Solar in Erie, PA
With FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric's electricity at about 20.5¢ per kWh and 1,204 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Erie home today: about a 10.8-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 10.8 yrsPennsylvania: 9.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $46,594after paying $25,500
- Sun
- 1,204kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 20.5¢14% above U.S. average
A typical Erie home, by the numbers
| Utility | FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 885 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 8.8 kW, about 20 panels, 10,592 kWh a year (100% of use) |
| Cost | $25,500 |
| First-year savings | $2,017 |
| Payback | 10.8 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (Pennsylvania rule) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Erie
- Owner-occupied homes
- 54%
- Single-family detached
- 61%
- Median home value
- $115k
- Median year built
- 1949
- Population
- 93,850
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 83%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 29,406 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 Erie
Public installation records for Pennsylvania don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Pennsylvania.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Erie
Is solar worth it in Erie, PA?
For a typical home in Erie, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 8.8 kW system costs about $25,500 after state incentives, saves about $2,017 in year one and pays back in about 10.8 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Erie?
About 1,204 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 7% less than the Pennsylvania average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Erie?
Most homes in Erie are served by FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric, at about 20.5¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Northwestern Rural E C A.
How much do solar panels cost in Erie?
A fair cash price is around $3.00 per watt before incentives, so about $25,500 for a 8.8 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Plum 9.2 yrs
- Pittsburgh 9.3 yrs
- Monroeville 9.3 yrs
- Bethel Park 9.2 yrs
- Altoona 13.3 yrs
- State College 10.8 yrs
- Williamsport 10.6 yrs
- Harrisburg 10.1 yrs
- All of Pennsylvania
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.