What District of Columbia pays for your exported solar power
Export compensation is the single biggest payback lever in 2026. Here is District of Columbia's current rule in plain words, with the official source.
Under District of Columbia's export rules, compensation for surplus power decides the payback - which typically runs 10-14 years on unsubsidized 2026 math.
Installed home solar for Washington homeowners averages about $2.58 a watt across the U.S. marketplace - roughly $30,960 for a 12 kW system before incentives.
Washington, District of Columbia has about 702,250 residents, and its solar quotes are built from system size, roof complexity and export rules - not the town name.
Whether solar still pays in District of Columbia after the federal credit's end comes down to arithmetic, not ideology: installed cost (about $2.58 a watt at the marketplace average), what your utility pays for exports, and how much of your generation you use yourself. High self-consumption - daytime usage, EV charging, batteries - is now the biggest lever.
The honest 2026 answer for Washington: solar pays back slower without the 30% credit - paybacks that ran 7-10 years often now run 10-14 - but electricity rates keep rising and hardware is the cheapest it has ever been. The deciding factor is District of Columbia's export compensation, covered in the net metering section.
The 2026 numbers
| System size | Installed price (marketplace avg) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 kW | $15,480 | Small roof / low usage |
| 8 kW | $20,640 | Typical starter system |
| 10 kW | $25,800 | Family home with AC |
| 12 kW | $30,960 | Large home / EV charging |
| Home battery (optional) | $12,000-$16,000 | Backup power + self-consumption |
Get solar quotes for Washington
These platforms collect bids from licensed installers so you can compare against the same spec. Prices come from installers, not from this site.
Disclosure: this is an independent guide. If you request quotes through a link here, the platform may pay this site a referral fee. That fee never changes your quotes.
District of Columbia rules that decide your payback
| Rule | District of Columbia status |
|---|---|
| Export compensation (net metering) | Net energy metering is available District-wide: D.C. Code § 34-1518 directs the Public Service Commission to run a program that "affords eligible customer-generators the opportunity to participate in net energy metering," requires bidirectional metering, bills the customer only for net electricity supplied, and leaves the specific credit rate and settlement terms to Commission rules (15 DCMR Ch. 9). |
| State incentive | SRECs earned under the District's Renewable Portfolio Standard solar carve-out are the main incentive — D.C. Code § 34-1432 requires electricity suppliers to source "not less than 4.3%" of retail sales from solar in 2025, rising to "not less than 9.0%" by 2032 and "not less than 15.0%" in 2041 and thereafter, which sustains the District's SREC market. DOEE's Solar for All separately provides solar benefits to income-qualified households, targeting 100,000 low- to moderate-income households with 50% bill reductions by 2032. |
| Sales tax on the system | Not exempt - taxed like any purchase |
| Property tax on added home value | No exclusion on record |
DC's aggressive solar carve-out (rising to 15% of all retail electricity sales by 2041) is what makes District SRECs valuable, but the income is not fixed — DOEE cautions that "SREC values fluctuate based on supply and demand," so a payback estimate built on today's SREC price can slip badly if prices fall as more systems come online. The District also offers no tax incentives of its own.
This guide is research, not advice: an independent summary of published prices and state rules. It is not an installer, lender or tax advisor - verify incentive eligibility with a licensed tax professional before relying on it.
What this means for Washington roofs
Beware of any 2026 payback estimate that looks as good as the 2025 ones: with the federal credit gone, a third of the old subsidy math vanished. If a sales projection has not gotten noticeably worse since 2025, it is hiding something - usually an inflated utility-rate escalation assumption.
This guide is research, not advice: an independent summary of published prices and state rules. It is not an installer, lender or tax advisor - verify incentive eligibility with a licensed tax professional before relying on it.
Getting Washington quotes
Before requesting quotes, have your last 12 months of electricity bills handy - system sizing should follow your real usage, not a salesperson's template. A bid sized far above your usage is a margin play, especially now that surplus export pays less in most states.
This guide is research, not advice: an independent summary of published prices and state rules. It is not an installer, lender or tax advisor - verify incentive eligibility with a licensed tax professional before relying on it.
Common questions
How long do solar panels actually last?
Panels are typically warrantied for 25 years of production and commonly outlive it, losing about 0.5% output per year. Inverters are the component that usually needs replacement - typically once, around year 12-15, at a few thousand dollars.
Is there still a federal solar tax credit in 2026?
No. The 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit was repealed effective for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025, per the IRS. Only systems finished by the end of 2025 qualified. State-level incentives are separate and some survive - check the state page in this guide.
Is my roof even suitable for solar?
Three things decide it: orientation (south-facing is best in the U.S., east-west workable), shade (trees or taller buildings across midday hours can sink the math), and roof age (if the shingles have under 10 years left, reroof first - removing and reinstalling panels later costs thousands). Any honest installer assesses all three before quoting a number.
How do I check if a solar quote is fair?
Divide the total price by the system's wattage. The U.S. marketplace average is about $2.58 per watt installed; $2.30-3.00 covers most fair quotes depending on roof complexity. Above that, ask exactly what you are paying extra for - in writing.
Does solar raise my property taxes?
It depends on the state - many exempt solar's added home value from property tax, others do not, and some exemptions have expiration dates. This guide's state page lists the verified rule and source for your state.
Get solar quotes for Washington
These platforms collect bids from licensed installers so you can compare against the same spec. Prices come from installers, not from this site.
Disclosure: this is an independent guide. If you request quotes through a link here, the platform may pay this site a referral fee. That fee never changes your quotes.