Federal Tax Credit Plus District Rebate

The federal tax credit, from the stimulus bill, and the rebates offered by the District of Columbia will contribute more than half of your investment in solar energy.

These are two compelling reasons to go solar in the District of Columbia:

  1. As of February of 2009, the District of Columbia implemented a brand new rebate as part of its expanding GreenEnergyDC program to help pay for solar electric and other renewable energy systems. The rebate is being funded by a Sustainable Energy Trust Fund, which in turn is funded by a public benefits charge paid by customers of Pepco and Washington Gas who reside or do business in the District of Columbia.

  2. The Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which is part of the stimulus bill, earns homeowners/building owners a credit (not a deduction) equal to 30% of the full installed solar electric system cost. Combined with the GreenEnergyDC rebate, DC homeowners can recoup more than half the cost of a new solar electric system. These two incentives comprise one of the most generous solar incentive packages in the nation.

How the Incentives Are Structured

Here is how the incentives are structured for electricity generated by solar panels:
A solar, or photovoltaic (PV), panel or module is rated by the amount of direct-current electricity it can generate. Since most roofs are flat and cannot hold the weight of a crystalline panel (see flat roof analysis), most installations will be through the use of thin-film laminates, unless you have your roof structure upgraded to hold the additional weight of the panels. The approximately 18 feet by 1.25 foot laminates generate 144 watts. The more panels installed, the higher the wattage achieved, the more electricity generated.

The GreenEnergyDC incentive program pays:

  • $3 for each of the first 3,000 installed watts;
  • $2 for each of the next 7,000 watts; and
  • $1 for each of the next 10,000 installed watts.


Examples: What These Home Solar Electric Systems Would Earn from the GreenEnergyDC program:

  • 3,350 watt (3.35 kilowatt) system: $ 9,700… [$3 x 3,000 watts + $2 x 350 watts]
  • 5,000 watt (5.0 kilowatt) system: $ 13,000… [$3 x 3,000 watts + $2 x 2,000 watts]
  • 7,500 watt (7.5 kilowatt) system: $ 18,000… [$3 x 3,000 watts + $2 x 4,500 watts]


The maximum the program can pay back to a District resident is $33,000, for a 20,000 watt (or 20 kilowatt) system. Add this grant money to 30% Federal Investment Tax Credit and below is the estimated total incentive amount three example systems above would earn:

System Size
Approx. Costs for Illustrative Purposes Only*
GreenEnergyDC Rebate
Federal ITC**
Combined Incentive $ / % Paid Back
3.35 kilowatts
$28,475
$9,700
$8,542
$18,242 / 64%
5.00 kilowatts
$42,500
$13,000
$12,750
$25,750 / 60%
7.50 kilowatts
$63,750
$18,000
$19,125
$37,125 / 58%


* Certain installations may require additional charges due to roof conditions. Structural work not included.
** The amount available using the Federal credit may be reduced by the amount of the DC incentive. Consult a tax advisor to determine the course to follow.


Steps for Purchasing Your Solar Electric System and Securing Your GreenEnergyDC Rebate

  1. Receive a free solar evaluation from Maggio Roofing.
  2. Visit www.greenenergy.dc.gov for the latest program information.
  3. Fill out the Prequalification Application and secure your Renewable Energy Incentive Program (REIP) reservation number.
  4. Submit a full application, including:
    1. Incentive Application Form
    2. Cost estimate and purchase order from Maggio Roofing
    3. Itemized list of system components (e.g. thin-film or panels, inverter, cabling, monitoring system)
    4. System schematic or line drawing
    5. Site plan
    6. Shading analysis
    7. Roof dimensions
    8. Location of solar panels on the roof, along with orientation and any tilt of the panel array.


The incentive payment should be made 45 days after the District Department of Environment (DDOE) receives a completed application.