Solar Incentives and Rebates in Delaware (2026): Green Energy Program Grants, Battery Rebates and More

Solar incentives in Delaware center on the state's Green Energy Program, which gives grants toward the cost of a home solar system, and on net metering, which credits the power you send to the grid. In August 2026 the state added a rebate of up to $6,000 for batteries installed with solar in Delmarva Power territory. Below is what is available as of November 2026, who qualifies and how to apply.

• DNREC's Green Energy Program grants are for Delmarva Power customers; Delaware Electric Cooperative and the DEMEC city utilities run their own rebates with different amounts.
• A new Solar + Storage Pilot, effective August 11, 2026, pays Delmarva residential customers $250 per kWh of battery capacity, up to $6,000.
• Delmarva grant recipients must sign their solar renewable energy credits (SRECs) over to the Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility.
• A 2025 law requires net metering credits to carry over from year to year, and a 2026 law removed the 8% cap on net metering.
• The federal 30% residential clean energy credit is not allowed for expenditures made after December 31, 2025, so Delaware homes finishing solar after that date do not qualify.

Delaware solar incentives at a glance

The Delmarva figure is the residential rate DNREC set in a December 2020 announcement, effective January 1, 2021; EnergySage still listed the same amount in January 2026. The co-op and Newark figures come from EnergySage's January 2026 guide. We could not open DNREC's current rate sheet, and funding has annual limits, so confirm current amounts with DNREC or your utility before you sign.

The Delaware Green Energy Program for solar

The Green Energy Program has run since 1999. It is managed by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and funded by a public benefits charge on Delmarva Power bills of $0.000356 per kWh. Grants help offset the installed cost of solar, solar water heating, wind and geothermal systems. DNREC's program page says its grants are open only to Delmarva Power customers.

Delaware Electric Cooperative and the Delaware Municipal Electric Corporation (DEMEC) run their own versions with their own amounts. EnergySage reported that customers of the Dover, New Castle, Clayton, Lewes, Middletown, Milford, Smyrna and Seaford municipal utilities were not eligible as of January 2026. If you live in one of those towns, check with your utility before you count on a grant.

How to apply

1. Get an acceptable home energy audit.
2. Choose a contractor on the program's approved list. Systems from contractors not on the list are not eligible.
3. Have the application filed through the Green Grant Delaware online system with all attachments. DNREC does not review incomplete applications.
4. For Delmarva grants, sign your SRECs over to the Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility.
5. Register as an eSupplier with the state's Division of Accounting so you can be paid.

DNREC warns that payments may be queued after approval when demand is high. Ask your installer how long recent grants have taken to arrive.

New for 2026: Delaware's solar and battery rebate

On August 10, 2026, DNREC announced a Solar + Storage Pilot, along with new nonresidential rebates. For homes, the pilot pays $250 per kWh of battery capacity, up to $6,000, effective August 11, 2026, and the grant cannot exceed 50% of eligible storage costs. The rules include:

• You must be a Delmarva Power customer and own the battery, installed permanently behind the meter.
• The battery must be enrolled with Delmarva in an active dispatch program for 10 years once that program is available.
• It must be able to power your home during an outage and carry at least a 10-year warranty.
• If you already have solar, it must have been approved for interconnection within the last 12 months and approved for a Green Energy Program rebate.

DNREC also added rebates of up to $100,000 for solar canopies and for solar on certified brownfields. Those are nonresidential programs.

Low-income solar help and SRECs in Delaware

DNREC runs a Low- to Moderate-Income Solar Program that can provide potentially free or reduced-cost systems for qualifying households. EnergySage's January 2026 guide described it as a free 4 kW system for low-income households and 70% off a system up to 6 kW for moderate-income households. Contact DNREC for current terms and income limits.

If you keep your SRECs (for example, if your utility's grant does not require you to sign them over), you can bid them into the SREC Delaware Procurement Program, which Energize Delaware (the Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility) runs for Delmarva. Prices are set through competitive bidding in tiers based on size, interconnection date and ownership, and the lowest bids win multi-year contracts. Systems built with Delaware labor or Delaware-made parts can earn a 10% SREC bonus for each, or 20% for both.

Net metering as a Delaware solar incentive

Net metering is available under the same state law (26 Del. C. 1014) for Delmarva, the co-op and city utilities. Residential systems can be up to 25 kW and sized to produce no more than 110% of your expected use. Two recent laws matter:

• SB 175 (signed July 16, 2025) requires utilities to carry over unused credits instead of letting them revert to the utility at the end of each year. Utilities have until December 1, 2026, to update their billing systems.
• SB 239 (signed June 10, 2026) removed the 8% cap that allowed utilities to stop offering net metering once enough customer solar was connected. Spotlight Delaware reported that the bill keeps an exception letting utilities reject surplus power if panels collectively produce too much.

Read our full guide to net metering in Delaware for how credits are valued.

Questions to ask before you apply for Delaware solar incentives

Delaware's incentives come with conditions that are easy to miss. Before you sign a contract, ask your installer:

• Which utility serves my address? Delmarva, the co-op and each city utility have different grant amounts, and EnergySage reported in January 2026 that several city utilities (Dover, New Castle, Clayton, Lewes, Middletown, Milford, Smyrna and Seaford) do not offer them.
• Is the grant reserved, or just estimated? Program funds have yearly limits. A quote that subtracts a grant before approval may overstate your savings.
• Who gets the SRECs? Delmarva grant recipients sign SRECs over to the Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility, so you cannot sell them separately. Make sure the quote does not count SREC income you will not receive.
• Is the contractor on the approved list? DNREC will not fund systems from contractors who are not listed.
• Does the battery meet pilot rules? To get the storage rebate, the battery must island during outages, carry a 10-year warranty and stay in a dispatch program for 10 years.

Comparing several written quotes helps you spot gaps. Our guide on how to compare solar quotes side by side lists what to line up.

Federal tax credit status for Delaware solar

IRS guidance is clear that the residential clean energy credit is unavailable for any expenditures made after December 31, 2025. Its August 2025 guidance says a solar expenditure counts as made when installation is complete, so a home system finished in 2026 does not earn the old 30% credit. Some quotes may still show it, so ask for numbers without it. Our article on solar savings without the federal tax credit shows how to adjust.

Is solar worth it in Delaware in 2026?

With the federal credit gone, the state grant and net metering do most of the work. Credit carryover, which utilities must have in place by December 1, 2026, helps if you produce more than you use in summer. Your electricity rate matters most, so check our Delaware electricity rates page, and see expected output on our Delaware solar panels page.

Next steps

Confirm your utility's current grant amount with DNREC, then collect quotes from approved contractors. Check each offer with our solar quote checker before you sign.