The Short Answer
Yes, Delaware has net metering, at the full retail rate, across every utility in the state: Delmarva Power, Delaware Electric Cooperative, and the DEMEC municipal utilities. Residential systems qualify up to 25 kW, far beyond what any home actually installs.
And Delaware handles the annual reconciliation differently from its neighbors: credits are tracked in kilowatt-hours, and you choose which month your 12-month true-up lands in. Under a 2022 state law, whatever is still banked at true-up is zeroed out, so picking the right true-up month (most owners choose early spring) is how you avoid leaving value on the table. It is a different lever than Pennsylvania’s or New Jersey’s cash reconciliation, and most Delaware residents have never heard of it.
The Legal Foundation
Delaware’s net metering requirement is established in state law (26 Del. Code § 1014) and applies across utility types, which is itself unusual. In Pennsylvania, co-ops and municipals sit outside the mandate. In Delaware, the framework reaches Delmarva Power, the Delaware Electric Cooperative, and the municipal electric companies alike, with implementation details varying slightly by utility type.
The framework has been stable for years, and Delaware’s broader renewable policy, including the Renewable Portfolio Standard with its solar carve-out, continues to support distributed solar rather than constrain it.
How Delaware Net Metering Works
Full retail crediting, tracked in kilowatt-hours
The standard mechanics apply. If you need a refresher, see our guide explaining what net metering is and how it works. A bidirectional meter logs imports and exports, the bill settles the net, and surplus rolls forward. Delaware tracks the bank in kWh rather than dollars, which insulates your credits from rate changes.
The 25 kW residential ceiling
Residential systems qualify up to 25 kW. A typical Delaware home installs a small fraction of that, so the ceiling exists on paper and nowhere else. Most homeowners never come close to the limit because systems are designed around annual electricity usage. Learn how to calculate how many solar panels you need Farm and non-residential customers have higher limits.
Choosing your true-up month
Here is the Delaware-specific detail worth knowing. Credits are tracked in kilowatt-hours and roll over month to month through a 12-month annualized period, and you choose which month your true-up falls in. Under a 2022 state law, any kilowatt-hours still banked at the end of that 12-month period are zeroed out, so the choice of true-up month is a real lever: many owners pick early spring (March or April) so the bank is close to empty heading into the high-production summer months, leaving little surplus to lose.
Compare the neighbors. Pennsylvania pays annual surplus at the price to compare. New Jersey pays avoided cost. Delaware does not pay cash for a leftover balance under the current rules; it resets it. The practical implication is the same one we make everywhere: size close to your annual usage, and in Delaware, set your true-up month deliberately so the reset works in your favor rather than against you. Confirm your utility’s current reconciliation terms before you finalize a design.
Net Metering by Delaware Utility
Delmarva Power
The state’s largest utility, covering most of New Castle County and population centers statewide. Full retail net metering with the kWh bank and a customer-selected true-up month. Delmarva customers also have access to the most generous Green Energy Program rebate in the state, with one interaction worth understanding, covered below.
Delaware Electric Cooperative
Serving much of Kent and Sussex counties. DEC members receive net metering under the statewide framework, with cooperative-specific billing presentation. DEC also runs its own Green Energy Program rebate tier, smaller than Delmarva’s, and DEC members generally retain their SRECs.
DEMEC municipal utilities
Newark, Milford, Lewes, Middletown, Smyrna, Dover, and other municipal territories. Net metering applies, with each municipal utility handling its own billing format and its own rebate program terms. Homeowners in municipal territory should confirm specifics with their utility, and we handle that confirmation as part of any Delaware design.
How Net Metering Fits the Delaware Incentive Picture
Delaware’s incentive landscape is the most fragmented of the three states we serve, and net metering is the one piece that works the same everywhere. The rest depends on your utility.
The Green Energy Program rebate reduces upfront cost, with amounts that differ across Delmarva, DEC, and the municipals. Net metering stacks with the rebate without complication.
The SREC interaction is the one to understand. Delaware runs a competitive SREC procurement with 25-year contracts. But Delmarva customers who take the Green Energy Program rebate assign their SRECs to the Sustainable Energy Utility as a condition of the rebate. Rebate or SREC participation: for Delmarva customers, it is one or the other. Net metering is unaffected by either choice.
And Delaware’s structural quirk, no statewide sales tax, means solar equipment avoids that cost entirely, no exemption paperwork required.
What Shows Up on Your Delaware Bill
Post-activation, your bill shows kWh delivered and kWh received, with the banked balance carried in kilowatt-hours. Fixed monthly charges (the customer charge for your grid connection) continue regardless of production, as they do everywhere. The line-by-line walkthrough lives here:
Wondering how to read your electric bill after going solar? Learn how to read your electric bill with solar.
Is Delaware Net Metering at Risk?
No, and if anything it is moving the other way. There is no proceeding to weaken Delaware’s net metering framework, and in 2026 the state is actively considering expanding it: Senate Bill 239, which would lift the net metering cap, passed the Delaware Senate unanimously in March 2026 with support from the cooperative and municipal utilities. Companion legislation targets the backlog slowing larger solar projects. Delaware’s solar access protections, which limit HOA restrictions on solar, provide homeowners with additional installation rights. Learn more in our guide to HOA and Solar Panels: Your Rights in PA, NJ & DE. While neighboring Pennsylvania utilities like PPL move to cut export credit value, Delaware’s policy posture remains firmly pro-distributed solar.
See the Delaware Math on Your House
A Sunwise consultation maps your utility, your rebate eligibility, the SREC decision if it applies, and a net metering model built from your 12 months of usage. Delaware’s program details depend on who sends your bill. We sort that out for you.
Delaware Net Metering FAQs
Is net metering available in Delaware?
Yes. Delaware offers full retail rate net metering across all of its electric utilities, including Delmarva Power, Delaware Electric Cooperative, and the DEMEC municipal utilities. Excess solar production is credited in kilowatt-hours at the full retail rate and rolls over month to month.
What is the system size limit for net metering in Delaware?
Residential systems in Delaware are eligible for net metering up to 25 kW, which comfortably exceeds the size of a typical home installation. Larger limits apply for non-residential and farm customers. The cap is not a practical constraint for homeowners.
What happens to excess net metering credits in Delaware?
Credits are tracked in kilowatt-hours and roll over month to month through a 12-month annualized period. You choose your true-up month, and under a 2022 state law any kilowatt-hours still banked at the end of that period are zeroed out, with no cash payout. Because of this, many Delaware owners set an early-spring true-up so little surplus is left to lose, and size their system close to annual usage. Confirm current reconciliation terms with your utility.
Does Delmarva Power offer net metering?
Yes. Delmarva Power provides full retail net metering to residential solar customers in Delaware, with kWh credits that roll forward through a 12-month period and a customer-selected true-up month. Delaware Electric Cooperative and the municipal utilities offer net metering under the same statewide framework.
Can I get net metering and the Delaware Green Energy Program rebate?
Yes. Net metering and the Green Energy Program rebate are separate and compatible. The interaction to know about involves SRECs: Delmarva customers who accept the Green Energy Program rebate assign their SRECs to the Sustainable Energy Utility as a condition, so the rebate and SREC procurement participation are mutually exclusive. Net metering applies either way.
