The Second Quarter 2026 Edition of “The 50 States of SolarThe report shows that 45 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, have taken some form of policy action on distributed solar by the second quarter of 2026, with the largest number of actions continuing to focus on net metering policies (53), community solar policies (48), and increases in residential fixed charges or minimum bills (45). A total of 284 distributed solar policy actions were taken in the second quarter of 2026, with the most actions taken in Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maine and Rhode Island.
The NC Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) publishes the quarterly series that provides insight into the state’s discussions and actions on distributed solar policy regulations and legislation, with a focus on net metering, distributed solar rating, interconnection rules, community solar, residential fixed charges, residential solar demand and loads, financial incentives and third-party ownership.
The report identifies three trends in solar policy activity in the second quarter of 2026: (1) lawmakers continue to advance bills allowing plug-in solar, (2) decision makers balancing the costs of distributed generation programs, and (3) states considering interconnection improvements for private and public sector customers.
“This quarter saw a flurry of bills related to plug-in solar, with half of all states considering bills that would reduce regulatory burden on these systems,” said Brian Lips, Senior Project Manager at NCCETC. “This signals strong interest in the technology in all corners of the country as a way to expand opportunities for customers who do not have access to traditional solar systems.”
The report lists the top 5 distributed solar policy actions of the second quarter of 2026:
- Connecticut lawmakers mandating net metering and community solar monitoring programs
- Arizona courts strike down Arizona Public Service’s network access fee,
- Maryland Lawmakers Demand Adoption of Follow-On Net Metering Program,
- Virginia regulators will decide on Dominion Energy’s successor in net metering
- Texas regulators approve a distributed generation rate for El Paso Electric.
“As distributed generation and net metering increase, states are looking for ways to ensure that associated costs are appropriately allocated between participating and non-participating ratepayers,” said Rebekah de la Mora, project manager at NCCETC. “From new cost recovery mechanisms to program innovations that must take into account taxpayer impacts, states are using a variety of tools at their disposal to prevent cost shifting.”
News item from NCCETC
