Is Net Metering Going Away in Ohio? Everything You Need to Know
Net metering is one of the best solar incentives there is. It allows you to earn utility credits for the excess electricity your solar panels produce, saving you more money and improving your return on investment in solar.
Sadly, net metering has been crushed in many states. It’s still available in Ohio, but it’s at risk.
Sustainergy Cooperative is a huge proponent of incentives like net metering that make solar more valuable to homeowners. We’re keeping a close eye on potential net metering changes in Ohio and sharing what we know to help you make the most informed decisions about installing home solar.
Keep reading for the latest updates.
What Is Net Metering?
Net metering allows utility customers with rooftop solar panels to “sell” the excess electricity they generate to their utility company in exchange for credits on their bills. You can use your credits to pay for electricity you take from the electric grid when your solar panels are not producing enough power—at night or on a cloudy day.
Check out our full guide to learn more about how net metering works.
Current Net Metering Laws in Ohio (2025)
Ohio’s net metering laws require all investor-owned utilities (AEP, Duke Energy, FirstEnergy, and Dayton Power & Light) to offer net metering. Rural electric cooperatives and municipal electric utilities are not required to offer it, but some do. We’re happy to help you find out if your electricity provider offers net metering—just give us a call.
Net Metering Rates
In a true net metering system, solar customers are credited at the full retail price of electricity. It’s called 1:1 net metering and it means your electricity provider buys solar power from you at the same rate per kWh that they charge you for grid-generated electricity.
In Ohio, it works a little differently. Utility companies are not required to credit you at the full retail rate, and most don’t. Your exact rate will depend on what electricity provider you use, but it’s always going to be lower than the current retail price.
So, What’s Changing?
There haven’t been any official proposals to change net metering in Ohio in 2025, but we’ve seen clear signs in other parts of the country that solar-friendly policies are at risk.
Many states have already made moves to gut their net metering policies. California, once the national leader in solar energy, made huge changes in 2023 that cut export rates by around 75% for solar customers. Kentucky has also made significant changes to its net metering policy, eliminating 1:1 compensation in favor of much lower rates.
Why does that matter for Ohio? Because utilities across the country are closely watching what’s happening elsewhere, and lawmakers often follow regional trends.
We’re not trying to sound the alarm, but we believe changes could be coming. And if they do, the value of solar could drop significantly.
What Happens if Net Metering Does Go Away?
If net metering policies are weakened or eliminated, the financial return on investment for solar will drop. You would still save money, but it would take longer to break even on your investment.
There is a silver living! With battery storage, you don’t have to rely on net metering as heavily. A battery allows you to store the excess power you generate instead of sending it back to the grid. You can use your stored energy to power your home at night, reducing the amount of power you have to buy from your utility company and increasing your savings.
Should You Go Solar Now?
If you’ve been thinking about installing solar panels for a while, your safest bet is to act sooner rather than later. Net metering is still available in Ohio and, if you go solar now, your system is likely to be grandfathered in, meaning you’d retain the current benefits even if policies change in the future.
If you are ready to go solar, or you just want to learn more, Sustainergy Cooperative is here to help. We are a local, worker-owned solar company providing high-quality solar installations in the Greater Cincinnati and Columbus areas.
