Solar panels in Washington, DC
Roofs in Washington get about 1,562 hours of usable sunlight a year — more than 57% of the cities we've measured. Here's what that means in cost, savings and payback, using real rooftop data rather than a national average.
Check your specific roof in Washington → City averages are a starting point; your own roof's size, pitch and shading change the answer a lot.
What a typical Washington solar system costs
A 21-panel system (8.4 kW) is about right for an average Washington home using 10,800 kWh a year. It would produce roughly 11,153 kWh annually and offset 100% of that usage.
| System | Size | kWh/yr | Net cost | Saves/yr | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 panels | 3.2 kW | 4,249 | $6,384 | $739 | 8.6 yrs |
| 12 panels | 4.8 kW | 6,373 | $9,576 | $1,109 | 8.6 yrs |
| 16 panels | 6.4 kW | 8,497 | $12,768 | $1,479 | 8.6 yrs |
| 20 panels | 8 kW | 10,622 | $15,960 | $1,848 | 8.6 yrs |
| 26 panels | 10.4 kW | 13,808 | $20,748 | $2,010 | 10.3 yrs |
Notice that payback barely improves as systems get bigger, and eventually gets worse. That's because you can only save money on electricity you were going to buy anyway. Once a system covers your usage, extra panels mostly generate exports at a much lower rate.
Why Washington gets 1,562 sun hours
That figure comes from Google's analysis of real rooftops across Washington — it already accounts for shading from trees, chimneys and neighbouring buildings, which is why it's lower than the raw "hours of daylight" figures you'll see elsewhere. An unusually open, unshaded roof in Washington reaches about 1,613 hours, roughly 3% better than typical.
The numbers behind this page
| Typical usable sunlight | 1,562 hrs/yr |
|---|---|
| Unshaded roof | 1,613 hrs/yr |
| Electricity rate (DC avg) | 17.4¢/kWh |
| Installed cost assumed | $2.85/W |
| Panel size assumed | 400 W |
| Federal tax credit | 30% |
| Typical household usage | 10,800 kWh/yr |
| Power used as generated | 34% |
| Paid for exported power | full retail (net metering) |
| Rooftops sampled here | 13 |
| Google imagery from | 2014 |
Nearby cities
Washington solar questions
How many solar panels do I need in Washington?
About 21 panels for an average home. Washington roofs get 1,562 usable sun hours a year, so each 400W panel produces roughly 531 kWh annually.
Is solar worth it in Washington?
At 17.4¢/kWh and 1,562 sun hours, a typical system pays for itself in about 8.8 years and returns roughly $30,606 over 25 years. That is a solid return.
How much do solar panels cost in Washington?
A 8.4 kW system costs about $23,940 before incentives and $16,758 after the 30% federal tax credit. Prices vary by installer, roof complexity and equipment.
Worth reading before you buy
Estimates only, generated 2026-08-22 from Google Solar API rooftop samples and average DC electricity rates. Not a quote and not financial advice. Your roof, usage, utility plan and local incentives will change these numbers — get real quotes before buying.