Community Solar in Washington DC

Access Solar Power without owning Panels!

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DC’s Bright Solar Outlook

There’s more to love about DC than history and cherry blossoms. While it might not yet technically be a state, Washington DC is leading the way for the rest of the country when it comes to solar power generation.

An incredible 47.41% of its total energy production comes from solar! That’s the highest percentage of any state.

Even with almost half its energy needs supplied by solar power, Washington DC is still pushing for even more solar power, with enough solar panels to produce 251 megawatts of power expected to be installed within the next five years. 

Although DC is small—and much of it is occupied with city buildings—there are still plenty of options for DC residents to go solar.

You can install panels on your house, choose a rent-to-own option, buy Green Power, or join a DC community solar farm.

Mother and Daughter on Grass

Go Solar without panels on your roof?

Residential solar power in DC has been limited by multiple hurdles that homes face around the country.

“If you own a home — and it has a roof that is the right size, type, orientation, exposure, etc. — then you can buy, finance, or lease panels that are bolted to your roof to generate energy.”

This makes solar energy out of reach for most people.

In fact, traditional solar power is accessible to only about 20% of DC residents. But what about everyone else!?

Benefits of Community Solar in Washington DC

Community Solar is a membership to a local solar farm
where you get clean energy at 10-25% off!

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Oaks Landfill

Gaithersburg, Maryland

SAVE 25% ON ENERGY!

60 Spots Available
For PEPCO Customers
Read more: Oaks Landfill
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Sassafras

Freeland, Maryland

SAVE 10% ON ENERGY!

100 Spots Available
For BGE Customers
Read more: Sassafras
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Glassywing

East New Market, Maryland

SAVE 10% ON ENERGY!

6 Spots Available
For Delmarva Customers
Read more: Glassywing
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Mason

Salisbury, Maryland

SAVE 10%,25% ON ENERGY!

100 Spots Available
For Delmarva Customers
Read more: Mason
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How Does Community Solar in DC Work?

Pay nothing, save money, help the environment AND a local business?? Really?

Instead of purchasing expensive solar panels and installing them on the roof of your house, community solar is more of a team-effort when it comes to producing solar power. 

Here’s the anatomy of a community solar project:

1. A solar farm site is built in a suitable location, with ready connection to the electricity grid

2. People from around the state contribute money for management and maintenance of the farm, typically via monthly subscription.

3. Large credits from power generated by the community solar project are sent back to the participants, ultimately reducing their electricity bills. 

Because community solar doesn’t require participants to have a “solar-ready” property (with plenty of roof space, facing the right direction, and in enough direct sunlight), it’s accessible to more people. 

Even DC residents who rent or live in apartments can enjoy clean, renewable solar energy. 

Also, since the cost of installation and maintenance is split between the collective, nobody has to pay thousands of dollars up front to install solar panels. It’s a much more affordable option to traditional solar panel installation.


Get Your Energy from a Solar Farm!

Community solar farms are a great to lower your energy bills while also helping the environment. So new projects become available, the spots fill up fast!

We currently do not have any active DC solar projects available, but we’ll gladly let you know when new spots open.

Sign up to a Solar Farm!

Sign up for Community Solar in Washington DC!

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A Guide to Solar in Washington DC

Pay nothing, save money on your bills, help the environment, and help a local business?? Seems too good to be true!

Contact Us

Switching to Community Solar is easy!

Register here with your email and we’ll show you which solar farms you’re eligible for, and how much you can save.

Your relationship with your utility company won’t change at all!

Only the electrons that power your house. You’ll still receive energy the same way — it will just be cleaner and cheaper!

Start here to see if Community Solar works for you!

Thinking of installing solar panels on your Washington DC home? It’s the best way to completely power your household with clean, renewable solar energy. However, as anyone living where bills become laws know, everything good comes with a catch. Solar panels can be expensive.

The average cost of solar panels in Washington DC is around $3.32 per watt. For a standard 5-megawatt system, you’d be looking at somewhere between $14,110 and $19,090 for a complete installation. Naturally, the bigger and more powerful the system, the more it’ll cost. 

While that price tag might seem completely outrageous, the initial cost isn’t the only thing you should consider when thinking about going solar. Remember, those expensive panels are going to save you money on your energy bills. The utility company might even pay you every month! Those savings add up over time and will eventually pay for the cost of installation. 

Washington DC has some of the fastest payback periods of any state on solar installations. While solar systems in many states take between seven and ten years to break even, the average payback period in DC is only 4.57 years! Over 20 years, DC property owners can expect a whopping $48,854 in savings on average!

Because of the short breakeven period, solar panel installation in DC makes sense for many property owners, even those who don’t plan to stay in their home long-term. As long as you live on the property for at least six years after installation, you’ll make money on the deal.

Although going solar in DC is a great choice, many property owners still can’t afford the steep initial cost, no matter how good the deal is in the long run. To entice property owners to install solar panels, there are several DC solar incentives to make the price more manageable:

  • Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) – Enjoy a 26% tax credit on the installation of a solar system, courtesy of the federal government. This credit is only applicable for systems installed by December 31, 2022. In 2023, the credit drops to 22%.
  • Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs) – Earn credits for each megawatt-hour of clean energy you produce. In 2021, SRECs in Washington DC sold for around $400, the highest in the country!
  • Solar Advantage Plus Program – Provides qualified low-income applicants with up to $10,000 toward the cost of a 3- or 4-kilowatt solar system. Plus, participants are still eligible for net metering and SRECs.
  • Net Metering – If you produce more energy than your household consumes, the utility company will purchase excess power. Credits can help reduce energy bills during low-generation times. Net metering in DC is provided by the Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco). 

Solar incentives are only available for eligible property owners. Typically, they’re only available to those who own their solar systems and property. If you chose a rent-to-own option, for example, you might not be eligible for solar incentives because you don’t technically own your system. 

Before choosing a solar option in DC, do your research to ensure you understand which incentives apply to you. They can drastically reduce the cost of going solar, so you don’t want to miss out!

Sign up to a Solar Farm!

Reviews of Community Solar in Washington DC

Solar Power to the People

Community solar in Washington DC is gaining popularity because of its affordability and accessibility.

Without the need to purchase and install panels on your roof, community solar is a much more affordable option that can benefit so many more people!

This includes renters, row homes, apartments, and rooftops that are not a good fit for solar panels.

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I cannot tell you how pleased I am
I am very proud that we get most of the electricity to run our house via solar energy. I would definitely recommend your company (and I have) because the transition to solar in this way has been very easy and seamless. 10 out of 10!
John H.
NY Solar Farm Subscriber
Perfect for what I needed!
I live in a townhouse where I was restricted to use solar panels. I am glad you have given me the opportunity to buy into solar energy!
Jennifer H.
ME Solar Farm Subscriber
Extremely easy to work with
Extremely easy to work with and to set up and I love being able to use solar to produce energy while also getting credits to save money!
Lauren C.
MD Solar Farm Subscriber
Highly recommended!
I am very satisfied with the entire process to this point. I’ve recommended solar farms to anyone interested.
Elizabeth R.
MD Solar Farm Subscriber
Saving money and helping the planet!
Solar is absolutely the way to go…I signed up with you when I bought this house, about 8 years ago, and have not had one bit of regret.
Penny M.
MD Solar Farm Subscriber

Overcome the Limits and Access Solar!

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