Is there a federal tax credit for solar with TECO?

No. The federal residential clean energy credit does not apply to installs in 2026 or later, so none is applied. Whether solar pays back with TECO depends on your rates, your usage, your roof and your installer’s price.

How does TECO credit the solar I send to the grid?

Florida uses retail net metering. In our model each kilowatt-hour your panels make offsets one you would buy from TECO, and credit left over at the end of the year counts as worth nothing. Confirm TECO’s current terms with your installer.

Will a battery shorten my payback with TECO?

In our Florida model a battery adds cost but no extra bill savings, because net metering already credits solar you send to the grid, so it lengthens payback. Homeowners add one mainly for backup power during outages.

How are the worked examples calculated?

They come from the same calculator engine as the Florida and California calculators, using the rates, costs and assumptions listed on the methodology page, the sun at a Brandon ZIP code, and illustrative bills rather than TECO averages. Your home will differ.

Where do the TECO rates come from?

From TECO’s published RS residential tariff information, read on 2026-10-25. The methodology page lists every source. Rates change, so check your latest bill.

Is solar worth it with TECO in 2026? (No federal tax credit)

The federal residential solar credit has ended for 2026 installs, so payback on Tampa Electric (TECO) rates depends on the rates themselves, how your home uses power and what an installer charges. This page shows how TECO bills and credits solar, and worked examples from the same engine as our Florida calculator.

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A typical TECO home at a glance

Solar only, a $250 monthly bill, no federal tax credit. From the worked examples below.

Installed cost of a 12.7 kW system

Low estimate: $31,700 or less
Likely: $39,300
High estimate: $47,600 or more

By our estimates, a quote below the low end is a good price; above the high end, ask the installer why. Curve shape is illustrative.

Years to pay back

Best case: 10.5 yrs
Likely: 12.5 yrs
Worst case: 15 yrs

Best case: low installed price, high rate increases. Worst case: the reverse. Curve shape is illustrative.

How TECO bills and credits solar

TECO residential rate schedule: RS. Energy is billed in tiers, so each extra kilowatt-hour solar replaces is worth the rate of the tier it would have been billed in.

Tampa Electric (TECO): rates used in our model
Item	Rate
First 1000 kWh/month	$0.139/kWh
Over 1000 kWh/month	$0.159/kWh
Fixed monthly charge	$13.69

How the energy rate is built

All-in rate = energy charge + fuel charge + storm protection charge + clean energy transition mechanism. Read on 2026-10-25 from Tampa Electric's current Tariff Section 6: Sheet 6.030 (RS energy and demand charge 8.948 / 9.948 cents/kWh up to / over 1,000 kWh, effective January 1, 2026), Sheet 6.020 (fuel 3.210 / 4.210; capacity 0.264; environmental 0.087; recovery period January through December 2026), Sheet 6.021 (energy conservation 0.270; storm protection plan 0.717) and Sheet 6.025 (clean energy transition 0.406). The energy charge printed in the January 2026 insert (9.569 / 10.569) equals sheet 6.030 energy 8.948 / 9.948 plus conservation + capacity + environmental (0.270 + 0.264 + 0.087 = 0.621). All-in = 9.569 + 3.210 + 0.717 + 0.406 = 13.902 and 10.569 + 4.210 + 0.717 + 0.406 = 15.902 cents/kWh. The posted fuel factors cover all of 2026, so no fuel change since January 2026 was found. Storm Surcharge Sheet 6.024 (date effective August 1, 2026) now shows no charge, so the surcharge has ended and is excluded. Taxes and franchise fees are not included.

Florida uses retail net metering. In our model, each kilowatt-hour your panels make offsets one you would otherwise buy from TECO, priced through its tiered rates month by month.

TECO’s minimum monthly bill is still being verified. The fixed monthly charge also still applies. Solar banked but unused at the end of the year is counted as worth nothing in our model, and net-metering rules can change, so ask your installer for TECO’s current terms.

Rate data read on 2026-10-25. Tariff source. Every source is listed on the methodology page.

Worked examples on TECO rates

These use illustrative monthly bills, not TECO averages, for a home at a Brandon ZIP code (33511) with some shade, and no federal tax credit. Ranges are low to high, with the likely value for payback. Your home will differ.

$150 a month Solar only
Installed cost
$19,300–$28,900
Year-1 savings
$1,500–$1,600
Payback (years)
11–16 (likely 13)
$150 a month Solar + 1 battery
Installed cost
$31,700–$44,000
Year-1 savings
$1,500–$1,600
Payback (years)
16–23 (likely 19)
$250 a month Solar only
Installed cost
$31,700–$47,600
Year-1 savings
$2,600–$2,800
Payback (years)
10.5–15 (likely 12.5)
$250 a month Solar + 1 battery
Installed cost
$44,100–$62,700
Year-1 savings
$2,600–$2,800
Payback (years)
13.5–19.5 (likely 16)
$350 a month Solar only
Installed cost
$39,500–$53,500
Year-1 savings
$3,300
Payback (years)
10–14.5 (likely 12)
$350 a month Solar + 1 battery
Installed cost
$51,900–$68,600
Year-1 savings
$3,300
Payback (years)
12.5–18 (likely 15)

Monthly bill	Option	System size	Installed cost	Year-1 savings	Payback (years)
$150	Solar only	7.3 kW–8.1 kW	$19,300–$28,900	$1,500–$1,600	11–16 (likely 13)
$150	Solar + 1 battery	7.3 kW–8.1 kW	$31,700–$44,000	$1,500–$1,600	16–23 (likely 19)
$250	Solar only	12 kW–13.3 kW	$31,700–$47,600	$2,600–$2,800	10.5–15 (likely 12.5)
$250	Solar + 1 battery	12 kW–13.3 kW	$44,100–$62,700	$2,600–$2,800	13.5–19.5 (likely 16)
$350	Solar only	15 kW	$39,500–$53,500	$3,300	10–14.5 (likely 12)
$350	Solar + 1 battery	15 kW	$51,900–$68,600	$3,300	12.5–18 (likely 15)

Payback “more than 25” means it did not pay back within the 25-year analysis period. Estimates, not quotes; installer prices and your usage will differ.

What changes your number

Your bill and usage. Higher use means a bigger system and more bill to offset.
Shade and roof direction. Less sun on the panels means less energy for the same cost.
Installer price. Quotes vary; compare at least a few on the same system size.
Rate changes. If TECO’s rates rise faster or slower than we assume, savings move with them.
Credit rules. Net metering or export credit rules can change, and they affect how solar sent to the grid is valued.
A battery. It adds cost and gives backup power; whether it also saves money depends on the rules above.
How you pay. Our estimates assume buying with cash and leave out financing costs, maintenance and equipment replacement.

See the numbers for your home

Enter your ZIP code and monthly bill to get a payback range for your own home, or compare free quotes from up to 3 installers.

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Frequently asked questions

Is there a federal tax credit for solar with TECO?: No. The federal residential clean energy credit does not apply to installs in 2026 or later, so none is applied. Whether solar pays back with TECO depends on your rates, your usage, your roof and your installer’s price.
How does TECO credit the solar I send to the grid?: Florida uses retail net metering. In our model each kilowatt-hour your panels make offsets one you would buy from TECO, and credit left over at the end of the year counts as worth nothing. Confirm TECO’s current terms with your installer.
Will a battery shorten my payback with TECO?: In our Florida model a battery adds cost but no extra bill savings, because net metering already credits solar you send to the grid, so it lengthens payback. Homeowners add one mainly for backup power during outages.
How are the worked examples calculated?: They come from the same calculator engine as the Florida and California calculators, using the rates, costs and assumptions listed on the methodology page, the sun at a Brandon ZIP code, and illustrative bills rather than TECO averages. Your home will differ.
Where do the TECO rates come from?: From TECO’s published RS residential tariff information, read on 2026-10-25. The methodology page lists every source. Rates change, so check your latest bill.