Missouri Solar Incentives, Net Metering & Cost Guide (2026)
Written by Aditya Patil · Last updated 2026-09-24
Navigating solar in Missouri can be tricky. With rising utility rates, solar remains a compelling option for reducing your electric bill, but the lack of strong state-level incentives and lower "avoided-cost" net metering rates mean system sizing and battery storage play a crucial role in your overall savings.
$180
Avg. monthly bill
16.22¢/kWh
Avg. rate
+24.7%
Rate increase (12 mo)
Cost of solar in Missouri
Currently, we don't have sufficient public, verified state-level data to confidently cite a median installed cost per watt for residential solar in Missouri. However, the federal residential clean energy credit (often referred to as the federal solar tax credit) can still offset 30% of your total system cost through 2032.
To estimate costs and potential savings for your specific home and usage, use our solar calculator.
Incentives & rebates
Missouri historically had a few state-level solar incentives, but these have either been phased out or struck down. The primary financial incentive for Missouri homeowners going solar today is the federal tax credit. Below are the historical state programs and their current status:
| Program | Amount | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Solar Energy System Property Tax Exemption (RSMo 137.100(10)) -- ruled unconstitutional, no longer available | RSMo 137.100(10) formerly exempted "solar energy systems not held for resale" from state, county, and local property tax entirely. The Missouri Supreme Court struck this exemption down as unconstitutional under Article X, Section 6 of the Missouri Constitution (which limits property-tax exemptions to categories specifically enumerated in the state constitution) in a 2022 decision widely reported as the "Springfield Solar" case. The statutory text remains on the books but is unenforceable, so homeowners and installers should NOT rely on a state property-tax exemption for solar in Missouri going into 2026. | closed |
| Renewable Energy Standard Solar Rebate (Ameren Missouri / Evergy Missouri Metro & West) -- phased out, now $0/watt | Missouri's voter-approved Renewable Energy Standard (Proposition C, 2008; codified at RSMo 393.1030) required investor-owned utilities to rebate customers who installed grid-tied solar PV up to 25 kW-DC, at a per-watt rate that stepped down over time: $2.00/watt through June 30, 2014; $1.50/watt through June 30, 2015; $1.00/watt through June 30, 2016; $0.50/watt from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2019; $0.25/watt from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020; and $0.00/watt for systems operational after June 30, 2020. Because the rate has been $0/watt since mid-2020, this statutory rebate is effectively closed for any system installed since then, even though the underlying statutory rebate mechanism itself was never formally repealed. | closed |
Net metering / export rules
Missouri’s Net Metering and Easy Connection Act mandates that most electric utilities (including investor-owned, municipal, and rural cooperatives) offer net metering for renewable systems up to 100 kW. However, the compensation structure isn't 1:1 full-retail net metering.
When your solar panels produce more electricity than your home is using, the excess is sent to the grid and credited to your next bill. Crucially, this excess is credited at the utility's "avoided cost" rate. Avoided cost is roughly equivalent to the wholesale rate of electricity—what the utility would pay to generate that power itself or buy it on the open market—which is substantially lower than the retail rate you pay to consume power.
| Policy Type | Avoided-cost net metering (Not full 1:1 retail) |
| System Size Limit | Up to 100 kW |
| Credit Rollover | Credits expire after 12 months with no cash payout |
| Enrollment Cap | Utility capacity capped at 5% of prior-year peak load |
If you have a large solar array, any accumulated credits expire after 12 months (or upon disconnection) without a cash payout. Additionally, utilities are only required to accept new net metering customers until their total interconnected net-metering capacity reaches 5% of their peak load from the previous year.
Top utilities
| Utility | Residential rate | Customers |
|---|---|---|
| Union Electric Co - (MO) | 12.56¢/kWh | 1,095,619 |
| Evergy Missouri West | 12.55¢/kWh | 305,583 |
| Evergy Metro | 13.72¢/kWh | 273,860 |
Battery programs
Because of Missouri's avoided-cost net metering policy, adding a battery to store your excess solar energy for evening use is generally a smart financial move. Some utility programs can sweeten the deal:
Evergy Battery Storage Program (residential pilot)
Evergy installs and retains ownership of a free 16 kWh home battery (Evergy states a roughly $18,000 value) at qualifying customers' homes across its Evergy Missouri Metro and Evergy Missouri West territory (as well as in Kansas), in exchange for a $10/month program fee and Evergy's ability to dispatch/control the battery for grid support. Eligibility requires being an Evergy residential customer on a time-based rate plan, owning the home, having reliable Wi-Fi/cellular service, and an account in good standing with no disconnect notices in the prior 12 months. Evergy describes this as a multi-year pilot running through 2026; at the end of the pilot term, participants can keep the battery under a data-sharing agreement (with potential future compensation for grid-emergency support), buy it at depreciated value, or have it removed. This is a utility-run storage pilot, not a state-mandated program, and GoSolarIndex could not independently confirm the pilot's enrollment cap or exact end date beyond "through 2026."
Program detailsFAQ
Does Missouri have a solar property tax exemption?
No. While a statute for a property tax exemption technically remains on the books, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional in 2022. Homeowners should not factor a state property tax exemption into their solar return on investment.
What is the solar rebate from Ameren and Evergy?
The state Renewable Energy Standard previously mandated a per-watt solar rebate for investor-owned utilities like Ameren and Evergy. However, the step-down schedule officially reached $0.00/watt in mid-2020. Unless the law is changed, there is no longer a statutory utility rebate for new residential solar installations in Missouri.
How does net metering work in Missouri?
Missouri law requires most utilities to offer net metering, but they compensate excess energy at an "avoided cost" rate, which is a wholesale-like rate much lower than the retail price you pay for power. Credits roll over but expire without a cash payout after 12 months. Because export rates are low, adding a home battery can often provide better financial returns than sending power back to the grid.
Data sources
Last updated 2026-09-24
- U.S. Energy Information Administration — Electricity Data Browser — accessed 2026-09-24
- NREL PVWatts — accessed 2026-09-24
- NREL Solar Resource Data — accessed 2026-09-24
- LBNL Tracking the Sun (public data file, host-owned residential systems) — accessed 2026-09-24
Written by Aditya Patil