DC Solar Incentives

Learn Everything You Need To Know About DC Solar Incentives in 2026
Washington Dc Solar Incentives

Federal Tax Credit

The single most important of the DC solar incentives available to anyone considering purchasing a solar system is the Federal Renewable Energy Tax Credit. This credit pays new solar owners 26% of the total cost of their systems via a personal income tax credit.

As an example, someone who purchases a $30,000 system will receive an extra $7,800 back on their annual tax refund as long as they paid at least that much in federal income taxes over the course of the year. If the person only paid $7,000 in taxes, that extra $800 would be carried forward to the next year.

SRECs

Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs) are certificates that represent proof that one megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity was generated from solar resources.

SRECs can be sold to utilities in D.C. which are required to produce a certain percentage of their electricity from renewable resources, a requirement known as a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) or solar carve-out.

The sale of these certificates is completely different from the actual sale or credit from exporting electricity into the grid, which is related to Net Metering (see below).

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Net Metering

Net metering is a stipulation that requires utility companies to give you credit for any excess electricity your system produces.

For example, a home that consumes 20 kWhs of grid electricity during the night and produces an excess of 20 kWhs of solar electricity during the day would register as having used no grid electricity at all. 

DC’s net-metering rules let you connect your solar panel system to the grid, and if you generate more kWh than you use, your electric company is required to credit you the going rate toward future bills.

SEE WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE TO SAY

Customer Reviews

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Spicelord
2 September 2026
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Our solar panels just finished paying for themselves after seven years, we haven't had an ounce of trouble with them since they were installed with great care by Nova Solar. I still remember talking to this company about their founding originally they began by coming in after much less experienced and capable installers had botched a job. So the early years were spent identifying all the mistakes from traditional solar installs and helps explain the overwhelming positive reviews! Thank you for giving us such a positive customer experience, wishing your business, nothing but success
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Jane Zimmerman
13 August 2026
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Nova Solar stands out from the competition. Jake quickly scheduled an appointment to follow up and answer our questions. He was well prepared for out meeting, explained various details about the equipment and processes with helpful examples and photographs, presented requested options for our estimate, and was a consummate professional.
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John Mather
30 July 2026
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Positive from beginning to end. Very professional. Installatioin was very quick.
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Adam Beard
30 July 2026
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Working with Nova Solar has been a great experience. They are the most communicative company I have ever worked with. They have kept me informed every step of the process, and when the installation was complete, they provided me with very detailed and organized installation material, to include pictures, documents, and video. The installation was professional and clean. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. I highly recommend them!
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John M
30 July 2026
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Very professional from beginning to the end. Everything done as promised..
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Adam B
30 July 2026
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Working with Nova Solar has been a great experience. They are the most communicative company I have ever worked with. They have kept me informed every step of the process, and when the installation was complete, they provided me with very detailed and organized installation material, to include pictures, documents, and video. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. I highly recommend them!
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Kerry Lipitz
26 June 2026
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Absolutely outstanding experience from quote through install. They were the most straightforward, easy to understand and organized company we've dealt with in a long time. Cannot recommend Nova Solar enough.
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Jackie McKenna
10 May 2026
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Trip and his team were absolutely delightful to have working on our installation. They were friendly, polite, neat, efficient, and fast. When they left, there was not so much as a scrap of wrapper or extra screw lying around. Trip was clear, thorough, and specific about next steps, and we cannot wait to turn the system on following our county inspection later this week. If you are thinking about solar, be sure to get a quote from Nova Solar. You will be happy that you did.
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Enrique Harrington
10 May 2026
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We added solar mainly because summer electric bills in this house were getting out of control. From the beginning, the company felt much more straightforward than others we contacted. Nobody used high-pressure sales tactics or fake “limited-time discounts.” The installation crew was excellent too. They worked quietly, stayed organized, and answered questions without sounding annoyed. One afternoon they even paused briefly because our elderly neighbor was backing out of her driveway and they wanted to move equipment out of the way. Small detail, but thoughtful. The final setup looks cleaner than I expected on the roof, and the monitoring app has been easy to use. After several months, we’re definitely seeing lower energy costs, especially during peak AC season.
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David Rantala
10 May 2026
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My experience started a bit rough because the first consultation got rescheduled last minute, which honestly annoyed me. Still, after meeting the team, things improved quickly. The project manager apologized directly instead of pretending nothing happened, and from there communication stayed consistent. The installation crew worked through some pretty brutal heat and still stayed friendly every day. One technician noticed our outdoor security camera cable hanging loose and secured it while working nearby, which was thoughtful. The whole system has been operating for about three months now with no problems at all. We especially notice the difference during weekends when everyone is home running appliances constantly. It’s satisfying seeing lower electric bills without having to change daily habits much.

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