Wisconsin Solar: Switch On by December 31 for Up to $2,400

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 19, 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. Simple payback before incentives: about 13.7 years, our Wisconsin figure, and 12.8 years at We Energies, the largest utility. Across the big utilities it runs 12.0 to 16.2 years, and the rebate shortens it.

See what solar would save on your Wisconsin home

Free, no obligation. See your roof and savings first.

Not ready for quotes? Check your roof with our savings calculator

Free for you. Solar providers pay us when you ask for quotes. How we make money

Focus on Energy’s 2026 round: $600 per kW until December 31

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.

$600/kWRebate rate

Per kW of panels, for a single-family home you own.

$2,400Cap per home

Reached at 4 kW. The typical 7.91 kW system would be $4,746 without the cap.

Dec 31Switch on by

The system must be bought and placed into operation between January 1 and December 31, 2026.

60 daysTo apply

After switch-on, and no later than January 31, 2027. The check takes about 8 to 10 weeks.

Before the install reserve first

  1. Check that your utility takes part. MGE, Xcel, We Energies, WPS and Alliant all do.
  2. Reserve your rebate funds with the online reservation form.
  3. Pick a contractor. Focus on Energy points to its Trade Ally list as a place to start.

After switch-on 60 days

  1. Apply with your contractor within 60 days of the finished install.
  2. The check goes to you or to a company you name on the form.
  3. If the installer takes the rebate off your price, the contract should say so.
Who qualifies for the 2026 rebate
  • You own it, and it is new. Leased, rented and used equipment does not qualify.
  • Your utility takes part. The five large utilities do. Not every co-op or city utility does, so check the participating list.
  • The roof fits. Panels must face within 135 degrees of due south, tilt 5 to 50 degrees, and have less than 15% obstacle shading.
  • The system is at least 0.5 kW and uses equipment on the program’s qualified list.
  • Check the date yourself. When we read it on September 30, 2026, the online form page still showed August 31, 2026 as the last day to apply. The program page and the 2026 application say January 31, 2027.

Wisconsin incentives guide

Wisconsin paybacks by utility: 12.0 to 16.2 years before the rebate

Every large Wisconsin utility lets your panels cover your own use during the billing month. They split on what is left over. Our cases use Wisconsin’s share of solar power sent to the grid as reported to EIA, about 10%, not a share measured at your meter.

Netted within the month full price

  1. Solar power your home uses right away is power you do not buy.
  2. Power sent out during the month cancels power you buy later that month, kWh for kWh.
  3. Both save your normal price per kWh.

Left over at month’s end 3.584¢ to 18.433¢

  1. MGE credits it at its 18.433¢ energy rate.
  2. Xcel saves it as kWh for later months.
  3. We Energies, WPS and Alliant pay 3.584¢ to 4.254¢ per kWh.
Typical 7.91 kW system, $23,809 cash before the rebate
Utility and credit for month-end leftoversYear-one savingsCash priceSimple payback before incentives
We Energies, 3.636¢ (CGS NM)$1,864$23,80912.8 years
MGE, credited at its retail price (Schedules Rg-1 and Pg-2)$1,981$23,80912.0 years
Alliant Energy, 4.254¢ average$1,669$23,80914.3 years
Xcel Energy, saved as kWh$1,591$23,80915.0 years
WPS, 3.584¢$1,474$23,80916.2 years
Superior Water, Light and Power, 7.777¢$1,477$23,80916.1 years

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

The Wisconsin figure, 13.7 years, weights these utilities by the homes they serve. Because most solar power is used or netted within the month, the low month-end price touches only a small share of the output. The $2,400 rebate, if you get it, shortens every case.

How we calculated this
  • Output: 7.91 kW × 1,371 kWh per kW = 10,845 kWh a year.
  • Price of power used or netted within the month: each utility’s EIA 12-month average, September 2025 to August 2026, less its fixed monthly charge. We Energies: 21.27¢ less the $15.00 customer charge is 18.92¢.
  • Share left over at month’s end: 10.0%, Wisconsin’s share of solar power sent to the grid as reported to EIA, not measured at the meter. It earns the utility’s month-end price, 3.636¢ at We Energies.
  • We Energies: 10,845 kWh × 90.0% × 18.92¢ = $1,846, plus 10,845 kWh × 10.0% × 3.636¢ = $40, less the $0.05951 a day generation charge ($21.72 a year) = $1,864. $23,809 ÷ $1,864 = 12.8 years.
  • MGE credits leftovers at retail, so every kWh counts at 18.27¢ (21.27¢ less $15.00 a month): $1,981 a year, 12.0 years. Alliant’s time-of-use netting option: 13.2 years.
  • Simple payback before incentives: the $2,400 rebate is not taken off. No upkeep, price rises, financing or panel aging are counted.
  • The MGE case assumes you stay a net purchaser. If you send out more than you buy over 12 months, MGE pays 5.374¢ for the extra.

Run your own Wisconsin numbers

What MGE, Xcel, We Energies, WPS and Alliant do with month-end leftovers

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 Gas and Electric (MGE)

18.433¢ per kWh sent out

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.

Xcel Energy

Saved as kWh

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.

We Energies, WPS or Alliant

3.584¢ to 4.254¢ per kWh

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.

What power left over at month’s end earns, 2026 rates
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

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

The January reset, MGE net sellers and co-ops

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.

Wisconsin prices at $3.01 per watt, before and after the rebate

The September 2026 benchmark, $0.12 above the US average. These are modeled cash prices, not quotes we collected.

Cash price, rebate and yearly output by system size
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

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

How we got these numbers
  • 7.91 kW is the median size Wisconsin homeowners installed in 2025 (Berkeley Lab, 1,837 systems). Size yours to your own use.
  • $3.01 per watt is $0.12 above the $2.89 US average (4.2% higher), tied 36th lowest of 51.
  • Output uses the Cost Index figure of 1,398 kWh per kW a year. Shade lowers it.
  • Rebate: $600 per kW, capped at $2,400, so every system of 4 kW or more gets the full amount.
  • A system you own gets no federal tax credit after December 31, 2025.

Full Wisconsin price guide

No state solar credit: Wisconsin’s two tax exemptions and ways to pay

Beyond the rebate, Wisconsin helps through taxes you skip, not money you get back.

0%Sales tax on solar

Panels, inverters and mounting hardware. A battery is taxed.

$0Property tax on the system

Send Form PR-303 to your local assessor by March 1.

$0State tax credit

The 2025 Schedule CR lists no credit for home solar.

$0Federal tax credit

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

Ways to pay, and which ones keep the $2,400 rebate
Way to payWho owns the panelsFocus on Energy rebateCheck before you sign
CashYouYes, if you qualifyWho receives the rebate check
LoanYouYes, if you qualifyFinanced total vs. cash price; Milwaukee Shines lists credit union loans of $1,000 to $25,000
Lease or PPAThe companyNoWhether it is offered where you live; payment, yearly increase and buyout if you sell

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

The fine print on the tax exemptions
  • Property tax: state law exempts solar energy systems from general property tax (Wis. Stat. 70.111(18)). Form PR-303 helps your assessor see what qualifies; parts a regular home would have anyway are not exempt.
  • Sales tax: the exemption covers products powered by the sun that make at least 200 watts of AC power, plus the hardware to install them. Batteries that store solar power are not covered.
  • MGE Shared Solar: a subscription, not a saving. MGE says it costs about 1¢ to 1.5¢ per kWh more than its residential rate.

What $0-down solar means in Wisconsin

Snow, shade and size: is your Wisconsin roof a fit?

  • WinterOutput drops in winter, and snow can cover panels for a while. The 1,398 kWh per kW figure already counts a full year.
  • Direction and shadeFor the rebate: within 135 degrees of due south, tilt 5 to 50 degrees, under 15% shading.
  • SizeAt We Energies, WPS and Alliant, power left over each month earns 3.584¢ to 4.254¢. Size to your monthly use.
  • Time in the homeOur utility cases run 12.0 to 16.2 years before the rebate. Compare your planned stay with your quote’s payback.

Is solar worth it for your Wisconsin home?

Arch, Current Electric and Full Spectrum: Wisconsin installers, A to Z

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.

Arch Solar

Office
Plymouth, WI; also Milwaukee and Madison
License
Not published; says it is a licensed electrical contractor
Warranty
5-year workmanship on home installs
More facts
Founded
2003 (company says)
Ways to pay
Cash or loan; no lease or PPA listed
Arch Solar profile

Current Electric

Office
Wauwatosa, WI
License
Not published; says it employs licensed electricians
Warranty
No solar warranty terms published
More facts
Founded
1983; first solar in the early 2000s (company says)
Area
Milwaukee and six nearby counties
Ways to pay
Purchase, financing, lease (no terms listed)
Current Electric profile

Full Spectrum Solar

Office
Madison, WI; also Waukesha
License
Not published; mentions certified master electricians
Warranty
Workmanship and roof terms not published
More facts
Solar since
2002 (company says)
Ways to pay
Purchase; no home loan, lease or PPA listed
Full Spectrum Solar profile

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.

Compare Wisconsin solar companies in detail

What a Wisconsin quote should say about the rebate and your utility

  • The rebate reservation and datesProof the rebate is reserved, a switch-on date before December 31, 2026, and who applies within 60 days.
  • Your utility and its leftover rateThe utility by name and the cents per kWh the savings use for power left over at month’s end.
  • Size against your useYear-one kWh next to your last 12 months of bills.
  • Taxes done rightNo sales tax on panels, no 30% federal credit on a system you own, and who sends Form PR-303 by March 1.
  • Cash and financed pricesBoth totals side by side, with any dealer fee shown.
  • A Wisconsin license numberAsk for it, then check it with the Department of Safety and Professional Services.

Want quotes before the December 31 cutoff?

Ask each installer for a reserved rebate, a switch-on date and savings priced on your utility’s credit.

Free, no obligation. See your roof and savings first.

EcoGen 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. You never pay us. This is not an application to Focus on Energy. Privacy policy

Wisconsin Solar FAQs

Is the Focus on Energy solar rebate still open?

Yes, when we read the program page on October 14, 2026. It pays $600 per kW, up to $2,400, for a system bought and switched on in 2026. Apply within 60 days of switch-on and no later than January 31, 2027. The page showed no terms for 2027.

Does Wisconsin have net metering?

Not as one state rule. All five large utilities let solar offset your use within the billing month. After that, MGE credits leftover power at 18.433¢ and Xcel carries kWh forward, while We Energies pays 3.636¢, WPS 3.584¢ and Alliant 4.254¢ on average.

Can I get the rebate on a leased system?

No. The rebate is only for new equipment you own. Leased, rented and used equipment does not qualify. Compare a lease payment with a cash or loan quote that includes the rebate.

Do solar panels raise property taxes in Wisconsin?

No. State law exempts solar energy systems from general property tax. Send Form PR-303 to your local assessor by March 1.

Is Wisconsin too far north for solar?

No. The Cost Index uses about 1,398 kWh a year for each kW of panels in Wisconsin, so a typical 7.91 kW system makes about 11,058 kWh in year one. Winter output is low and snow can cover panels for a while. An unshaded, south-facing roof does best.

The Wisconsin rate sheets and rebate papers behind these numbers

Sources (23 documents, each with the date we read it)
  1. EcoGen Solar Cost Index, September 2026: Wisconsin$3.01 per watt, 7.91 kW median size (Berkeley Lab 2025, 1,837 systems), 1,398 kWh per kW, 18.79¢ statewide average (EIA, 12 months to August 2026). Paybacks from our per-utility figures of October 30, 2026: 1,371 kWh per kW and each utility’s EIA 12-month price with its fixed charge taken out.
  2. Focus on Energy: Solar for Homes$600 per kW up to $2,400, 60 days, January 31, 2027, reservation step, roof and size rules, 8 to 10 weeks. Read October 14, 2026.
  3. Focus on Energy: 2026 solar electric rebate applicationSystems bought and placed into operation January 1 to December 31, 2026. Read September 30, 2026.
  4. Focus on Energy: 2026 online application form pageStill showed August 31, 2026. Read September 30, 2026.
  5. Focus on Energy: participating utilitiesMGE, We Energies, WPS, Alliant and Xcel listed. Read October 14, 2026.
  6. MGE: Schedule Rg-16.255¢ distribution plus 12.178¢ electricity service from January 1, 2026. Read September 30, 2026.
  7. MGE: Schedule Pg-2, net meteringCredit at the customer’s energy rate, 100 kW AC, 12-month net seller test, $100 check. Read September 30, 2026.
  8. MGE: electric rate book, Sheet E-2.2.0Net seller buyback 4.459¢ plus 0.915¢ = 5.374¢. Read September 30, 2026.
  9. MGE: Shared SolarAbout 1¢ to 1.5¢ per kWh above the residential rate. Read September 30, 2026.
  10. Xcel Energy: Wisconsin distributed generation tariff sheet (2024)Pg-1 monthly kWh banking up to 100 kW AC, year-end payout at Pg-2B prices. Read September 30, 2026.
  11. Northern States Power, Wisconsin Electric Rate Book, Schedules Pg-1 and Pg-2BYear-end price of about 3.63¢ for 2026, from EcoGen’s October 6, 2026 tariff review.
  12. We Energies: Rate Schedule CGS NM3.636¢ from January 1, 2026, systems under 300 kW. Read September 30, 2026.
  13. We Energies: 2026 customer generation rates$0.05951 a day generation charge, $100 check threshold, January 1 reset. Read September 30, 2026.
  14. Wisconsin Public Service: Schedule PG-43.584¢ from January 1, 2026, 20 kW limit, $100 payment, January 1 update. Read September 30, 2026.
  15. Alliant Energy: Wisconsin customer interconnection4.254¢ average cash-out as of January 1, 2026, 20 kW AC. Read September 30, 2026.
  16. Wisconsin Department of Revenue: Form PR-303Energy system exemption request, due March 1; cites Wis. Stat. 70.111(18). Read October 1, 2026.
  17. Wisconsin Department of Revenue: Publication 200Sales tax exemption for solar products of at least 200 watts AC; batteries not covered. Read October 1, 2026.
  18. Wisconsin Department of Revenue: 2025 Schedule CRNo income tax credit for home solar. Read October 1, 2026.
  19. IRS: Residential Clean Energy CreditNo credit for property placed in service after December 31, 2025. Read September 30, 2026.
  20. Summit Credit Union: energy loans (Milwaukee Shines)$1,000 to $25,000. Read September 29, 2026.
  21. U.S. EIA: average residential price by state18.79¢, 12 months September 2025 to August 2026.
  22. 2025 Annual Technology Baseline: residential PVOwner costs of $29.83 per kW a year. Not counted in our paybacks.
  23. Berkeley Lab: solar self-consumption research (2022)Home-use research. Our paybacks use Wisconsin’s export share as reported to EIA instead.
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