Solar in Charlottesville, VA
With Dominion Energy Virginia's electricity at about 16.3¢ per kWh and 1,329 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Charlottesville home today: about a 12.9-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 12.9 yrsVirginia: 12.3 yrs
- 25-year net
- $34,367after paying $26,530
- Sun
- 1,329kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 16.3¢10% below U.S. average
A typical Charlottesville home, by the numbers
| Utility | Dominion Energy Virginia |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 1,038 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 9.4 kW, about 22 panels, 12,489 kWh a year (100% of use) |
| Cost | $26,530 |
| First-year savings | $1,965 |
| Payback | 12.9 years |
| Exported power | 15¢/kWh (Dominion Energy Virginia) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.0% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Charlottesville
- Owner-occupied homes
- 44%
- Single-family detached
- 47%
- Median home value
- $487k
- Median year built
- 1968
- Population
- 45,437
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 63%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 7,991 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 Charlottesville
Public installation records for Virginia don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Virginia.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Charlottesville
Is solar worth it in Charlottesville, VA?
For a typical home in Charlottesville, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 9.4 kW system costs about $26,530 after state incentives, saves about $1,965 in year one and pays back in about 12.9 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Charlottesville?
About 1,329 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 4% less than the Virginia average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Charlottesville?
Most homes in Charlottesville are served by Dominion Energy Virginia, at about 16.3¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Appalachian Power, Central Virginia Electric Cooperative, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative.
How much do solar panels cost in Charlottesville?
A fair cash price is around $2.95 per watt before incentives, so about $26,530 for a 9.4 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Staunton 12.6 yrs
- Harrisonburg 12.6 yrs
- Short Pump 12.6 yrs
- Fredericksburg 12.8 yrs
- Tuckahoe 12.6 yrs
- Lynchburg 11.4 yrs
- Richmond 12.7 yrs
- Mechanicsville 12.5 yrs
- All of Virginia
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.