Solar Cost in Pennsylvania 2026: What Official Data Shows
Solar is priced per watt of capacity. The most comprehensive public price dataset is Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's annual distributed solar update (Tracking the Sun). Its latest figures cover systems installed in 2024, so 2026 prices may differ.
What Berkeley Lab reports for Pennsylvania
LBNL's 2025 Data Update does not chart a residential median price for Pennsylvania; it shows state statistics only where at least 20 observations are available, and Pennsylvania isn't among the states charted. We didn't find an official 2026 statewide price figure for Pennsylvania. Prices vary, and a quote will show yours. Source: https://emp.lbl.gov/sites/default/files/2025-10/Distributed%20Solar%20%26%20Storage-2025%20Data%20Update.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
For reference, LBNL's U.S. median for host-owned, stand-alone residential systems installed in 2024 was $4.0/W (2024 dollars per watt DC, before incentives). Source: https://emp.lbl.gov/sites/default/files/2025-10/Distributed%20Solar%20%26%20Storage-2025%20Data%20Update.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
How big is Pennsylvania's small-scale solar market?
The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates Pennsylvania had 1,354.9 MW of small-scale solar PV capacity as of July 2026, ranking #12 among states in that table. Source: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_6_02_b (accessed 2026-10-20)
Why your price may differ
LBNL says cross-state differences "can reflect differences in market and policy conditions (e.g., financing choices, market size, population density, permitting processes, etc.)." Within a state, installer pricing varies too: across the top 100 U.S. residential installers in 2024, median prices ranged from $2.7 to $6.5/W. Loan-financed systems had higher median prices than cash purchases ($4.7/W vs. $3.5/W nationally), partly because of loan fees rolled into the price. Source: https://emp.lbl.gov/sites/default/files/2025-10/Distributed%20Solar%20%26%20Storage-2025%20Data%20Update.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
Incentives and the federal tax credit
The federal residential clean energy credit (25D) doesn't apply to expenditures made after December 31, 2025. The IRS treats an expenditure as made when installation is completed. Source: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/faqs-for-modification-of-sections-25c-25d-25e-30c-30d-45l-45w-and-179d-under-public-law-119-21-139-stat-72-july-4-2025-commonly-known-as-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-obbb (accessed 2026-10-20). This page isn't tax advice.
State, local, and utility programs in Pennsylvania change often. Check DSIRE for current programs and confirm eligibility with the program administrator before counting on any incentive. Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
Questions for your installer
- What is the price per watt (DC) in your proposal, before and after any incentives you've assumed?
- Which incentives does your price assume, and who receives them?
- If I finance, what fees are included in the price?
Sources
- Barbose et al., Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, "U.S. Distributed Solar and Storage: 2025 Data Update" (October 2025) — https://emp.lbl.gov/sites/default/files/2025-10/Distributed%20Solar%20%26%20Storage-2025%20Data%20Update.pdf (accessed Oct 20, 2026); data viewer: https://emp.lbl.gov/tracking-the-sun
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 6.2.B (data for July 2026) — https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_6_02_b (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- IRS, "FAQs for modification of sections 25C, 25D, 25E, 30C, 30D, 45L, 45W, and 179D under Public Law 119-21 (OBBB)" — https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/faqs-for-modification-of-sections-25c-25d-25e-30c-30d-45l-45w-and-179d-under-public-law-119-21-139-stat-72-july-4-2025-commonly-known-as-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-obbb (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- DSIRE (N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center, NC State University) — https://www.dsireusa.org/ (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
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Last reviewed 2026-10-20.
More for Pennsylvania homeowners: state guide with utility rules, prices and city pages.
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