Electricity plans in Keller can be complicated, and that directly impacts solar savings. Because Texas lacks a statewide net metering mandate, the value of surplus solar energy you send to the grid depends entirely on your retail electricity provider's (REP) buyback plan. Many plans offer very little for exported power, making it critical to use the energy you generate yourself. This guide breaks down the real-world economics for 2026.
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Estimated 2026 Solar Installation Costs in Keller
For a typical home in the Keller area, an 8.6 kW solar panel system is a common size to offset a significant portion of a monthly electric bill. The estimated installed cost for a system like this in early 2026 is around $21,500.
For homeowners wanting to maximize their solar energy use and add backup power, a hybrid system is an option. Pairing the 8.6 kW solar array with a 10 kWh battery increases the estimated total cost to $36,500. This setup allows you to store solar energy generated during the day for use at night.
Incentives & Tax Credits
Key Texas Solar Incentive for Homeowners
As of 2026, the 30% federal residential clean energy credit is no longer available for systems placed in service this year. However, Texas offers a powerful financial benefit that many other states don't: a 100% property tax exemption for the value added by a solar energy system.
When you install solar panels, you can file Form 50-123 with your appraisal district. This ensures that the thousands of dollars in value your system adds to your home won't increase your property tax bill. This exemption supports the long-term investment and can be a positive feature for resale appeal, as future buyers inherit the benefit of lower electricity bills without a corresponding tax penalty.
Net Metering: Address-specific utility or retail electricity plan
Limited Export Credit
Optional
Understanding Export Rates in the Texas Market
Keller is in a deregulated electricity market, which means there's no single rule for how you're compensated for extra solar power. Unlike states with "net metering," your REP is not required to buy your surplus energy at the full retail rate. Our model uses a conservative export rate of about $0.04 per kWh, which is 75% less than the retail purchase price. This highlights the importance of sizing a system to match your home's usage. The goal is self-consumption—using the power you generate to avoid buying it from the grid—as this provides the most significant savings.
Projected Savings
How Solar Panels Create Value on Your Electric Bill
With an average electricity rate of $0.16/kWh, the primary benefit of solar is avoiding that cost. By using your own solar power, an 8.6 kW system is modeled to save approximately $1,074 annually. This leads to an estimated payback period of about 17.5 years.
Adding a battery changes the equation. Instead of exporting surplus daytime energy for a low credit (modeled here at just $0.04/kWh), you can store it. Using that stored energy in the evening, when you'd otherwise buy from the grid, boosts the modeled annual savings to $1,664 and can shorten the payback period to 16.8 years. Solar also offers protection against rising utility costs; if grid electricity becomes more expensive over time, your savings will grow accordingly.