Solar resource
Your solar production in Pittsburgh
4.42 avg peak sun hours/day
Monthly avg solar radiation (kWh/m²/day) — Pittsburgh, PA. Bars update to show estimated kWh production when you use the calculator above.
Utility rate
Duquesne Light Company electricity rate
$0.167/kWh residential
- Utility
- Duquesne Light Company
- Residential rate
- $0.167/kWh (blended)
Duquesne Light residential customers can interconnect rooftop solar under Pennsylvania net metering rules, so exported excess energy is credited on the customer bill subject to Pennsylvania PUC treatment. Pittsburgh is not a premium-incentive market, but PA net metering remains meaningful and the city still benefits from Pennsylvania SREC eligibility as secondary upside.
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Incentives
Available solar incentives in Pittsburgh, PA
Federal + state + utility
| Incentive | Type | Value | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) | Tax Credit | 30% of system cost | Federal |
| Pennsylvania AEPS SREC market | Srec | Residential systems can generate PA SRECs; value is real but materially smaller than DC or New Jersey economics | State |
| Duquesne Light net metering / interconnection | Net Metering | Bill credit treatment under Pennsylvania net metering rules for qualifying customer-owned generation | Utility |
Incentive amounts and eligibility rules change. Verify current terms with your installer and a tax professional before installation.
System cost
Cost breakdown (6 kW default)
- Gross system cost
- $23040
- Federal ITC (30%)
- −$6912
- Net system cost
- $16,128
- Installed cost per watt
- $2.88/W
Great Lakes / Mid-Atlantic residential benchmark used for educational modeling; utility bill offset uses interpolated local residential rates.
Payback & long-term value
25-year outlook
- Annual savings (yr 1)
- $1,650
- Simple payback period
- 9.8 years
- 25-year net savings
- $40232
- Assumed annual rate increase
- 2.5%/year
25-year estimate uses flat electricity rate for conservative baseline. Accounting for 2.5% annual rate increases, lifetime savings increase substantially.
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How it works
How solar savings work in Pittsburgh
- Your roof captures moderate western Pennsylvania sun Modeled Pittsburgh production uses an NREL PVWatts-style resource profile of about 4.42 peak sun hours per day, with roughly 9,883 kWh per year from a standard 8 kW roof-mount system.
- Summer drives the production curve Pittsburgh is not a Sun Belt market. Output rises hard from April through August, then winter cloud cover and short days pull production down materially.
- Duquesne Light bill offset is the main savings engine The biggest value still comes from using the power in your own home and avoiding retail electricity purchases at an interpolated Duquesne Light bill-impact rate near 16.7¢/kWh.
- Pennsylvania net metering keeps excess generation useful When the system exports beyond your real-time household load, Pennsylvania net metering rules help preserve bill value rather than forcing homeowners into a pure avoided-cost export model.
- PA SRECs add some upside, but they are not the headline Pittsburgh homeowners can still treat Pennsylvania SRECs as secondary revenue, but western Pennsylvania solar economics are mostly driven by self-consumption plus the federal tax credit.
- The federal ITC lowers the net installed cost On the modeled 8 kW system cost, the 30% federal ITC removes the largest chunk of upfront cost and is the main reason the payback works at all in a cloudier Great Lakes / Appalachia market.
FAQ
Common solar savings questions for Pittsburgh, PA
How much can I save with solar in Pittsburgh, PA?
The modeled 8 kW Pittsburgh system produces about 9,883 kWh per year and saves roughly $1,650 annually at an interpolated Duquesne Light bill-impact rate near $0.167/kWh. After the federal ITC, modeled simple payback is a little over 9.7 years.
Does Duquesne Light allow residential solar net metering?
Yes, Pittsburgh-area homeowners can interconnect customer-owned solar under Pennsylvania net metering rules. That matters because exported excess generation retains meaningful bill value instead of dropping immediately to a low avoided-cost credit.
Are Pennsylvania SRECs valuable in Pittsburgh?
They can help, but Pittsburgh is not a premium SREC market. Treat Pennsylvania SREC revenue as secondary upside rather than the main reason to install.
Is Pittsburgh too cloudy for rooftop solar?
No. Pittsburgh is not elite for solar resource, but it still produces enough annual energy for a right-sized residential system to work when combined with net metering and the federal ITC.
How big a solar system does a Pittsburgh home need?
Many Pittsburgh homes land in the 6–9 kW range. Because winter production is much weaker than summer output, size the system from annual consumption instead of chasing winter peak bills.
Do I also need permits for solar in Pittsburgh?
Yes. Rooftop solar typically requires local permitting plus utility interconnection approval. If you are also building a deck, review the Pittsburgh deck permit page so both projects stay coordinated.
Sources
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Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only — not financial or investment advice. Solar savings depend on actual shading, roof orientation, energy usage patterns, rate changes, and equipment performance. Consult a licensed installer and a tax professional before making purchasing decisions. Verify incentive eligibility with official sources. Data last verified 2026-04-19.