Missouri Solar Calculator 2026
Estimate your solar savings under Missouri's Net Metering and Easy Connection Act — with utility-specific details for Ameren Missouri and Evergy.
Estimate Your Solar Savings
Find out how much you can save based on your location and current energy usage.
Missouri Net Metering: Unusually Broad Coverage
Missouri's Net Metering and Easy Connection Act (2007) stands out nationally because it requires every Missouri electric utility to offer net metering and free grid interconnection for systems up to 100 kW. That includes investor-owned utilities like Ameren Missouri and Evergy — but also rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities. In many states, co-ops and municipal utilities are entirely exempt from net metering mandates, leaving rural residents without the same protections. Missouri's law is more protective than average in this regard.
For systems 10 kW or smaller — which covers the vast majority of residential rooftop installations — the law also mandates a simplified single-document application process. This reduces interconnection friction significantly compared to states with complex multi-step utility approval processes.
Evergy vs. Ameren Missouri: Compensation Differs
While both major investor-owned utilities must offer net metering, how they compensate surplus energy differs in a practically important way:
Evergy (Kansas City area)
- True 1:1 net metering at full retail rate year-round
- Approximately $0.115–$0.125/kWh for residential
- Credits roll over monthly with no reduced-rate true-up
- Confirms terms with Evergy or Missouri PSC
Ameren Missouri (central/eastern MO)
- Retail-rate credits during the year with monthly rollover
- Annual true-up: unused surplus settled at avoided-cost rate (~5.39¢/kWh summer, ~3.92¢/kWh winter per Ameren tariff)
- Practical implication: size your system so annual output roughly matches annual consumption to avoid surplus forfeited at low rates
- Confirm current tariff rates directly with Ameren or Missouri PSC
Other utilities — Liberty Utilities, Columbia Water & Light, municipal utilities, and rural electric cooperatives — are also required to offer net metering under the Act, but specific compensation structures vary. Contact your own utility to confirm exact credit rates and true-up terms before installation.
Missouri Solar Incentives: What's Real in 2026
Federal Tax Credit: Expired
The 30% federal residential solar tax credit (Section 25D) expired December 31, 2025 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. It does not apply to any system installed in 2026 or later. Do not let any installer or sales representative tell you otherwise.
Property Tax Exemption — Active
Missouri exempts the added home value from a solar installation from property tax assessment. Installing solar should not increase your property tax bill. The exact dollar impact depends on your county's mill levy rate and your home's assessed value — contact your local county assessor for specifics.
Ameren Missouri Rebate — Verify Status Before Counting On It
Ameren Missouri has historically offered a solar rebate cited at roughly $250–$500 per kW in past program years. However, sources conflict on whether this program is still funded and accepting applications in 2026. Do not factor this rebate into your financial projections before verifying directly with Ameren Missouri that the program is currently open and funded.
Sales Tax — No Blanket Exemption; Ask Your Installer
Missouri does not have a blanket statewide sales tax exemption on solar equipment. Depending on how an installation contract is structured, the tax treatment can sometimes vary. Do not assume an exemption applies to your purchase. Ask your installer and the Missouri Department of Revenue about how your specific contract will be treated before signing.
State Income Tax Credit — None
Missouri does not have a dedicated state income tax credit for residential solar installations. Do not assume any state-level income tax reduction beyond what federal law provided (which expired at end of 2025).
Missouri Solar Economics: Rates and Sun
Missouri's average residential electricity rate is roughly 13–14 cents per kWh — meaningfully below the national average of about 18.8 cents/kWh. A lower retail rate means each kilowatt-hour of solar production saves you somewhat less in dollar terms than it would in a high-rate state like California or Hawaii. That said, Missouri's unusually broad statewide net metering law — covering co-ops and municipal utilities, not just investor-owned utilities — helps offset the rate disadvantage by ensuring solar owners can access full retail-rate credit for every exported kWh during the billing period.
Missouri gets solid solar exposure: roughly 4.5–5.0 peak sun hours per day on average statewide. Kansas City tends to perform near the higher end of that range (approximately 4.8–5.0 hours/day) because the western part of the state sees fewer overcast days than areas near the Mississippi River in eastern Missouri. These are regional averages — your specific site's shading, roof orientation, tilt, and local microclimate will affect actual energy production.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about solar incentives, costs, and savings.
DISCLAIMER: All estimates are approximations based on regional averages. Actual savings vary by location, roof orientation, utility provider, and installer. This calculator does not guarantee specific savings.