State solar guide
West Virginia solar economics in 2026 depend entirely on your utility rate, available state incentives, and net-metering rules. The federal residential credit expired December 31, 2025. We present the honest picture for your location.
Sources: ElectricChoice June 2026 | NREL PVWatts (verify at your assessment) | EnergySage May 2026 | Federal residential credit: Section 25D expired December 31, 2025, H.R.1 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act).
Net metering
West Virginia net metering is available from Appalachian Power (APCo) and Monongahela Power (Mon Power, a FirstEnergy company). Customers installing after January 1, 2025 earn only 9.3 cents per kWh for excess generation, well below the retail rate of 14.41 cents per kWh. Customers who signed up before December 31, 2024 are grandfathered at full retail rate for 25 years. Net metering credits roll forward and do not expire, but the below-retail export rate significantly limits annual savings for post-2024 installers. A bill in the West Virginia Legislature in early 2026 sought to eliminate net metering entirely; its status was uncertain as of June 2026.
Appalachian Power (APCo, an AEP company, serving most of West Virginia): full retail grandfathering for pre-2025 customers; 9.3 cents per kWh export rate for post-January 2025 installations. Monongahela Power (Mon Power, FirstEnergy, serving north-central West Virginia): same post-January 2025 export rate of 9.3 cents per kWh; pre-2025 customers grandfathered at full retail. Verify current legislative status regarding proposed net metering elimination before contracting.
Program: NM2_avoided_cost. Last verified: June 1, 2026. DSIRE source (opens in new tab).
Verify with your utility
Net-metering rules change by utility and program cycle. Confirm current export credit rates and eligibility with your specific West Virginia utility before contracting. Current program details at DSIRE (opens in new tab).
State incentive stack
The federal residential credit expired December 31, 2025. The programs below are what remains for West Virginia homeowners. Amounts and availability change; every program is date-stamped and linked to its DSIRE source.
Federal residential solar credit (Section 25D): expired. The Section 25D residential investment tax credit expired December 31, 2025. The residential credit rate is 0%. State and local incentives below may still significantly reduce your net system cost. Commercial systems still qualify for Section 48E (30%).
| Program | Benefit | Eligibility | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia Solar Incentives State and local programs Incentive amounts and availability change frequently. Verify at dsireusa.org before relying on any program. | See description West Virginia offers no statewide solar rebate program and no significant utility rebate programs as of June 2026. There is no state tax credit and no SREC market. Appalachian Power and Mon Power have no active residential solar rebate programs. | West Virginia homeowners. Verify current programs at dsireusa.org. | Limited | DSIRE (opens in new tab) |
| West Virginia Solar Property Tax Exemption Property tax exemption Confirm exemption filing requirements with your county assessor. | Exemption on solar-added home value (amount varies by local tax rate and system size) West Virginia exempts the added home value from a residential solar installation from property tax assessment. The exemption applies to the solar energy value of the system. | West Virginia residential property owners with qualifying solar installations. | Active | DSIRE (opens in new tab) |
Data last verified June 1, 2026. Incentive programs change; verify current amounts and availability at dsireusa.org (opens in new tab) before committing to a project.
Savings example
This example uses real West Virginia market data. No federal residential credit is applied. Figures are illustrative; your in-home assessment uses your actual utility bills and the current rate schedule for your specific utility.
An 8 kW system at the EnergySage May 2026 West Virginia average of $3.07 per watt costs approximately $24,560 with no meaningful incentive reducing the out-of-pocket cost. The federal residential credit is zero (Section 25D expired December 31, 2025). West Virginia has no state tax credit and no SREC market. Post-January 2025 installations receive 9.3 cents per kWh for exported generation, not the retail rate of 14.41 cents per kWh, which limits annual savings. At approximately 4.57 peak sun hours per day (lowest in the Southeast region), estimated annual electricity bill savings are $1,300 to $1,600, producing an illustrative payback of 14 to 18 years. Solar is viable in West Virginia primarily for customers with very high electricity usage and strong self-consumption who can reduce reliance on exported generation. Site-specific analysis is strongly recommended before committing. Figures are illustrative.
West Virginia homeowner savings example (illustrative)
Illustrative example. Federal residential credit: $0 (Section 25D expired December 31, 2025). Your estimate will use your actual utility bills and current rate schedule.
Permitting
Permit requirements in West Virginia vary by municipality. Verify permit timelines and fees with your installer and local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ).
Commercial solar in West Virginia
The commercial solar credit (Section 48E, 30 percent) remains available for qualifying commercial projects. Construction must begin by July 4, 2026 to qualify for the full placed-in-service window. Combined with MACRS accelerated depreciation and 100 percent first-year bonus depreciation, the combined first-year federal benefit can reach 45 to 55 percent of project cost for many West Virginia business owners. Direct Pay is also available for nonprofits, municipalities, and other tax-exempt entities.
Commercial solar overviewCommercial solar projects must begin construction by July 4, 2026 to qualify for the 30 percent Section 48E federal tax credit. After that date, the system must be placed in service by December 31, 2027.
Get a Free West Virginia Commercial AssessmentGet accurate solar numbers for your West Virginia home.
We run the math for your specific utility, your net-metering rate, and the 2026 incentives that apply to your address. No federal residential credit assumed. No pressure.
Frequently asked
Every answer is specific to West Virginia: your utility rules, your incentives, your net-metering regime. No generic boilerplate.
More state guides
A free in-home assessment runs the real numbers for your utility rate, your net-metering rate, and the 2026 incentives that apply to your address. No federal residential credit assumed. No pressure.
