Solar Panels Cost $15k-$25k in District of Columbia, DC | November, 2024
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How much do solar panels cost in District of Columbia, DC in 2024?
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The typical price per watt for solar panels in District of Columbia, DC in November, 2024 is $3.6/W.
Applying this rate, you can conclude that for every 1 kW (1000 watts) your system can produce you will have to invest $3,600 to have your solar system installed. After receiving the 30% federal tax credit, a 5 kW solar setup in District of Columbia will cost around $12,600. However, bear in mind that you may need a more extensive system to ensure your energy needs are met.
Select your county from the menu on the left to find out the average roof size and maximum residential solar capacity for homes in your area. Outlined below are the price, payback period, and 20-year average savings for a 5 kW system installed in your county.
Average out-of-pocket cost for a 5 kW system The upfront amount spent to buy and install solar.
District of Columbia: $12,600US Average: $12,523
Average Payback Period The number of years until you break even on the solar investment.
District of Columbia: 5 yearsUS Average: 7 years
Average Net 20-year savings The total amount of money saved over 20 years minus the out-of-pocket cost.
District of Columbia: $34,867US Average: $16,169
Solar Potential in District of Columbia
Estimated system size and solar electricity production per median viable roof in District of Columbia.
Roof size 393sq. ft.
Capacity 5.5kW DC
Electricity 6.8kkWh AC per yr.
Electricity Costs in District of Columbia, DC & What that Means for Your Solar Panel Pricing
On average, District of Columbia residents pay 220.28 for their electric bill each month and use 1,193 kWh. This number also encompasses the energy needs of apartments and smaller homes.
In November 2024, District of Columbia, DC's mean electricity rate amounts to 18.47¢ per kWh.
The installation of a a 10 kW solar panel system will set you back approximately $36,000 before applying incentives, but with the 30% federal tax credit, you can get 30% back, reducing the cost to $25,200.
Go Solar for less than your cell phone bill.
Average solar panel costs by system size in District of Columbia
Below and to the left, you can find a detailed cost breakdown for different solar panel system sizes installed in District of Columbia. The bigger the solar array, the higher the initial expense, but also the more substantial electricity savings and income tax credits you'll get.
The solar panel cost calculator to the right and below breaks down costs and benefits, based on an average $220.28 electric bill in District of Columbia Easily change the $220.28 to your typical electricity bill for customized results.
System Size
Roof Size Min. space required
Electricity Value Annual Production
Est. Price
System Size 6kW
Roof Size Min. space required
429 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $1,566 a year
Est. Price
$15,120
Savings from a 6kWthis system
Est. yearly production 8,700 kWh
Est. monthly savings $131
Full payback in 6 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 4.27 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 196 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 10,564 mi less a year
System Size 7kW
Roof Size Min. space required
501 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $1,827 a year
Est. Price
$17,640
Savings from a 7kWthis system
Est. yearly production 10,150 kWh
Est. monthly savings $152
Full payback in 7 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 4.98 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 229 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 12,324 mi less a year
System Size 8kW
Roof Size Min. space required
572 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $2,088 a year
Est. Price
$20,160
Savings from a 8kWthis system
Est. yearly production 11,600 kWh
Est. monthly savings $174
Full payback in 8 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 5.69 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 261 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 14,085 mi less a year
System Size 9kW
Roof Size Min. space required
644 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $2,349 a year
Est. Price
$22,680
Savings from a 9kWthis system
Est. yearly production 13,050 kWh
Est. monthly savings $196
Full payback in 9 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 6.4 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 294 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 15,845 mi less a year
System Size 10kW
Roof Size Min. space required
715 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $2,610 a year
Est. Price
$25,200
Savings from a 10kWthis system
Est. yearly production 14,500 kWh
Est. monthly savings $218
Full payback in 10 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 7.11 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 327 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 17,606 mi less a year
District of Columbia Solar Panel Installation Incentives & Rebates | 2024
Rural farmers and small business owners could have between 80% and 100% of their solar or wind turbine installation expenses covered by the REAP Grant. Wondering if you fit this category? Verify your eligibility with our REAP Grant eligibility tool.
The 30% federal income tax credit for residential solar is accessible to nearly all homeowners, which makes solar energy a smart choice in numerous regions nationwide. On top of that, there are numerous state and local incentives to further encourage the adoption of solar energy.
District of Columbia has 6 solar incentive and rebate initiatives available through a variety of utilities and government agencies.
Solar incentives in DCIncentive Description Value
Renewable Portfolio Standard
Value:Varies
Beginning in 2005, the District of Columbia has been required to meet certain investment quotas under renewable portfolio standard laws. The District must derive 100% of its energy from renewable sources by 2032, with intermediate investment targets increasing annually. Sources qualifying to meet the standard were divided into two tiers based on efficiency and emissions; as of 2019, energy from the less efficient tier no longer counts toward the standard. Compliance is measured through credits pegged to a dollar value. Retail customers "generate" these components through their use of renewable energy and "sell" them to utilities through net metering arrangements. Once "in the custody" of the utilities, credits will then go to meet the standard. Additional information on the District RPS can be found on the DCPSC website.
Green Building Requirement
Value:Varies
Beginning in 2006, the District of Columbia has required certain new construction to meet green building requirements. Unique to the District, new municipal buildings amd private buildings over 50,000 square feet are subject to the requirements. Any new city building should meet at least the Silver level of the appropriate LEED standard. New public schools are subject to the LEED for Schools Gold standard, while new public housing projects must meet different Green Communities standards. Beginning in 2009, new and renovated non-residential private buildings over 50,000 square feet should meet at least the Certified level of the appropriate LEED standard. Private schools should meet the LEED for Schools Gold standard. To incentivize compliance with the green building requirements, new private projects pursuing LEED Gold certification may have permit reviews expedited. Additional information is available from the DC environment department website.
Sustainable Energy Trust Fund
Value:Varies
The Sustainable Energy Trust Fund and Energy Assistance Trust Fund provide low-income energy assistance, efficiency improvements, and renewable adoption to D.C. residents. Currently, the D.C. Sustainable Energy Utility holds custodianship. The District obtains funds for the trust via a mandatory surcharge on consumer electric and gas bills. Surcharges go toward assisting low-income families in installing energy-efficient appliances, insulation, lighting, and distributed energy devices (such as solar PV/thermal systems), as well as educational and public outreach initiatives. Currently, the Fund has invested $1.2 billion in total energy improvements and prevented 6.2 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Additional information is available from the DC SEU website.
Net Metering
Value:Varies
Distributed-energy customers in the District of Columbia who source power from solar, wind, fuel cells, or other sustainable means are compensated through a net metering arrangement. Upon installation of a distributed energy device, the utility will place a bidirectional meter measuring net excess energy (NEG) generated on-site that is returned to the grid. The utility will credit the customer for the cycle's NEG at a fixed kilowatt-hour rate. Should generation exceed consumption for a cycle, extra credits will carry over to the following month. "Virtual net metering" is available for customers who choose to source their energy from a community solar farm or other renewable "microgrid" within the district limits. These customers will be credited at a proportional "CREF rate" based on the overall net metering credits for the entire microgrid. Additional information is available from the DC PSC website.
Solar Renewable Energy Credits
Value:Varies
A portion of the District of Columbia's renewable portfolio standard must be invested in solar energy through carve-out provisions. By 2023, the District must derive 2.5% of retail energy from on-site solar PV and thermal systems. Compliance with the carve-out is measured through special renewable energy credits earmarked for solar investment (SRECs). Currently, one SREC is equal to one megawatt hour of generated solar energy. Utilities will acquire SRECs under net metering arrangements with their customers that may last for three years before expiration. Should a utility fall short of the yearly RPS solar goal, it will pay an additional compliance fee to the District. Additional information is available from the DC PSC website.
Property Assessed Clean Energy Financing
Value:Varies
Through the PACE program, commercial property owners in the District of Columbia may utilize an "open marketplace" to acquire offers and financing on energy efficiency improvement projects. Under the program, owners may communicate directly with the participating lenders and contractors of their choice and arrange a specialized energy efficiency loan. Effectively, PACE loans come from the District government. Payments are not collected by conventional means; rather, local property tax assessors will service the loan by placing a non-accelerated lien (senior to mortgages) on the property. This means that should the owner sell or transfer their property, payments will become the responsibility of the new owner. Certain safeguards are in place per FHFA directives, including loss reserve funds and disclosures. Residential property is ineligible in most cases due to these new directives. Additional information is available through the District of Columbia website.
Are solar panels worth it in District of Columbia, DC?
If you plan to own your residence longer than the solar system's payback period, solar panels are a smart investment in District of Columbia. A 5 kW solar system in District of Columbia, DC might save you an average of $40,267.2 over 20 years, with the break even point usually being 5 years.
The cost of not having solar panels in District of Columbia, DC
Not installing solar panels or any other backup energy system results in missing the earlier mentioned savings and full dependence on your electric utility for electricity. The news has recently proven that relying entirely on your utility provider isn't always ideal.
In recent years, customers in District of Columbia have typically faced 0.59 utility outages per year. The typical duration of each outage is 59.35 minutes. When significant events such as aging infrastructure, tornadoes or wildlife damage occur, these time frames can become much longer.
See the info below to see the number of current electricity customers without power in District of Columbia.
A solar panel system, with or without a backup battery, could reduce the effects of future outages you might experience.
Power Outages
Currently, 0 customers are being tracked in District of Columbia.
What impacts the cost of solar panels in District of Columbia, DC?
Your Energy Needs - Despite the higher initial expense, the cost per watt drops when using larger solar panel systems. For most homeowners, setting up a system that can generate enough power to eliminate their entire electric bill is advantageous, providing significant savings.
Make & Model - Solar panels, like many other products, are offered in a variety of makes and models. As the contractor might have particular system preferences, it's important to select a highly rated company. Choosing superior quality materials generally ensures a more satisfying long-term experience for the buyer.
Solar Panel Type - Monocrystalline panels are widely recognized as the standard in the industry, and for good cause. These panels are more expensive but offer a higher energy efficiency. Many installers in the industry utilize panels crafted of this material.
Your Property - Uneven ground, trees, or additional challenges can increase the difficulty of the installation. The majority of solar installers today are able to utilize satellite imagery to evaluate your home and factor in these aspects in the first cost estimate.
Labor Rates - Various wages are paid to employees by various companies, and these costs are transferred to the consumers. Higher wages often correlate with better reviews for companies' work and customer service.
Permitting & Interconnection - Permitting and utility interconnection fees change locally and will impact your installation cost. That said, reputable local installers will be able to incorporate these numbers into your initial quotes so there are no surprises.
See what solar panels cost in other District of Columbia cities
In District of Columbia, DC, the mean cost per watt for solar panels as recorded in November, 2024 is $3.6/W. The installation of a 5 kW solar panel system in District of Columbia, DC will cost about $12,600 after federal tax credits.
Utilities and government agencies in District of Columbia are currently offering 6 different rebates and incentives. Furthermore, the majority of people qualify for the 30% federal tax credit.
While paying cash provides the highest savings, there are now various financing options for solar panels that are also financially advantageous. Many installers will include information about their financing partners in the initial quotes they provide.
Yes, in District of Columbia, DC, 5 kW solar panel systems typically pay off in 5 years, and users save around $40,267.2 in electricity costs over 20 years.
Savings from 
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