Written by Dean Mahmoud, CEO, and checked by Trevor Guilday, founder.Prices from the September 2026 Cost Index. Rates read September 30 to October 14, 2026. Updated October 14, 2026.
A typical 7.91 kW Wisconsin system costs about $23,809 at $3.01 per watt, or $21,409 after the rebate if it is on by December 31, 2026. Payback: 11.8 to 25.7 years, set by your utility.
Free for you. Solar providers pay us when you ask for quotes. How we make money
Wisconsin’s one cash incentive for home solar runs on the calendar year. A system bought and switched on in 2026 can get it. The program page showed no terms for 2027 when we read it on October 14, 2026.
Per kW of panels, for a single-family home you own.
Reached at 4 kW. The typical 7.91 kW system would be $4,746 without the cap.
The system must be bought and placed into operation between January 1 and December 31, 2026.
After switch-on, and no later than January 31, 2027. The check takes about 8 to 10 weeks.
Every large Wisconsin utility lets your panels cover your own use during the billing month. They split on what is left over. Our cases assume 40% of the power is used at home as it is made.
| Utility and credit for power sent out | Year-one savings | After upkeep | Simple payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| MGE, 18.433¢ (Schedules Rg-1 and Pg-2) | $2,052 | $1,815 | 11.8 years |
| We Energies slow end, 3.636¢ on every kWh sent out (CGS NM) | $1,070 | $833 | 25.7 years |
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The We Energies case is the slow end, not a forecast. It prices every kWh sent out at 3.636¢, but power netted within the month saves the full price. A real We Energies home lands between the two cases, depending on how much is left over each month.
Each utility has its own rate sheet, approved by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. The name at the top of your bill tells you which one applies.
Madison and nearby communities. Credited at the Rg-1 energy rate from January 1, 2026. For systems of 100 kW AC or less.
Next: size the system to stay under your yearly use.
Eau Claire, La Crosse and western Wisconsin. Extra kWh carry to later months. Leftovers at year end are paid at about 3.63¢ for 2026 (Pg-2B).
Next: size the system to a full year of use.
Milwaukee, Green Bay and many towns in southern and central Wisconsin. Solar first covers that month’s use. Only the leftover earns the low rate.
Next: size the system to what you use each month.
Utility | Leftover power earns | 100 extra kWh | Size limit for this rate | Paid by check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
MGE | 18.433¢ | $18.43 | 100 kW AC | On request over $100, once a year |
Xcel Energy | Saved as kWh | 100 kWh off a later bill | 100 kW AC | Year-end leftovers, about 3.63¢ |
Alliant Energy | 4.254¢ average | $4.25 | 20 kW AC | Ask Alliant |
We Energies | 3.636¢ | $3.64 | Under 300 kW | When the credit passes $100 |
WPS | 3.584¢ | $3.58 | 20 kW | When the credit passes $100 |
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We Energies and WPS set a new price for leftover power every January 1, so the next change is January 1, 2027. Alliant lists its 4.254¢ as an average as of January 1, 2026. MGE checks each month whether you sent out more than you bought over the past 12 months; if you did, the extra earns 5.374¢.
We Energies adds a generation charge of $0.05951 a day for solar homes, about $1.81 a month. WPS asks for a system sized to the power you expect to use. Co-ops and city utilities set their own rules, and not all of them take part in Focus on Energy, so get the credit and the rebate status in writing.
The September 2026 benchmark, $0.12 above the US average. These are modeled cash prices, not quotes we collected.
System size | Cash price | Rebate | After rebate | Power made a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
3 kW | $9,030 | $1,800 | $7,230 | 4,194 kWh |
4 kW | $12,040 | $2,400 | $9,640 | 5,592 kWh |
6 kW | $18,060 | $2,400 | $15,660 | 8,388 kWh |
7.91 kW (typical) | $23,809 | $2,400 | $21,409 | 11,058 kWh |
10 kW | $30,100 | $2,400 | $27,700 | 13,980 kWh |
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Beyond the rebate, Wisconsin helps through taxes you skip, not money you get back.
Panels, inverters and mounting hardware. A battery is taxed.
Send Form PR-303 to your local assessor by March 1.
The 2025 Schedule CR lists no credit for home solar.
Not for a system you own placed in service after December 31, 2025.
| Way to pay | Who owns the panels | Focus on Energy rebate | Check before you sign |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | You | Yes, if you qualify | Who receives the rebate check |
| Loan | You | Yes, if you qualify | Financed total vs. cash price; Milwaukee Shines lists credit union loans of $1,000 to $25,000 |
| Lease or PPA | The company | No | Whether it is offered where you live; payment, yearly increase and buyout if you sell |
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Three companies based in Wisconsin, A to Z, not ranked. Facts from their own sites, read October 13 and 14, 2026. None prints a Wisconsin license number, so ask for it.
Solar providers pay EcoGen America when you ask for quotes. That does not change these facts or this A to Z order. How we make money.
Ask each installer for a reserved rebate, a switch-on date and savings priced on your utility’s credit.
Check your Wisconsin home for solarEcoGen America does not sell or install solar. When you request quotes, we pass your request to solar providers serving your area, and they pay us for the introduction. Providers can include installers, solar marketplaces and lead exchanges, and more than one may contact you. You never pay us. This is not an application to Focus on Energy. Privacy policy
CEO of EcoGen America. Since 2021 he has connected homeowners with residential solar installers in all 50 states.
About Dean
Founder of EcoGen America. He has worked in residential solar since 2016 and maintains the EcoGen Solar Cost Index.
About TrevorEditorial standardsCost Index methodologyVerified Installer methodology