Typical home: Not worth it

Solar in Kennewick, WA

With PUD No 1 of Benton County's electricity at about 9.8¢ per kWh and 1,362 kWh of sun per kW, solar is not worth it for a typical Kennewick home today: about a 19.9-year payback.

Payback, typical home
19.9 yrsWashington: 16.2 yrs
25-year net
$6,185after paying $15,955
Sun
1,362kWh per kW per year
Electricity
9.8¢46% below U.S. average

A typical Kennewick home, by the numbers

UtilityPUD No 1 of Benton County
Electricity use1,195 kWh a month
Best-value system5.3 kW, about 12 panels, 7,218 kWh a year (50% of use)
Cost$15,955
First-year savings$707
Payback19.9 years
Exported powerFull retail net metering (Washington rule)

Cash purchase, no federal credit, 3.8% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.

Solar production per kW in Kennewick

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

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan42
Feb72
Mar109
Apr141
May159
Jun166
Jul179
Aug166
Sep132
Oct100
Nov54
Dec42

Homes in Kennewick

Owner-occupied homes
61%
Single-family detached
59%
Median home value
$371k
Median year built
1979
Population
85,295
Roofs suitable for solar†
89%

Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 21,970 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).

Installers working in Kennewick

Public installation records for Washington don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in Washington.

Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.

Questions about solar in Kennewick

Is solar worth it in Kennewick, WA?

For a typical home in Kennewick, solar is not worth it at 2026 prices: a 5.3 kW system costs about $15,955 after state incentives, saves about $707 in year one and pays back in about 19.9 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.

How much solar power does a system produce in Kennewick?

About 1,362 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 23% more than the Washington average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.

Who is the electric utility in Kennewick?

Most homes in Kennewick are served by PUD No 1 of Benton County, at about 9.8¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by PacifiCorp (Rocky Mountain Power / Pacific Power), Benton Rural Electric Association, PUD No 1 of Franklin County.

How much do solar panels cost in Kennewick?

A fair cash price is around $2.85 per watt before incentives, so about $15,955 for a 5.3 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.