facing or tracking panels. Paid once, through an LES Trade Ally.

5%, 3.5%State solar loan

Or less, simple interest, for up to 10 years. Ask the lender which rate applies.

$0Federal tax credit

Not for a system you own placed in service after December 31, 2025.

Ways to pay for solar in Nebraska
Way to payWho owns the panelsNebraska detail to check
CashYouThe OPPD rebate and LES payment need a Trade Ally installer
State loanYouDollar and Energy Saving Loan: for a system of 10 kW or less, up to $14,000 for the first kW and $4,000 for each added kW. Sign nothing until the lender says the state has committed
Installer loanYouCompare the financed total with the cash price, including any dealer fee
Lease or PPAThe companyNone of the three installers below lists one

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

Renters, shaded roofs and programs that are closed
  • LES virtual panels: a share of LES’s community solar field. A full panel costs $450 in 2026, before tax, and LES estimates it saves $32.48 a year. Credits run until the program ends in 2036. If you move out of LES’s area, LES generally refunds 75% of the panel’s price at that time.
  • NPPD SunWise: community solar shares in Ainsworth, Kearney, Norfolk, Ogallala, Scottsbluff, Venango and York. The $50 enrollment fee is credited back after three years.
  • Nebraska Solar for All: paused. Its federal grant was ended on August 7, 2025. There is nothing to apply for now.
  • A Nebraska tax break on a quote: ask which law it rests on, and check it with the Nebraska Department of Revenue before you sign.

Nebraska incentives guideWhat $0-down solar means in Nebraska

Is your Nebraska home a good match for solar?

  • Steady monthly useA system that rarely makes more than your home uses in a month keeps almost every kWh at full value.
  • Your utilityLincoln and Omaha add cash at install. A Norris home earns a flat credit on everything it sends out.
  • Roof and shadeReplace an old roof first, or get the remove-and-reinstall cost in writing. Trees cut output.
  • Time in the homeWith paybacks of 18.5 to 28.1 years at OPPD, LES and NPPD, compare your planned stay with your quote’s payback.

Is solar worth it for your Nebraska home?

Who installs solar in Nebraska: three local companies, A to Z

Three companies that list Nebraska service, A to Z, not ranked. Facts from their own sites and the Nebraska Department of Labor contractor registry, read October 13 to 15, 2026.

GC ReVOLT

Office
5653 S. 186th Ave, Omaha, NE (the address on its state registration); works in and around Nebraska
Registration
Contractor 48628-26, active, expires October 1, 2027 (read October 15, 2026); partner firms do the electrical work
Warranty
No workmanship term published
More facts
Builds
Home, farm, off-grid and battery systems
Ways to pay
Purchase or financing; lender not named
Status
Residential work unconfirmed: no 2026 activity found; newest site post July 31, 2025
Note
Its FAQ still describes the ended 30% federal credit (read October 13, 2026)
GC ReVOLT profile

J-Tech Construction & Solar

Office
Lincoln, NE (headquarters) and Grand Island, NE
Registration
Contractor 36130-25, active, expires December 15, 2026 (read October 15, 2026)
Warranty
Terms set before each project; none published
More facts
Founded
2004 in Lincoln (company says)
Also does
Roofing, siding and windows
Ways to pay
GreenSky financing
J-Tech Construction & Solar profile

Midwest Solar Tech

Office
Omaha, NE
Registration
No contractor registration found (October 13 to 15, 2026); ask for it
Warranty
No terms published
More facts
Status
Unverified: its Nebraska LLC is active, but we found no sign of operation in 2026; ask for recent local installs
Ways to pay
Financing; lender not named
Midwest Solar Tech profile

None of these three companies buys homeowner leads from EcoGen America. How we make money. Check any Nebraska contractor in the Department of Labor’s registration search.

Compare Nebraska solar companies in detail

What to get in writing before a Nebraska solar contract

  • Your utility’s yesWritten word that net metering is still open to new customers, and who gives the 60-day notice before install.
  • The credit behind the savingsThe cents per kWh the quote used for leftover power, for June to September and for the rest of the year.
  • Month-by-month outputExpected kWh for each month, next to your own bills, so the system is not much bigger than your use.
  • Trade Ally statusIn Omaha or Lincoln, proof the installer is on the utility’s list, or you lose the rebate or capacity payment.
  • No federal credit subtractedThe homeowner credit ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025.
  • A Nebraska registration numberThe contractor registration you can look up, and who holds the electrical license on your job.

Comparing Nebraska quotes?

Ask each installer to name your utility and the credit per kWh its savings estimate uses.

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Nebraska Solar FAQs

Does every Nebraska utility offer net metering?

For systems up to 25 kW, state law requires it, until home and business solar reaches 1% of the utility’s peak demand. Then the utility may stop taking new net metering customers. Norris Public Power District moved new home systems to net billing on January 1, 2026; homes that already had net metering keep it.

What happens to leftover solar credit at the end of the year?

You are paid for it. Credit carries from bill to bill, and what is left is paid out with the last bill of each yearly period, or within 60 days if you end service. OPPD and LES pay at the end of the calendar year.

Does OPPD offer a solar rebate?

Yes. Omaha Public Power District pays a one-time $2,000 rebate for a qualifying system installed by an OPPD Trade Ally, who applies for you before installation. Its page said rebates were still open when we read it on October 14, 2026.

How much does LES pay for solar panels?

Lincoln Electric System pays once: $375 per kW of panels facing mostly south, or $475 per kW facing west or tracking the sun. A 7.57 kW south-facing system gets about $2,839. The installer must be in the LES Solar Trade Ally Network, and the payment ends with LES’s current credit level, called Tier 2.

Can I get a tax credit for solar in Nebraska?

Not the federal one: it ended for systems you own placed in service after December 31, 2025. If a quote subtracts a Nebraska tax break, ask which law it rests on and check it with the Nebraska Department of Revenue before you sign.

Nebraska rate sheets, statutes and authors behind this page

Sources (22 documents, each with the date we read it)
  1. EcoGen Solar Cost Index, September 2026: Nebraska$2.91 per watt, 7.57 kW modeled size, 1,482 kWh per kW, 12.74¢ statewide average (EIA), prices as of September 25, 2026.
  2. Nebraska Power Association: Public powerThe only state where every home and business is served by a publicly owned utility; 166 community-owned utilities. Read October 14, 2026.
  3. Nebraska Revised Statutes 70-2003Net metering duty, 25 kW, the 1% limit, yearly payout. Read October 14, 2026.
  4. Nebraska Revised Statutes 70-200460 days’ notice before installing. Read October 14, 2026.
  5. OPPD Rate Manual: Schedule 110 and Rider Schedule 4834.00¢ and 3.52¢ credits, 100 kW AC limit, calendar-year payout; 11.937¢ and 9.503¢ energy charges and $30 service charge from January 1, 2026. Read October 14, 2026.
  6. OPPD: Solar Rebate Program$2,000 one-time rebate through a Trade Ally, 120-day fund reservation, “Rebates are still open.” Read October 14, 2026.
  7. Lincoln Electric System: 2026 Rate Schedules (RS, RNM)7.82¢ and 5.60¢ energy charges, 50% Tier 2 energy payment, $375 and $475 capacity payments, 25 kW AC. Read October 14, 2026.
  8. Lincoln Electric System: Solar powerSolar Trade Ally Network and virtual panels ($450, $32.48 a year, 2036, 75% refund). Read October 14, 2026.
  9. Nebraska Public Power District: Net Metering Service Rider, effective January 1, 20269.07¢ and 5.06¢, 25 kW AC, 1% limit. Read October 14, 2026.
  10. Nebraska Public Power District: SunWise Community SolarParticipating towns and the $50 refundable fee. Read October 14, 2026.
  11. Norris Public Power District: Service Regulation 8006.25¢ and 4.41¢ net billing credits, $1.00 per kW Facility Recovery Charge. Read October 14, 2026.
  12. Norris Public Power District: Distributed GenerationNet billing for systems of 25 kW or less since January 1, 2026. Read September 30, 2026.
  13. Southern Public Power District: Schedule DG2.61¢ all year, issued January 1, 2026. Read September 30, 2026.
  14. Nebraska DWEE: Dollar and Energy Saving Loans5%, 3.5% or less simple interest; commitment before work. Read September 30, 2026.
  15. Nebraska DWEE: Form 20, wind, solar and fuel cell loans$14,000 for the first kW, $4,000 per added kW up to 15 kW, 10 years. Read September 30, 2026.
  16. Center for Rural Affairs: Nebraska Solar for AllGrant ended August 7, 2025; program paused. Read October 14, 2026.
  17. IRS: Residential Clean Energy CreditNo credit for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. Read September 30, 2026.
  18. U.S. EIA: average residential price by state12.74¢, 12 months September 2025 to August 2026.
  19. 2025 Annual Technology Baseline: residential PVOwner costs of $29.83 per kW a year, rounded to $30 for upkeep.
  20. Berkeley Lab: solar self-consumption research (2022)Informs the 40% home-use planning default. It is not a measured Nebraska average.
  21. Nebraska Department of Labor: Contractor Registration searchGC ReVOLT 48628-26 (to October 1, 2027) and J-Tech 36130-25 (to December 15, 2026) active; no Midwest Solar Tech record. Checked October 13 to 15, 2026.
  22. EcoGen: Are solar panels worth it in Nebraska?The payback by utility, from our per-utility figures of October 30, 2026.
Dean Mahmoud
Written by

Dean Mahmoud

CEO of EcoGen America. Since 2021 he has connected homeowners with residential solar installers in all 50 states.

About Dean
Trevor Guilday
Checked by

Trevor Guilday

Founder of EcoGen America. He has worked in residential solar since 2016 and maintains the EcoGen Solar Cost Index.

About Trevor

Editorial standardsCost Index methodologyVerified Installer methodology