Xcel will pay up to $30,000 toward your solar — if your household qualifies
Xcel's 2026 rebate pays income-qualified homeowners $3.00 per watt, up to 10 kW. Most people who qualify have no idea. Answer five quick questions and see where you stand.
- Income limits are higher than most people assume — a family of four in the Denver metro can earn over $100,000
- The rebate is paid upfront, not spread over years
- Funds are first-come, first-served each program year
Instant eligibility check
We compare your answers against the 2026 county income limits Xcel's verifiers use. Nothing is saved until you ask us to help.
Not sure? A typical Colorado home lands between 6 and 8 kW. The rebate caps at 10 kW AC.
Your result
$21,000
estimated Xcel rebate
Where to verify
Energy Outreach Colorado
Nonprofit that verifies income for Xcel's programs year-round using county income limits.
Estimate only, for Xcel Energy electric customers. Verification agencies decide your tier and Xcel decides the rebate; DI Community amounts are shown before the 75% equipment-cost cap.
What Xcel pays in 2026
The Colorado PUC approved a higher income-qualified rate in April 2026 as part of Xcel's 2026–2027 Renewable Energy Plan. Residential solar is paid per watt installed (up to 10 kW AC); batteries are paid per kW of continuous discharge through Renewable Battery Connect.
| Customer tier | Solar rebate | Battery incentive | Example: 8 kW solar + 5 kW battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income qualified | $3.00 per watt | $1,000 per kW* | $29,000 |
| Disproportionately Impacted Community | Up to $3.00 per watt | $500 per kW* | Up to $26,500 |
| Standard (everyone else) | No upfront rebate — net metering only | $250 per kW, max $5,000 | $1,250 |
*Income-qualified and DI Community battery incentives are capped at 75% of the battery's equipment cost. The $3.00/W income-qualified rate comes from the PUC-approved April 2026 settlement; Xcel has not separately published a 2026 DI Community solar rate on its public program page, so we confirm the exact DI rate with Xcel before you sign anything. Xcel's incentive budgets are finite and refill each program year; the 2026 residential program opened May 21, 2026.
Three ways to qualify on income
You only need to pass one test. Xcel's verifiers check whichever one you clear most easily, so the highest limit that applies to you is the one that counts.
80% of area median income
Set by HUD for each county and household size. This is the highest limit for most Front Range households — a family of four in Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Jefferson, Douglas, or Boulder County can earn up to $106,800.
200% of the federal poverty level
A statewide table from HHS: $31,920 for one person, $66,000 for four, and about $11,400 more for each additional person. Usually lower than the county limit, but it can win for large households.
Already enrolled in LEAP or a similar program
An approval from LEAP, CARE, weatherization (WAP), SNAP, TANF, or another Xcel income-qualified program is accepted as proof on its own. LEAP applications run Nov 1 through Apr 30 at 60% of state median income.
A fourth path: your address
Colorado designates certain census block groups as Disproportionately Impacted Communities using the state's EnviroScreen tool. If your home sits inside one, you can qualify for Xcel's DI Community tier regardless of income. The map is fiddly and the boundaries shift between neighbors, so we check your exact address for you rather than asking you to guess.
Who actually verifies you
Seed Solar can't approve your income tier, and neither can any installer. Verification comes from one of these sources; Xcel then approves the rebate against the verification.
| Verifier | Best for | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado LEAP (Low-income Energy Assistance Program) | Households under 60% of state median income during the Nov–Apr application window | Visit |
| Energy Outreach Colorado | Year-round income verification against county limits — the default for most of the Front Range | Visit |
| GRID Alternatives Colorado | Adams and Arapahoe County homeowners, including Brighton and Thornton | Visit |
| Colorado Energy Office | Households already in weatherization (WAP) or CARE | Visit |
| Xcel Energy income verification portal | Uploading enrollment letters or income documents directly to Xcel | Visit |
Your city or county housing authority may also be able to verify income for Xcel's programs.
What we do for you
Confirm your tier
We check your address against the DI Community map and walk through the income tests with you — before you commit to anything.
Prepare the verification
We tell you exactly which documents the verifier wants and submit the packet to the right agency the first time.
Reserve the rebate
Once you're verified we file the Solar*Rewards application so your rebate is reserved before installation starts.
Install and collect
Our in-house Colorado crew installs, Xcel inspects, and the rebate is paid — no chasing paperwork on your end.
Let us handle the paperwork
Tell us where to reach you and we'll confirm your county limit, check your address for DI Community status, and map out the verification step. No cost, no commitment.
- Your screener answers come along with the request so we don't ask twice
- Local, in-house Seed Solar crews — not a lead broker
- Rebate funds are first-come, first-served; earlier verification means a better shot
This page is an educational estimate from Seed Solar, an independent Colorado solar installer. It is not an eligibility decision. Only an approved verification agency can confirm your income tier, and only Xcel Energy approves and pays Solar*Rewards and Renewable Battery Connect incentives. Incentive amounts, budgets, and rules are set by Xcel and the Colorado Public Utilities Commission and can change; funds are limited and awarded first-come, first-served within each program year.
Income limits shown use HUD FY 2026 Section 8 limits (80% AMI) and the HHS 2026 poverty guidelines (200% FPL). Battery estimates assume a 5 kW continuous-discharge battery. Seed Solar is not affiliated with Xcel Energy. Curious about the rest of the Xcel picture? See our Xcel net metering guide and financing options.