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District of Columbia solar at a glance
Estimates use the inputs above and the assumptions in our methodology: District of Columbia net metering: exports credited at the retail rate (statewide rule; your utility's tariff may differ). Prices rise 2.5% a year; panels lose 0.5% a year.
Solar cost in District of Columbia by system size
Same assumptions as the typical home above; only the system size changes. Prices are the state median before incentives and include the incentives our calculator applies by default in District of Columbia.
| System | Price before incentives[3] | After incentives | kWh in year 1[2] | Year-1 savings[4][5] | Payback (years) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 kW | $14,400 | $14,400 | 5,570 | $1,380 | 10 |
| 6 kW | $21,600 | $21,600 | 8,350 | $1,910 | 10 |
| 8 kW | $28,800 | $28,800 | 11,140 | $1,910 | 13 |
| 10 kW | $36,000 | $36,000 | 13,920 | $1,910 | 16 |
| 12 kW | $43,200 | $43,200 | 16,700 | $1,910 | 18 |
Incentives that lower the price in District of Columbia
Business credit for leased and PPA systems (48E)
Claimed by the system owner, not the homeowner; solar must begin construction by July 4, 2026 or be in service by December 31, 2027[6]
If a company owns the panels on your roof (a lease or power purchase agreement), that company may claim the business clean electricity investment credit and can reflect it in your price. You cannot claim it yourself.
- Who
- Third-party-owned systems (leases and PPAs). Ask the provider whether the price assumes this credit.
- Deadline
- December 31, 2027
- Checked
- November 5, 2026
DC Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs)
1 SREC per MWh (1,000 kWh) produced, sold at market prices that fluctuate; the solar compliance fee that effectively caps SREC prices is 44 cents/kWh ($440/MWh) in 2026, 42 cents in 2027, stepping down to 30 cents by 2033.[7]
Owners of solar systems in DC (credits belong to the system owner); sold through an SREC broker or aggregator.
- Who
- Owners of solar systems in DC (credits belong to the system owner); sold through an SREC broker or aggregator.
- Deadline
- None set in the source
- Checked
- November 5, 2026
Solar for All single-family rooftop solar (DOEE / DCSEU)
Rooftop solar installed at no cost for income-qualified households, with installer maintenance for 20 years; funding is limited and FY2026 applications were waitlisted.[8]
DC households in a single-family home or building of four or fewer units, Pepco customers, with income at or below 80% of Area Median Income or enrolled in SNAP, TANF or SSI.
- Who
- DC households in a single-family home or building of four or fewer units, Pepco customers, with income at or below 80% of Area Median Income or enrolled in SNAP, TANF or SSI.
- Deadline
- None set in the source
- Checked
- November 5, 2026
All District of Columbia incentives, including utility and local programs →
How District of Columbia utilities credit your solar
Pepco must offer net metering in DC: each month's excess generation is credited in kWh on the next bill (full retail offset), and only year-end excess beyond 100% of your annual use is paid out, at the generation rate only. Credits over $25 at year-end are refunded; smaller balances carry over.[9]
We have not added every District of Columbia utility yet, so the estimates on this page use the state-level rule: District of Columbia net metering: exports credited at the retail rate (statewide rule; your utility's tariff may differ).[5]
Full District of Columbia net metering and export-credit rules →
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much do solar panels cost in District of Columbia?
How long does solar take to pay for itself in District of Columbia?
Is there still a federal solar tax credit?
Not for homeowners who buy. The Federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (25D)[10] does not apply to systems whose installation is completed after December 31, 2025. Leased and PPA systems are different: the company that owns the system may still claim a business credit.
sources
[ 10 ]Every number on this page links to one of these sources. Dates show when we last checked each one.
- EIA Electric Sales, Revenue, and Average Price 2024, Table 5A: Residential average monthly bill by stateeia.gov · checked Nov 5, 2026
- NREL/NLR PVWatts v8 (1 kW-DC, fixed roof mount, 20° tilt, south-facing, 14% losses, TMY weather)pvwatts.nlr.gov · checked Nov 5, 2026
- U.S. Distributed Solar and Storage 2026 Data Update (Barbose, Darghouth, O'Shaughnessy, Forrester), Berkeley Labeta-publications.lbl.gov · checked Nov 5, 2026
- EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.B: Average price of electricity by state, year-to-date (August 2026, preliminary)eia.gov · checked Nov 5, 2026
- Pepco compliance filing for Standard Offer Service retail rates, Formal Case No. 1017 (May 27, 2026), Rider SOS - Schedule Redocket.dcpsc.org · checked Nov 5, 2026
- Public Law 119-21 - Sec. 70513(a) and (g)(5) (48E); Sec. 70512(a) and (l)(4) (45Y)govinfo.gov · checked Nov 5, 2026
- Solar in the District - DOEEdoee.dc.gov · checked Nov 5, 2026
- Install solar panels on my home for free - Front Door DC (DC Government)frontdoor.dc.gov · checked Nov 5, 2026
- 15 DCMR Chapter 9: Net Energy Metering, Section 903.3 (DC PSC compiled, updated 4-7-25)dcpsc.org · checked Nov 5, 2026
- IRS FS-2025-05: FAQs for modification of sections 25C, 25D, 25E, 30C, 30D, 45L, 45W, and 179D under Public Law 119-21 (OBBB)irs.gov · checked Nov 5, 2026
State data last re-checked November 5, 2026.
Change log
- Monthly output per kW in Washington updated to [90.8, 102.8, 126.3, 130.8, 133.3, 140.4, 147.4, 131.0, 119.8, 108.8, 84.6, 75.4] kWh/kW/month (NREL/NLR PVWatts v8 (1 kW-DC, fixed roof mount, 20° tilt, south-facing, 14% losses, TMY weather)).
- Average solar radiation on the panels in Washington updated to 4.9 kWh/m2/day (NREL/NLR PVWatts v8 (1 kW-DC, fixed roof mount, 20° tilt, south-facing, 14% losses, TMY weather)).
- Solar output per kW in District of Columbia (PVWatts, Washington) updated to 1391.5 kWh/kW/yr (NREL/NLR PVWatts v8 (1 kW-DC, fixed roof mount, 20° tilt, south-facing, 14% losses, TMY weather)).
- DC Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs): now "1 SREC per MWh (1,000 kWh) produced, sold at market prices that fluctuate; the solar compliance fee that effectively caps SREC prices is 44 cents/kWh ($440/MWh) in 2026, 42 cents in 2027, stepping down to 30 cents by 2033." (active).
- What the rule says updated to “the customer-generator’s next monthly bill will be credited in kWh for the excess generation. At the end of the calendar year (December), excess generation that exceeds 100%” (15 DCMR Chapter 9: Net Energy Metering, Section 903.3 (DC PSC compiled, updated 4-7-25)).