The rate
Austin Energy's Value of Solar page, dated 2026-10-01, says the residential rate is "currently set at 12.89 cents per kilowatt-hour". The rate was 9.91 cents for fiscal years 2023 through 2026 and 12.89 for fiscal years 2027 through 2029. The tariff splits it into $0.0959 of avoided cost plus $0.0330 of societal benefit per kWh for non-demand accounts. Sources: rate page, FAQs, tariff.
How the credit works
- It is based on how much energy the system produces, not how much you use, and not on what you export. Austin Energy "credits 100% of that production at the Value of Solar rate".
- The bill line reads "Solar Credit [generation] PV kWh at $[rate] per kWh".
- It is administered as a flat rate that averages value across the day and year.
- Credits do not expire, "though they have no cash value and will end if the account closes".
- The rider applies to behind-the-meter systems under 10,000 kW-ac. Systems of 1 MW or more do not receive transmission-related credits.
When it changes
The FAQ says the rate is recalculated every three years as the average of the previous five years, and the next update is October 2029, approved through the Austin City Council budget process. Earlier research notes pointed to a November 2026 change at 12.88 cents; the utility's own page now shows 12.89 effective 2026-10-01, and this site uses the utility's page.
A worked example
Austin's PVWatts figure on this site is 1,483 kWh per kW per year. For the median 2025 residential system size of 7.7 kW, that is 11,419 kWh a year, and at 12.89 cents per kWh the credit comes to $1,472 a year. This is plain multiplication on stated inputs, not a bill estimate: the credit never exceeds the monthly electric charges, and your own bill governs.
Run your own numbers in the payback calculator with the Value of Solar plan type, or see how it compares with other structures in the structures comparison.
This page is general information, not advice for your situation.