Commercial · 2026
What commercial solar costs and saves in Louisiana this year — built on the state's real 12.23¢/kWh rate and hourly / avoided-cost rules.
Avg electricity rate
12.23¢/kWh
Net metering
Hourly / avoided-cost
Federal status
48E applies
Verified 2026-06-26 · source
In Louisiana, the average commercial electricity rate is about 12.23¢/kWh — below the U.S. average of roughly 17.6¢. Because a solar system's payback is driven mostly by the utility rate it offsets, Louisiana's low rates make business solar a longer-term play that hinges on incentives and rising rates in 2026.
Louisiana credits exports at an hourly or avoided-cost rate rather than full retail, so self-consumption and batteries matter more than maximizing export.
Businesses use the Section 48E commercial credit (≈30%, up to ~50% with adders) plus first-year bonus depreciation — together typically recovering ~45–55% of project cost. Construction-start timing matters; verify before acting.
For a typical Louisiana business spending about $1,500/month on electricity, our model estimates a 105.13 kW system costing roughly $152,464 after incentives, paying back in about 8.5 years, with on the order of $297,545 in 25-year savings. These are estimates built from Louisiana's real electricity rate — get a quote to confirm your numbers.
Businesses in Louisiana should weigh construction-start timing for the commercial credit and confirm whether the project qualifies for the domestic-content or energy-community adders, which can lift the credit toward 50%.
Estimates only — not tax, financial, or legal advice. Verify all incentives and savings with a qualified professional before acting.
Yes — Louisiana businesses use the commercial pathway: the Section 48E credit (≈30%, up to ~50% with domestic-content and energy-community adders) plus first-year bonus depreciation.
Louisiana uses hourly / avoided-cost crediting. That affects how the power you export is credited and, in turn, your payback — full retail-rate crediting is most favorable, while net billing makes pairing solar with a battery more attractive.
At about 12.23¢/kWh, Louisiana's commercial electricity rate makes a longer-term case for solar economics in 2026. Run your address through the calculator above for a source-backed estimate of system size, net cost, and payback.
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