Solar Cost-Benefit Studies
Many states have commissioned specific cost-benefit studies on the value of solar and renewable energy. This page includes links to various studies across the country.
Solar Meta-studies
- Distributed Generation: Cost Analyses
- Solar Fact sheet - The Climate Reality Project
- Assessing the Value of Distributed Solar - Yale Center For Business and Environment
- Transitioning to Renewables: A cost-benefit Analysis of Solar Energy
- Distributed Generation Valuation and Compensation - U.S. Department of Energy
- Rooftop Solar: Net Metering is a Net Benefit - Brookings - 2016
- Shining Rewards: The Value of Rooftop Solar Power for Consumers and Society - Environment America & Frontier Group - 2016
State Solar Cost-Benefit Analyses
Arizona
- The Benefits and Costs of Solar Distributed Generation for Arizona Public Service - 2016
- The Benefits and Costs of Distributed Generation for Arizona Public Service - 2013
- 2013 Updated Solar PV Value Report - 2013
- Distributed Renewable Energy Operating Impacts and Valuation Study - 2009
Arkansas
California
- Benefit Cost Analysis of Solar Power over On-Grid Electricity for Residential Systems - 2016
- California Net Energy Metering Ratepayer Impacts Evaluation - 2013
- Evaluating the Benefits and Costs of Net Energy Metering in California - 2013
- Technical Potential for Local Distributed Photovoltaics in California, Preliminary Assessment - 2012
- California Solar Initiative Cost-Effectiveness Evaluation - 2011
- Quantifying the Benefits of Solar Power for California - 2005
- The Impact of Rate Design and Net Metering on the Bill Savings from Distributed PV for Residential Customers in California - 2010
Colorado
Florida
Georgia
- Testimony before the Georgia Public Service Commission re: Georgia Power Company's Application for its 2013 Integrated Resource Plan
- A Framework for Determining The Costs and Benefits of Renewable Resources in Georgia - 2017
Hawaii
Iowa
Louisiana
Massachussetts
- Value of Distributed Generation-Solar PV in MA - 2015
- Massachusetts Net Metering and Solar Task Force Final Report to the Legislature - 2015
Maine
Michigan
- Solar Energy in Michigan: The Economic Impact of Distributed Generation on Non-Solar Customers - 2017
- CPR PV Valuation Methodology for Michigan - 2016
- NREL White Paper: The Value of Grid-Connected Photovoltaics in Michigan - 2012
Mississippi
North Carolina
- Let The Sun Shine: A Solar PV Case Study
- The Benefits and Costs of Solar Generation for Electric Ratepayers in North Carolina - 2013
Nevada
- The Impacts of Changes to Nevada's Net Metering Policy on the Financial Performance and Adoption of Distributed PV
- Nevada Net Energy Metering Impacts Evaluation - 2014
New Jersey & Pennsylvania
New York
- New York Solar Study: An Analysis of the Benefits and Costs of Increasing Generation From Photovoltaic Devices in New York - 2012
- Energy and Capacity Valuation of Photovoltaic Power Generation in New York - 2008
South Carolina
Texas
- 2014 Value of Solar Executive Summary - 2014
- The Value of Distributed Solar Electric Generation to San Antonio - 2013
- The Value of Distributed Photovoltaics to Austin Energy and the City of Austin - 2006
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Wisconsin
Other Value of Solar and Related Studies
- Changes in the Economic Value of Variable Generation at High Penetration Levels: A Pilot Case Study of California - 2012
- Designing Austin Energy's Solar Tariff Using a Distributed PV Calculator - 2012
- LBNL Putting the Potential Rate Impacts of Distributed Solar into Context - 2017
- Minnesota “Value of Solar” Methodology - 2014
- Value of Distributed Generation - Solar PV in RI - 2015
- New York Public Service Commission - Order Establishing A Benefit Analysis Cost Framework