Solar by City / District of Columbia / Washington
Data last verified: 2026-08Is Solar Worth It in Washington, District of Columbia? (2026)
The honest answer depends on four numbers unique to Washington: your electricity rate, your solar production, your net metering policy, and your state incentives. Here are the real figures, with sources and dates. City production is a modeled estimate derived from District of Columbia's real NREL PVWatts v8 value adjusted for local latitude.
Solar Snapshot for Washington, District of Columbia (2026)
| Residential electricity rate | 24.6¢/kWh (EIA, 2026 YTD May) |
| Solar production (modeled) | ~1300 kWh per kW per year (derived from NREL PVWatts v8 1300 kWh/kW, latitude-adjusted) |
| Net metering | full-retail net metering |
| State tax credit | None in 2026 |
| Rebates / performance | None |
| SREC market | Active — ~$40/MWh (2026 market) |
| Property tax exemption | No |
| Sales tax exemption | No |
Estimate Your Own Payback in Washington
The table above is a 6 kW benchmark using District of Columbia's real inputs. Your home is different — use the Solar ROI Calculator with District of Columbia pre-loaded to get your exact payback, or the 30-second worth-it quiz for a go/no-go verdict.
Washington FAQ
How much solar production can I expect in Washington?
PVFig models Washington at ~1300 kWh per kW installed per year, derived from District of Columbia's NREL PVWatts v8 state value (1300 kWh/kW) adjusted for the city's latitude. This is a modeled estimate — a site-specific PVWatts run with your exact roof azimuth, tilt and shading will differ. Actual output also depends on panel quality and local weather.
What is the estimated solar payback in Washington?
At a typical 3.00/W installed cost and 24.6¢/kWh electricity, a 6 kW system in Washington has an estimated payback of about 7.7 years. That is one of the faster paybacks in the country.
Does District of Columbia have net metering and a solar tax credit in 2026?
District of Columbia uses full-retail net metering. There is no state income tax credit for residential solar in 2026. The federal residential credit (Section 25D) expired Dec 31, 2025 and does not apply to 2026 installations.
More cities in District of Columbia
Compare District of Columbia with nearby states
- Massachusetts — 30.1¢/kWh, ~1302 kWh/kW
- Connecticut — 29.8¢/kWh, ~1252 kWh/kW
- Maine — 29.7¢/kWh, ~1319 kWh/kW
- New Hampshire — 26.8¢/kWh, ~1259 kWh/kW
- Rhode Island — 29.5¢/kWh, ~1294 kWh/kW
- Vermont — 23.9¢/kWh, ~1222 kWh/kW