PA incentive guide
Pennsylvania solar incentives in 2026
Last updated · every PA program below is verifiable against the sources at the foot of this page.
The most valuable solar incentive in Pennsylvania right now is SREC market (modest prices). Overall, the state's incentive stack rates as limited compared with the rest of the country.
The federal credit is gone — start here
The 30% federal residential clean energy credit (Section 25D) ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. If you are buying a system in Pennsylvania this year, there is no federal credit. That is a roughly $7,920 swing on an $26,400 system compared with 2025 pricing, and it is why state programs matter more now than they did a year ago.
What Pennsylvania offers at a glance
| Incentive | Available? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax credit | No | — |
| Rebate or performance payment | Yes | Philadelphia has run a city solar rebate |
| SREC market | Yes | Pennsylvania has a solar renewable energy certificate market you can sell into. |
| Sales tax exemption | No | — |
| Property tax exemption | No | — |
| Federal tax credit | No | Section 25D ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. |
Reviewed September 2026. Incentive programs change frequently and several are funding-capped — verify current status with the administering agency or DSIRE before relying on any figure.
Pennsylvania solar tax credit
There is no Pennsylvania solar tax credit in 2026, and no federal one either — Section 25D ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. That makes your electricity rate and your utility's export credit the whole of the economics here.
Pennsylvania solar rebates and grants
Philadelphia has run a city solar rebate. Rebate and grant programs are funding-limited and have opened and closed mid-year before, so confirm the current round is open before counting on it. Pennsylvania does have a solar renewable energy certificate (SREC) market, which pays per megawatt-hour your system generates rather than up front.
Pennsylvania has an SREC market (modest prices, roughly $20–40/MWh historically) and no state tax credit. Philadelphia has run a city solar rebate.
Net metering and export rates in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania requires full retail net metering with annual compensation for excess at the price-to-compare rate.
Compare this with net metering in every other state.
Export rules deserve to be read as an incentive. In a retail net metering state, every exported kilowatt-hour is worth the full retail rate; under net billing or avoided-cost compensation, the same kilowatt-hour can be worth a third of that. For a Pennsylvania home at an assumed $0.18/kWh, that difference compounds across a 25-year system life.
What this means for your numbers
A typical 8 kW system in Pennsylvania costs roughly $20,000–$26,400 installed before incentives, producing about 9,760 kWh a year and saving around $1,448 in year one — a simple payback near 14–18 years with no incentives applied. Anything in the table above shortens that.
Frequently asked questions
What are Pennsylvania solar tax credits worth in 2026?
Pennsylvania offers no residential solar income tax credit in 2026, and the 30% federal credit ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. There is no state tax benefit to claim at all, so the economics rest on your electricity rate and export credit.
Does Pennsylvania have solar rebates?
Yes. Philadelphia has run a city solar rebate. Rebate programs in PA are funding-limited and have historically opened and closed mid-year, so confirm the current round is still accepting applications before you count the money.
Is there a Pennsylvania solar property tax exemption?
No. Pennsylvania does not exempt residential solar from property tax assessment, so a system that increases assessed value can increase your property tax. Assessment practice varies by county — ask your local assessor how they treat rooftop solar.
What solar incentives are available in Pennsylvania in 2026?
Pennsylvania has an SREC market (modest prices, roughly $20–40/MWh historically) and no state tax credit. Philadelphia has run a city solar rebate. Because the federal Section 25D credit ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025, these state, local and utility programs are now the entire incentive picture for a purchased system.
Is there still a 30% federal solar tax credit in Pennsylvania?
No. The 30% federal residential clean energy credit (Section 25D) ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Any quote or website still applying 30% to a 2026 purchased installation is out of date. Leased and PPA systems can still benefit indirectly, because the third party that owns the system may claim the commercial 48E credit through 2027 and pass some of the value through in pricing.
Does Pennsylvania have net metering?
Pennsylvania requires full retail net metering with annual compensation for excess at the price-to-compare rate. Export rules are effectively an incentive — often the largest one — because they set what every kilowatt-hour you do not use on site is worth.
How much do incentives change the cost of solar in Pennsylvania?
Before incentives, a typical 8 kW system in Pennsylvania runs roughly $20,000–$26,400. Philadelphia has run a city solar rebate — the value depends on current funding. See our full Pennsylvania cost breakdown for payback math.
Verify before you rely on any of this
Incentive programs open, close, deplete their funding and change their caps — often mid-year. This page is a starting point reviewed September 2026, not tax advice. Confirm with: