The 50 States of Solar: States Tackle Energy Affordability Through Access to Plug-In, Rooftop, and Community Solar in Q1 2026
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Raleigh, NC – (April 15, 2026) The N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) released its Q1 2026 edition of The 50 States of Solar. The quarterly series provides insights on state regulatory and legislative discussions and actions on distributed solar policy, with a focus on net metering, distributed solar valuation, interconnection rules, community solar, residential fixed charges, residential demand and solar charges, financial incentives, and third-party ownership.
The report finds that 44 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, took some type of distributed solar policy action during Q1 2026 (see figure below), with the greatest number of actions continuing to address net metering policies (61), interconnection rules (51), and community solar policies (46). A total of 253 distributed solar policy actions were taken during Q1 2026, with the most actions taken in New Jersey, Virginia, New Hampshire, Maryland, Connecticut, Kentucky, Maine, and Minnesota.
Q1 2026 Policy Action on Net Metering, Rate Design, and Solar Ownership
The report identifies three trends in solar policy activity taken in Q1 2026: (1) legislators paving the way for plug-in solar, (2) states and utilities considering flexible interconnection for distributed generation, and (3) policymakers and regulators targeting residential energy affordability through solar.
“Following Germany’s balcony solar boom, multiple state legislatures across the country have taken notice, introducing measures to expand access to plug-in solar systems,” observed Justin Lindemann, Project Manager at NCCETC. “These efforts aim to offer households in the U.S. – especially renters and multifamily residents – an alternative opportunity to bypass onerous interconnection requirements and offset part of their electricity consumption, as such systems have done in Europe.”
The report notes the top five distributed solar policy actions of Q1 2026:
- The Governor of Rhode Island ordering a review of the state’s net metering and solar incentive program;
- Virginia policymakers advancing distributed solar legislation;
- The First Appellate District Court of Appeals upholding Net Metering 3.0 in California;
- The Governor of New Jersey speeding up community and non-residential solar installations; and
- Connecticut regulators releasing a study on net metering and community solar successor programs.
“With affordability remaining a key issue in U.S. politics, policymakers in several states sought to leverage solar programs to reduce residential energy costs,” noted Caitlin Flanagan, Policy Analyst at NCCETC. “State actors proposed, revised, or approved rooftop solar incentives and community solar programs to increase access, guarantee savings, and more narrowly focus on benefitting low-income residents.”
View the 50 States of Solar Q1 2026 Quarterly Report Executive Summary
View and Purchase the 50 States of Solar Q1 2026 Quarterly Report
ABOUT THE NC CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY CENTER
The NC Clean Energy Technology Center, as part of the College of Engineering at North Carolina State University, advances a sustainable energy economy by educating, demonstrating and providing support for clean energy technologies, practices and policies. It serves as a resource for innovative, sustainable energy technologies through technology demonstration, technical assistance, outreach and training. For more information about the Center, visit: http://www.nccleantech.
Media Contact: Shannon Helm, NCCETC, shannon_helm@ncsu.edu