Dean has connected tens of thousands of homeowners with residential solar installers across all 50 states since 2021, and works directly with installers on pricing and financing.
Washington DC pays solar owners more than anywhere else in the country, and it does it through certificates rather than through a tax credit. The District’s certificate stack is worth roughly $3,000 a year to a typical rooftop system, which is not a rebate you claim once but an income stream you collect while the system runs. Pepco nets your usage on top of that at full retail.
That inverts the usual installer question. In most states the federal credit was the biggest single number in a quote and its disappearance at $0 for systems completed after December 31, 2025 gutted the math. In the District the certificates were always the larger number, so the case here survived that change better than almost anywhere. What matters instead is whether your installer registers your system correctly for those certificates, and crucially, who keeps them.
Three vetted installers serve the District. Because the certificate income is the largest number in a DC solar deal, the decisive question is not price but ownership: ask in writing who registers the certificates and who receives the payments for the life of the system. On a lease or power purchase agreement the answer is usually not you.
Our Top 3 Solar Companies in Washington DC
Solar Solution
The only one of the three whose stated service area is the District itself rather than the wider region, which matters where certificate registration and Pepco interconnection are District-specific processes. Eighteen years in. Ask how many DC certificate registrations they filed last year and who ends up holding them.
EDGE Energy
The longest record of the three at twenty years, working across the whole DMV. A regional footprint is useful if your property sits near a boundary, since certificate programs differ sharply between the District, Maryland and Virginia. Ask them to state plainly which jurisdiction’s program yours will be registered under.
Ipsun Solar
The only one of the three publishing a hardware warranty term over 25 years rather than pointing at the manufacturer. On a system whose value depends on producing certificates for two decades, a long hardware commitment is worth more here than in states where the return is front-loaded. Ask what the term covers and what it excludes.
Washington DC Solar Companies Compared
Company | Years Operating | Coverage | Published Warranty | Where It Fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Solar Solution | 18 | Washington DC | Not published | The only District-focused firm of the three |
EDGE Energy | 20 | DC, Virginia, Maryland | Not published | Longest record and full DMV coverage |
Ipsun Solar | Not published | Northern VA, DC, Maryland | 25+ year hardware | The only long hardware warranty stated |
Two of the three work across the DMV rather than in the District alone. That is not a disadvantage, but certificate programs are jurisdiction-specific and considerably more valuable in the District than across either border, so ask any regional firm to confirm which program your system will actually be registered under.
Questions to Ask a Washington DC Solar Installer
Who registers my certificates, and who receives the payments?
What certificate value did you assume, and what happens if it falls?
How does Pepco net my usage alongside the certificates?
Are you deducting a federal tax credit from this price?
Have you dealt with my building’s constraints before?
Red Flags in a Washington DC Solar Pitch
Washington DC Solar FAQs
Why is solar worth more in Washington DC than in most states?
Because of the certificate stack, which pays roughly $3,000 a year to a typical system on top of the power you stop buying. Most states have nothing comparable, which is why the District’s economics held up better than most when the federal residential credit reached $0.
Do I keep the certificate income if I lease?
Generally not. On a lease or power purchase agreement the company that owns the system usually registers and keeps the certificates. Since that is the largest number in a DC deal, it is the single most important thing to confirm in writing before signing.
Does Pepco still net my usage at full retail?
Yes, and it runs alongside the certificates rather than instead of them. Netting lowers what you buy; certificates pay you for what you generate. You receive both, and a good quote shows them separately.
Is there still a federal tax credit for DC homeowners?
Not for a purchased or financed system completed after December 31, 2025. The residential credit reached $0. The District’s certificate programs and Pepco netting are unaffected by that federal change.
Can I install solar on a historic District row house?
Often yes, but it can require additional review depending on the property and district, and that affects both timeline and design. Ask any installer whether they have completed work on your building type and what approvals were involved.
References & Research Sources
- District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment. Renewable energy certificate programs and residential solar policy. Structure of the District certificate stack. Accessed August 31, 2026.
- District of Columbia Public Service Commission. Net energy metering for Pepco customer-generators. Netting treatment alongside certificate income. Accessed August 31, 2026.
- Internal Revenue Service. One, Big, Beautiful Bill Provisions. Section 25D repeal for systems whose installation is completed after December 31, 2025. Accessed August 31, 2026.
- District of Columbia Department of Buildings. Contractor licensing and permit records. Verification route for the contractor performing an installation. Accessed August 31, 2026.
