See how much it will cost to install solar panels for your home in District of Columbia
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Solar power in District of Columbia
Last fact-checked on January 19, 2023, by Catherine Lane
Washington D.C. is one of the best places in the country to make the switch to solar. The combination of the 26% federal tax credit, net metering, and a booming solar renewable energy credit (SREC) market makes the average payback time for a 5 kilowatt solar system in D.C. between 7 and 8 years.
The nation’s capital also has an ambitious renewable portfolio standard (RPS). The district’s RPS dictates that 100% of the retail energy supplied by electric suppliers must come from renewable sources by 2032, and 10% of energy supplied must come from solar by 2041. Together, these targets created the foundation for a profitable SREC market.
Washington D.C. previously had other grant and incentive programs that have since expired. So the best time to go solar is now, while the remaining incentives are still available.
Compare solar quotes from the top solar companies in District of Columbia
District of Columbia solar power facts
$2.78 watt
Average cost: 5kW solar power system
?2 Years 5 Months
Average payback time
$133,844
Average lifetime savings
?6¢ kWh
Levelized cost of solar energy
26¢ kWh
If you don't get solar
?12,500 kWh
Annual power production
Cash flow graph based on cash purchase of a 9.84kW system
This 9.84kW system would offset 100% of your energy usage if your typical monthly bill in District of Columbia is $150, however, your situation may vary so try our solar calculator to get a result tailored to you.
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Solar companies in District of Columbia that provide pricing through the Solar-Estimate marketplace.
How much can solar panels save you in District of Columbia
Average total cost of solar panel installation in District of Columbia
| System Size | Cash purchase After 30% solar tax credit |
Financed purchase After 30% solar tax credit |
|---|---|---|
| 3kw | $6,069 | $6,555 |
| 4kw | $7,924 | $8,558 |
| 5kw | $9,730 | $10,508 |
| 6kw | $11,424 | $12,338 |
| 7kw | $13,083 | $14,130 |
| 8kw | $14,616 | $15,785 |
| 9kw | $16,128 | $17,418 |
| 10kw | $17,500 | $18,900 |
How much do solar panels cost in District of Columbia?
$2.78 per watt
Cash purchased solar system
Before 26% solar tax credit
$3.66 per watt
Financed solar system
Before 26% solar tax credit
$15.7¢ /kWh
Lease/PPA
Ave 15 year term, 2.5% price escalator
What are the pros and cons of installing solar panels in District of Columbia?
The advantages of installing solar panels in Washington D.C. are the successful SREC market and the net metering offered by Potomac Electric Power Company (PEPCO), the only investor-owned utility in the district.
The disadvantage of installing solar panels for your home in Washington D.C. is that there are no utility-based rebates. However, this is outweighed by the available incentives.
Homeowners in Washington D.C. will be kicking themselves in a few years if they don’t install solar panels while these great incentives are still around.
Best solar companies in District of Columbia
Compare solar quotes from the top solar companies in District of Columbia
How much electricity will solar panels produce in District of Columbia
Solar panels produce different amounts of energy in different locations.
Around the Washington area solar panels installed on a south-facing 28-degree pitch roof will typically produce:
1,269kWh
per year per 1kW of peak DC
(direct current) capacity
For more information about how your location, roof direction, and roof tilt affects solar power production use the solar panels calculator and enter your zip code.
I want to buy a solar panel kit and install it myself
What rebates, solar tax credits and other solar incentives are available in Washington D.C.?
The renewable portfolio standard and Washington D.C.’s SREC market
Washington D.C. has an impressive RPS that requires 100% of the retail energy provided by electric suppliers to come from renewable energy sources by 2032. The RPS also contains a solar carve out, which mandates electric suppliers to derive 10% of their energy from solar energy sources by 2041. Solar carve outs often create a market for SRECs to be sold.
SRECs represent the environmental benefits of generating 1 megawatt hour (MWh) of energy from a solar resource. When a system is registered to create SRECs, the owner of the system retains the rights to the SRECs. Most of the time, utilities will not buy SRECs from individual customers, and instead the credits are sold to an SREC aggregator. Because of the ambitious goals set out in the RPS, SRECs can currently be purchased at a price of about $400. A 6 kW system will produce about 7 SRECs per year, which means an owner of a system of that size would receive about $2,800 per year.
However, recent legislation has dictated that the price of SRECs is set to decrease until 2032. At that time, SRECs will only be able to reach a maximum price of $50. That means that the best time to go solar is now, while the prices of SRECs are still high.
Net metering in Washington D.C.
Solar, by its nature, generates the most power during the middle of the day when most people are at work or school and little power is being used in the home. The net metering policy for PEPCO, the state’s only investor-owned utility, mandates that for every surplus kilowatt hour (kWh) generated by solar (like the excess energy your system creates during the day) PEPCO must provide a credit equal to the retail price of energy per kWh.
So, for all of the kWh of energy your system produces, you will receive a credit equal to the retail price of that kWh. If your system produces more energy than your home uses, you will receive kWh credits that can be applied to your next bill. If you use more energy than your system produces, you will be billed for the energy you use from the grid.
Property tax exemption
Washington D.C. homeowners save big on their property taxes when they install residential solar panels. Installing a solar system on one’s property would typically cause an increase in property taxes, however, the property tax exemption eliminates 100% of the assessed costs associated with the solar system from the homeowner’s property taxes.
District of Columbia Solar Calculator
Regardless of what you want to know about the economics of installing solar panels for your home or business in District of Columbia, we have a solar calculator that can show you exactly the information you require.
What you can find out about installing solar panels in District of Columbia using our full monthly solar calculator
This solar calculator requires you to input your address, utility company, your average monthly power spend - It tells you:
- What size solar system do you need?
- Answers the question of how many solar panels do I need?
- How many square feet of roof space you need for solar panels
- Solar electricity production in annual kWh (kilowatt-hours) you can expect from your solar system in District of Columbia
- The value of solar tax credits and other incentives you are entitled to based on the estimated size of system you need, your location and your utility provider.
- Likely cost based on an average of prices charged for solar systems of that size in the last year in District of Columbia or Washington ;
- The likely payback period on your solar panels and your investment return.
- Your total lifetime solar savings based on each of the major solar finance options, a cash purchase, a cash purchase funded with a HELOC sol (home equity line of credit) and a zero-down PPA or third party lease product.
If you want to see all of the above but also see live pricing, the three best solar deals available in your city and get binding quotes from each of these solar companies then use this District of Columbia solar panels calculator. This calculator requires you to also input your name and contact details because most of our 200+ installer partners will only authorize the sharing of their live solar pricing where we have validated that you are a real homeowner with a home in their service area. We respect the privacy of your data and only share your contact details with the solar companies you ask us to get binding quotes from.
Going solar in District of Columbia
Check out all of the ways energy providers of District of Columbia can help you be more energy-efficient and save money.
The following programs are available:
| Incentive Name | Eligibility | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Clean Energy Tax Credit | Federal | Personal Tax Credit |
| Solar Renewable Energy Credits | State | Solar Renewable Energy Credit Program |
| PEPCO Net Metering | Utility | Net Metering |
| Solar Energy System and Cogeneration System Personal Property Tax Credit | State | Property Tax Incentive |
| Solar for All Program | State | Low-Income Program |
Find your local rebates and incentives
Your city may have further incentives to offer. Please keep in mind that the best source of up-to-date information on incentives is the solar installers who specialize in your area.
