Solar in Pittsburgh, PA
With Duquesne Light's electricity at about 25.5¢ per kWh and 1,191 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Pittsburgh home today: about a 9.3-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 9.3 yrsPennsylvania: 9.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $44,946after paying $19,000
- Sun
- 1,191kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 25.5¢42% above U.S. average
A typical Pittsburgh home, by the numbers
| Utility | Duquesne Light |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 616 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 6.2 kW, about 14 panels, 7,382 kWh a year (100% of use) |
| Cost | $19,000 |
| First-year savings | $1,773 |
| Payback | 9.3 years |
| Exported power | Full retail net metering (Duquesne Light) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.5% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Pittsburgh
- Owner-occupied homes
- 48%
- Single-family detached
- 44%
- Median home value
- $206k
- Median year built
- 1942
- Population
- 304,759
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 73%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 78,633 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 Pittsburgh
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 Pittsburgh
Is solar worth it in Pittsburgh, PA?
For a typical home in Pittsburgh, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 6.2 kW system costs about $19,000 after state incentives, saves about $1,773 in year one and pays back in about 9.3 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Pittsburgh?
About 1,191 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 8% less than the Pennsylvania average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Pittsburgh?
Most homes in Pittsburgh are served by Duquesne Light, at about 25.5¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by FirstEnergy Pennsylvania Electric, Central Electric Cooperative.
How much do solar panels cost in Pittsburgh?
A fair cash price is around $3.00 per watt before incentives, so about $19,000 for a 6.2 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Bethel Park 9.2 yrs
- Monroeville 9.3 yrs
- Plum 9.2 yrs
- Altoona 13.3 yrs
- State College 10.8 yrs
- Erie 10.8 yrs
- Harrisburg 10.1 yrs
- Williamsport 10.6 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.