Is solar worth it in Washington, DC?
A typical 7 kW rooftop system in Washington produces about 7,133 kWh/year and pays back in roughly 21.8 years against the area’s ~13.5¢/kWh commercial rate. Computed from Washington’s solar geometry — refine for your exact roof below.
Monthly production — 7 kW system in Washington
How much solar does Washington get?
Washington’s temperate climate gives a solar specific yield of about 1,019 kWh per kW of installed panels each year (south-facing, tilted near the latitude of 39°). At an estimated commercial electricity rate of ~13.5¢/kWh, a 7 kW array offsets roughly $963 of bills in year one, for a simple payback near 21.8 years before incentives. Add storage and you can ride through outages and shift usage off peak — model the full system for your address next.
Get the exact payback for your roof
Run real NREL PVWatts production against your actual serving utility — then size storage in the modeler.