Free 2026 energy calculators
Every tool uses your own inputs and your state's real electricity rate. No sign-up, instant results, formulas shown.
Cost to run an appliance
What any appliance costs per hour, day, month and year — at your state's rate.
EV vs gas cost
Real yearly fuel savings on your miles and rate — federal EV credit set to $0.
Solar payback
Your 2026 payback and 25-year savings — with the federal credit correctly at $0.
More tools
Heat pump vs furnace
Yearly heating cost vs your gas, oil, or electric system — §25C now $0.
Battery sizing
How many kWh to back up your home — and the §48E battery angle.
Electricity rates by state
All 50 states ranked on real June-2026 EIA rates — free CSV download.
Or jump straight to a real-world number: what a refrigerator, dishwasher, washing machine, electric oven, gaming PC or pool pump actually costs to run at 2026 electricity rates — all 40 appliances ranked in the running-cost index. Rates drifting? The 24-month rate tracker shows your state against the US average — and the ZIP lookup narrows it to your own utility.
How to decide, in 3 steps
1 Get your payback
Put your bill and rate into the savings calculator — federal credit already $0.
2 Check your state
See your electricity rate, payback, and remaining incentives for your state.
3 Pick the right structure
Cash, loan, lease, or community solar — based on your numbers.
Watch: how do solar panels work?
A quick, plain-English explainer of the physics behind the panels on the roof.
Where solar still pays off fastest in 2026
Even with no federal credit, high-electricity states get the quickest payback — and the map makes the pattern obvious: it's about your rate, not your sunshine. Tap any state, or see the full 50-state payback ranking.
The six fastest-payback states:
| State | Rate | Est. payback |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 29.9¢/kWh | 7.9 yrs |
| Maine | 32.41¢/kWh | 8.0 yrs |
| Massachusetts | 30.49¢/kWh | 8.3 yrs |
| Rhode Island | 28.29¢/kWh | 8.5 yrs |
| Hawaii | 48¢/kWh | 8.6 yrs |
| New Jersey | 25.19¢/kWh | 9.2 yrs |
Sizing by the house instead? What solar costs for a 2,000 sq ft home — 15-22 panels, $21K-$27K, with a live size-by-state calculator.
Guides built for the 2026 reality
Is solar worth it in 2026?
The honest math now that the federal credit is gone.
Can you still get 30%?
The lease/PPA truth — who actually keeps the credit.
Payback by state
All 50 states ranked, recomputed with $0 credit.
Federal tax credit in 2026
What ended, who can still claim it, what's left.
California NEM 3.0
Why net billing makes a battery the new default.
Net metering, explained
The rule that now decides your payback.
From the blog
Solar Panels for a 2,000 Sq Ft House: 15-22 Panels, $21K-$27K
Aug 14, 2026
DataCheapest vs. Priciest Electricity States and Solar Payback
Aug 13, 2026
CostSolar Cost Per Watt 2026: Quoted vs Paid — Why They Differ
Aug 12, 2026
Solar in 2026: quick answers
What energy tax credits are left in 2026?
Most federal ones ended in 2025. Home solar and battery (§25D), new and used EV (§30D/§25E), and heat-pump/efficiency (§25C) credits are gone for 2026 buyers. What remains: the commercial §48E credit (reaching homeowners only via leased/PPA solar and standalone batteries) and residential solar income-tax credits in six states (AZ, HI, MA, NM, NY, SC). The EV-charger credit (§30C) ended June 30, 2026 — only chargers already in service by that date can still be claimed.
Is there still a 30% solar tax credit in 2026?
Not for cash or loan buyers — the residential §25D credit ended December 31, 2025, so a 2026 purchase gets $0. Only a lease or PPA, where a third party owns the system and claims the commercial §48E credit, still reaches roughly 30%. That window is finite but not as simple as often stated: the end-2027 in-service deadline applies only to projects beginning construction after July 4, 2026.
How much does it cost to run an appliance?
Cost = watts ÷ 1,000 × hours used × your rate per kWh. A 1,500W space heater for 8 hours at 17¢/kWh costs about $2.04 a day. Use the free electricity cost calculator to run your own appliance, hours, and state rate.
Is it cheaper to drive an EV than gas in 2026?
Usually on fuel — home charging is often a third to a quarter the per-mile cost of gasoline — but it depends on your electricity rate, and there's no federal EV credit in 2026. The EV vs gas calculator shows your real yearly saving from your own numbers.
What electricity rate should I use?
The rate on your utility bill (cents per kWh) is most accurate. The US average is about 17¢/kWh, the EIA 2025 annual US average (July 2026 monthly: 18.31¢), ranging from ~13¢ (Nevada, Utah) to about 53¢ (Hawaii). Every calculator here can quick-fill your state's EIA average.