Sunprint
The short answer
Bluebonnet doesn't do one-for-one net metering. It bills the power you buy at its standard rate and pays for every kWh your system sends back at its member production credit, 6.6962 cents in 2026. The credit comes from Bluebonnet's avoided wholesale power cost and is reset once a year; credit beyond your bill carries to the next one.
That payback is on the long side for Texas, for two reasons: exported power earns about two-thirds of what a kWh you use is worth, and Bluebonnet's average price has risen slowly, about 1.8% a year from 2019 to 2024 in federal data. A lower price per watt, or a system sized to your daytime use, shortens it.
Bluebonnet's own sample bill
Bluebonnet publishes this example of a renewable member's month: 1,000 kWh used and 500 kWh of solar returned to the grid.
Bluebonnet's renewable rate page, 2026. The wholesale power cost and its recovery factor change; city franchise fees can apply on top in some cities.
What a kWh is worth
Per kWh, from Bluebonnet's 2026 sample bill: residential service (3.30¢) plus wholesale power with its recovery factor (6.29¢), against the 6.70¢ production credit.
A kWh your home uses as it's made never crosses the meter, so it saves the full per-kWh charges. A kWh that leaves earns the production credit. That's why the size of the system matters on Bluebonnet: a system sized to what you use while the sun is up turns more of its output into the higher number. Our buyback guide compares Bluebonnet's approach with the rest of Texas.
What a Bluebonnet bill needs
Here's what our calculator works out for an average month at each bill size, with Bluebonnet's average price from federal EIA data, its $22.50 charge, exports at 6.6962 cents and NREL's sun data for the Austin area:
| Average monthly bill | Yearly use (kWh) | System to cover 75% to 95% | Yearly savings | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | 8,144 | 4.3 to 5.5 kW | $553 to $672 | 21 to 24 years |
| $150 | 13,398 | 7.1 to 9.0 kW | $910 to $1,105 | 21 to 24 years |
| $200 | 18,651 | 9.9 to 12.5 kW | $1,267 to $1,538 | 21 to 24 years |
| $250 | 23,905 | 12.7 to 16.0 kW | $1,624 to $1,971 | 21 to 24 years |
| $300 | 29,159 | 15.4 to 19.5 kW | $1,981 to $2,405 | 21 to 24 years |
Payback assumes $3.00 to $3.50 a watt for a system covering 85% of use, rates rising at Bluebonnet's 2019 to 2024 pace (1.8% a year) and panels losing 0.5% a year. No incentives: the federal credit ended for home systems finished after 2025.
Getting connected
- Before anything is installed, your installer sends Bluebonnet the interconnection packet, an electrical diagram (inverters, any battery, a lockable safety disconnect, fusing or a bi-directional breaker) and the inverter specifications.
- Bluebonnet's engineers review it and approve the installation.
- The system is installed with its AC disconnect left off.
- Bluebonnet inspects and tests it, and installs or confirms a solar-capable meter with two readings: what you use and what you send back.
- The inspector turns it on once the inspection is approved.
Before Bluebonnet connects a system, the member provides an interconnection plan, satisfactory liability insurance and a signed agreement. Either side can end it with 30 days' written notice.
Bigger systems and batteries
The standard packet covers inverter-based solar, a battery, or both, under 50 kW. For 50 kW to 1 MW, Bluebonnet offers two buyback options instead: sell all the output at market value through ERCOT, or use what you need and sell the excess at market value. Bluebonnet itself doesn't install solar. For batteries, see our Texas battery guide.
Your estimate in three steps
- Enter your billYour ZIP code, your utility and last month's bill.
- See your estimateA yearly savings range based on your utility's rates and the sun where you live.
- Choose what's nextAsk for a quote call if you want real pricing, or just keep the number.
See what solar could save you
It takes about a minute. You don't need a site visit, a commitment or a sales call to see your number.
Common questions
Does Bluebonnet Electric have net metering?
No. Bluebonnet bills the power you buy at its standard rate and credits each kWh your system sends to the grid at its member production credit, 6.6962 cents per kWh in 2026, updated annually.
How does Bluebonnet credit solar power?
Its agreement pays for all the metered kWh returned to the grid at Bluebonnet's avoided wholesale power cost, set once a year. Credit larger than your bill carries over to the next bill.
What does Bluebonnet need before I install solar?
The interconnection packet, an electrical diagram and the inverter specifications, sent before installation. Bluebonnet's engineers approve the design, then inspect and test the finished system and install a two-reading meter before it's turned on. The agreement also requires liability insurance.
Is solar worth it on Bluebonnet?
It can pay off, but slowly: our calculator puts payback at 21 to 24 years at $3.00 to $3.50 a watt for a system covering 85% of a home's use. A lower price per watt or a system sized to your daytime use shortens it.
Does Bluebonnet install solar panels?
No. Bluebonnet says it doesn't install solar arrays; it handles the connection to its grid once your installer sends the paperwork.
Related guides
- Texas solar buyback plans
- Solar for PEC members
- Solar for Austin Energy customers
- Solar batteries and Texas power outages
- How many solar panels do I need in Texas?
- Is solar worth it in Texas?
Savings are our calculator's estimate, not Bluebonnet's. Bluebonnet resets its production credit each year; check its current renewable rate before you sign. Sources: Bluebonnet: renewable rate information · Bluebonnet: connecting to the grid · Bluebonnet: interconnection packet, under 50 kW (PDF) · Bluebonnet: large-scale solar · Bluebonnet: about us · U.S. EIA: utility sales and revenue data · NREL PVWatts. Reviewed October 2026.
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