Solar in Bethesda, MD
With Pepco's electricity at about 23.5¢ per kWh and 1,367 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Bethesda home today: about a 8.2-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 8.2 yrsMaryland: 8.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $59,461after paying $21,385
- Sun
- 1,367kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 23.5¢31% above U.S. average
A typical Bethesda home, by the numbers
| Utility | Pepco |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 833 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 7.3 kW, about 17 panels, 9,980 kWh a year (100% of use) |
| Cost | $21,385 |
| First-year savings | $2,262 |
| Payback | 8.2 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (Pepco) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Bethesda
- Owner-occupied homes
- 64%
- Single-family detached
- 53%
- Median home value
- $1.2M
- Median year built
- 1970
- Population
- 69,397
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 67%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 3,143 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Older housing stock. Many homes here were built before 1975. Have the roof and electrical panel checked before signing; a roof or panel upgrade can add thousands. Roof first?
Installers working in Bethesda
Public installation records for Maryland don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Maryland.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Bethesda
Is solar worth it in Bethesda, MD?
For a typical home in Bethesda, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 7.3 kW system costs about $21,385 after state incentives, saves about $2,262 in year one and pays back in about 8.2 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Bethesda?
About 1,367 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 1% less than the Maryland average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Bethesda?
Most homes in Bethesda are served by Pepco, at about 23.5¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Bethesda?
A fair cash price is around $2.95 per watt before incentives, so about $21,385 for a 7.3 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- North Bethesda 8.1 yrs
- Potomac 8.2 yrs
- Silver Spring 8.2 yrs
- Wheaton 8.1 yrs
- Rockville 8.2 yrs
- Chillum 8.2 yrs
- Aspen Hill 8.1 yrs
- College Park 8.2 yrs
- All of Maryland
Data: PVWatts (National Laboratory of the Rockies), EIA-861 2025 adjusted to 2026, U.S. Census ACS, LBNL Tracking the Sun, state policy research as of October 2026.