Typical home: Worth it

Solar in Reston, VA

With Dominion Energy Virginia's electricity at about 16.3¢ per kWh and 1,358 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Reston home today: about a 12.7-year payback.

Payback, typical home
12.7 yrsVirginia: 12.3 yrs
25-year net
$34,887after paying $26,040
Sun
1,358kWh per kW per year
Electricity
16.3¢10% below U.S. average

A typical Reston home, by the numbers

UtilityDominion Energy Virginia
Electricity use1,038 kWh a month
Best-value system9.2 kW, about 21 panels, 12,495 kWh a year (100% of use)
Cost$26,040
First-year savings$1,953
Payback12.7 years
Exported power15¢/kWh (Dominion Energy Virginia)

Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.0% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.

Solar production per kW in Reston

kWh per kW each month, south-facing at 20° tilt. PVWatts v8 with local typical-year weather.

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan85
Feb83
Mar125
Apr117
May147
Jun138
Jul144
Aug132
Sep116
Oct109
Nov89
Dec74

Homes in Reston

Owner-occupied homes
61%
Single-family detached
20%
Median home value
$642k
Median year built
1984
Population
64,414
Roofs suitable for solar†
53%

Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 6,371 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).

Installers working in Reston

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 Reston

Is solar worth it in Reston, VA?

For a typical home in Reston, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 9.2 kW system costs about $26,040 after state incentives, saves about $1,953 in year one and pays back in about 12.7 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.

How much solar power does a system produce in Reston?

About 1,358 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 2% less than the Virginia average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.

Who is the electric utility in Reston?

Most homes in Reston are served by Dominion Energy Virginia, at about 16.3¢ per kWh on average.

How much do solar panels cost in Reston?

A fair cash price is around $2.95 per watt before incentives, so about $26,040 for a 9.2 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.

Nearby

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.