UnbiasedSolar
Typical home: Worth it

Is solar worth it in Pennsylvania?

For a typical Pennsylvania home in 2026, solar is worth it: about a 9.9-year payback and $47,617 saved over 25 years after paying for the system. Check your own home, because roofs, usage and utilities vary a lot.

Payback, typical home
9.9 yrs7.7 kW, paying cash
Electricity price
20.7¢per kWh, U.S. 18.0¢
Solar production
1,297kWh per kW per year
Exports credited at
RetailFull retail net metering

The numbers for a typical Pennsylvania home

Electricity use837 kWh a month (Pennsylvania average)
Best-value system7.7 kW, producing 9,984 kWh a year (99% of use)
Price$22,750 at about $3.00/W
First-year savings$1,976
Payback9.9 years
25-year net$47,617 (9.9% a year return)
Rate increase assumed3.5% a year, from Pennsylvania's 2015–2025 history

Paying cash, no federal credit, 5% discount rate, microinverters, $25 per kW a year for maintenance and repairs. Methodology.

Why it comes out this way

  • Electricity is expensive: 20.7¢ per kWh over the last 12 months, 15% above the U.S. average (18.0¢).
  • Most utilities credit exported solar at or near the retail rate, so you get full value for midday surplus.
  • A typical system here produces about 1,297 kWh per kW per year (ranked #40 of 51).
  • There is no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026, which adds several years to payback compared with 2025.
Watch out for leases right now. Lease and PPA providers can still claim a federal credit that homeowners can't, so they're being pushed hard. Compare any lease against buying with our lease vs. buy calculator.

Net metering and export rules in Pennsylvania

Full retail net metering. Pennsylvania's electric distribution utilities offer full retail net metering for home systems up to 50 kW. Excess kWh roll over each month, and any surplus left at the end of the June-May year is paid at the 'price to compare' (generation + transmission), which is lower than retail.

Monthly exports offset usage 1:1 at full retail; annual surplus (year ends May 31) paid at the price-to-compare.

  • Netting: annual
  • Unused credits: kWh credits roll over monthly; annual surplus at end of May is cashed out at the utility's price-to-compare (~9-13 c/kWh).
  • System size limit: 50 kW
  • Fixed charges: Standard customer charge only; no solar-specific charge. Customers of competitive suppliers may get different crediting for generation portion.
  • Last major change: AEPS Act 2004; PUC final rulemaking 2016 (52 Pa. Code 75.11-75.17).
  • Pending: FirstEnergy PA default service docket P-2026-3060298 (2027-2031) includes NEM-related testimony. PRESS Act (raise solar carve-out to 5.5%) pending in legislature.

Read net metering explained to see why export rules can swing payback by years.

Rules by utility
UtilityExport creditNotes
PECO Energy~100% of retailAnnual surplus at price-to-compare.
PPL Electric Utilities~100% of retailAnnual surplus at price-to-compare.
Duquesne Light~100% of retailAnnual surplus at price-to-compare.
FirstEnergy Pennsylvania (Met-Ed/Penelec/Penn Power/West Penn)~100% of retailMerged into FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric Co. in 2024; EIA ID shown is legacy Met-Ed.

Solar incentives in Pennsylvania

The federal 30% Residential Clean Energy Credit ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. What that means.

ProgramTypeWhat you getStatus
Pennsylvania SRECs (AEPS solar carve-out)srecSRECs trade ~$22-24/MWh in 2026 (0.5% carve-out, oversupplied). Brokers offer annuity rates ~$18/MWh. Eligibility: PA-sited systems registered in PJM-GATS.active
Solar for All Pennsylvania (PEDA)low incomeFederal-funded low-income solar program; EPA terminated Solar for All grants Aug 2025 - status uncertain. Eligibility: Low-income households.unknown

What solar costs in Pennsylvania

A fair cash price is around $3.00 per watt before incentives. For the 7.7 kW system that fits a typical home, expect roughly $19,600 to $27,700; smaller systems cost more per watt.

Solar costs in every state · What's a good price per watt?

Average residential electricity price in Pennsylvania (¢/kWh)

EIA annual averages. Prices rose 3.5% a year from 2015 to 2025; Pennsylvania ranks #15 of 51 for price. Last 12 months through July 2026: 20.7¢.

Show as a table
PeriodValue
'1212.8
'1312.8
'1413.3
'1513.6
'1613.9
'1714.2
'1813.9
'1913.8
'2013.6
'2113.8
'2215.9
'2318.1
'2417.8
'2519.3
Monthly production per kW of solar in Pennsylvania

kWh per kW for a south-facing roof at a 20° tilt, population-weighted across 25 cities (PVWatts, NLR). Total 1,297 kWh a year.

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan76
Feb89
Mar112
Apr128
May134
Jun134
Jul142
Aug126
Sep117
Oct95
Nov80
Dec64

How many homes have solar

Homes with net-metered solar (2025)
93,934
Share of homes
1.7%
Residential solar capacity
844 MW
Growth over the past year
+24.1%

Sources: EIA-861 (2025), EIA small-scale solar estimates, LBNL Tracking the Sun and state interconnection data.

Electric utilities in Pennsylvania

UtilityHomes servedPrice (2026 est.)Typical useTypical-home verdict
FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric1,808,94120.5¢885 kWh/moWorth it
PECO Energy1,538,99320.6¢763 kWh/moWorth it
PPL Electric Utilities1,311,25120.3¢942 kWh/moWorth it
Duquesne Light553,12425.5¢616 kWh/moWorth it
UGI Utilities55,18121.2¢855 kWh/moWorth it
Adams Electric Cooperative32,58016.5¢1,183 kWh/moWorth it
Central Electric Cooperative23,67518.1¢791 kWh/moWorth it
REA Energy Cooperative20,95117.3¢966 kWh/moWorth it
Tri-County Rural Electric Cooperative Inc (PA)18,21424.0¢570 kWh/moWorth it
Northwestern Rural E C A18,20017.3¢940 kWh/moWorth it
Valley Rural Electric Cooperative18,05716.2¢977 kWh/moWorth it
Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative16,76520.1¢861 kWh/moWorth it
Somerset Rural Electric Cooperative12,35415.4¢892 kWh/moWorth it
Borough of Chambersburg9,95213.2¢843 kWh/moClose call
Bedford Rural Electric Cooperative8,84918.0¢975 kWh/moWorth it
Citizens Electric6,00515.6¢1,215 kWh/moWorth it
Wellsborough Electric5,17420.4¢704 kWh/moWorth it

Solar by city in Pennsylvania

Protect yourself when buying

  • Check the license. No statewide contractor license; Home Improvement Contractor registration with the PA Attorney General required for residential work; electrical licensing is local (e.g., Philadelphia, Pittsburgh). Look up an installer
  • Cancellation rights. Federal law gives you 3 business days to cancel most door-to-door sales over $25. How to cancel
  • HOA and solar access. No statewide solar access/HOA protection law.
  • Community solar. No statewide community solar program (legislation has passed the House in past sessions; not enacted as of last check).

Installers active in Pennsylvania

Ranked by installations in public records, not by payment. Volume isn't quality: always check licenses and reviews.

  1. Advanced Solar 171 installs
  2. SunPower 85 installs · bankrupt
  3. Moore Energy 76 installs
  4. California Green Energy Construction 49 installs
  5. Your Energy Solutions 46 installs
  6. Exact Electric 42 installs
  7. Paradise Energy Solutions 42 installs
  8. Solar Revolution 36 installs
  9. Mesa Electric 31 installs
  10. Eclipse Solar 24 installs
  11. Solar Ray 21 installs
  12. Green Power Energy 18 installs
  13. Solar Store 12 installs
  14. Future Energy 10 installs
  15. Tesla Energy 9 installs

Search all Pennsylvania installers

More about solar in PennsylvaniaRetail rates ~18-20 c/kWh and rising. No state tax credit, rebate, or sales/property tax exemption. Federal 25D residential clean energy credit is NOT available for homeowner-owned systems placed in service after 2025-12-31 (OBBBA, July 2025); third-party-owned (lease/PPA) systems may still benefit indirectly via 48E through 2027. EPA tried to end Solar for All grants in August 2025, but federal courts set that aside in September 2026; check whether your state's program has resumed.

Questions about solar in Pennsylvania

Is solar worth it in Pennsylvania in 2026?

For a typical Pennsylvania home, solar is worth it. A 7.7 kW system costing about $22,750 after state incentives saves about $1,976 in the first year and pays back in about 9.9 years. Your result depends on your roof, usage, utility and price, so run the calculator for your address.

How much do solar panels cost in Pennsylvania?

A reasonable cash price is around $3.00 per watt before incentives, or roughly $19,600 to $27,700 for a 7.7 kW system.

Does Pennsylvania have net metering?

Pennsylvania's electric distribution utilities offer full retail net metering for home systems up to 50 kW. Excess kWh roll over each month, and any surplus left at the end of the June-May year is paid at the 'price to compare' (generation + transmission), which is lower than retail.

Is there a solar tax credit in Pennsylvania?

The 30% federal credit for homeowners ended for systems installed after 2025. Pennsylvania does not offer a state income tax credit for solar that we're aware of.

How do I check a solar installer's license in Pennsylvania?

No statewide contractor license; Home Improvement Contractor registration with the PA Attorney General required for residential work; electrical licensing is local (e.g., Philadelphia, Pittsburgh).. Look up any installer with the state's license search at https://hicsearch.attorneygeneral.gov/.

Policy research current as of October 2026; sources include solarunitedneighbors.org, puc.pa.gov, programs.dsireusa.org. Electricity data: EIA, through July 2026. Found something out of date? Tell us.