Solar Offset

Solar offset is the percentage of your total annual electricity consumption that is covered by your solar system’s production. A 100% solar offset means your panels produce as much electricity over the course of a year as your home consumes.

Solar offset is one of the most intuitive metrics for understanding the value of a solar installation. For example, if your home uses 12,000 kWh per year and your solar system produces 10,000 kWh, your solar offset is 83%. Most solar installers design systems to achieve an 80–100% offset, balancing maximum savings with practical constraints like available roof space and budget. A 100% offset doesn’t mean you never use grid electricity — you’ll still draw from the grid at night and during cloudy periods, but your annual production matches your annual consumption through net metering credits. In some cases, homeowners intentionally size systems for 100–110% offset to account for future electricity needs (like an EV charger) or to bank extra credits. Your installer should clearly state the projected solar offset percentage in your proposal, along with the assumptions used for the calculation.