Solar payback / By state / Washington
Solar panel cost in Washington, 2026
Electricity here costs 11.5 cents a kWh, below the national average of 17.1 cents. A kilowatt of panels makes about 1,100 kWh a year on a Washington roof. Put your own bill in below.
Your house
Pays for itself in
19 yr
At today's bill, rising
System you need
15.4 kW
about 39 panels
Cost after credits
$44,566
no federal credit in 2026
25 year net gain
$21,708
savings minus what it cost
What you have saved, year by year
Your monthly bill
On grid power you pay $180 a month, every month, for as long as you live there.
A 15.4 kW system in Washington makes about 16,904 kWh a year, which covers most of the 18,783 kWh your house uses. It costs $44,566 installed, and because the federal credit ended on 31 December 2025 that is also what you pay. Over 25 years you would otherwise hand the utility $78,752.
What these numbers mean in Washington
Two things decide whether solar pays here, and only one of them is sunshine. The first is what you are paying now: Washington sits 49 of 51 for residential electricity price, so every kWh the roof makes is worth 11.5 cents that stays in your pocket. The second is how much the roof makes, and Washington ranks 50 of 51 there.
A state with expensive power and moderate sun beats a sunny state with cheap power almost every time. That is why solar pays back faster in the northeast than in parts of the south, which surprises most people.
On a $180 a month bill, a Washington house uses roughly 18,783 kWh a year. Covering ninety percent of that needs about 15.4 kW of panels, which costs $44,566 installed at the national average price per watt, and produces about 16,904 kWh a year.
Those savings pass the cost of the system in year 19. Over 25 years you save $66,274 against a grid bill that would have totalled $78,752, leaving you $21,708 ahead. Panels are generally warranted for 25 years and keep working after that at reduced output.
One thing every figure above assumes: no federal tax credit. The 30 percent credit ended on December 31, 2025. If a salesperson or a calculator shows you a shorter payback, check whether they have quietly subtracted a credit that no longer exists.
Common questions
- How much do solar panels cost in Washington?
- A system big enough for a typical Washington home is around 15.4 kW, which is about 39 panels. At the national average of $2.90 a watt that is $44,566 installed. Because the 30 percent federal tax credit ended on December 31, 2025, that is also what you pay: there is no longer a credit to subtract.
- Is solar worth it in Washington in 2026?
- Yes, on these figures. Electricity in Washington costs 11.5 cents a kWh and a kilowatt of panels makes about 1,100 kWh a year here, so the system pays for itself in about 19 years and is ahead by $21,708 over 25. That is with no federal credit at all.
- Is there still a solar tax credit in Washington?
- Not a federal one. Section 25D, the 30 percent residential credit, ended on December 31, 2025 under the One Big Beautiful Bill, with no phase down. State and utility programs are separate and some still run, so check with your own utility before you sign. Any calculator still showing you 30 percent off is about three years optimistic on payback.
- How many solar panels does a Washington home need?
- About 39 panels, taking a modern 400 watt panel. That comes from a house using 18,783 kWh a year and each kilowatt of panels producing 1,100 kWh a year in Washington.