How Solar Energy World serves homeowners across 7 states and Washington D.C.

Solar incentives are not national. They are state-specific, utility-specific, and in some cases county-specific. A homeowner in Washington D.C. with a typical 8 kW solar system can earn $2,700 to $3,600 per year from Solar Renewable Energy Credits alone. A homeowner in Pennsylvania with the same system earns approximately $279 per year from SRECs. A homeowner in Florida earns nothing from SRECs because the state does not have an SREC market at all, but benefits instead from full retail net metering and tax exemptions that still make solar a strong financial decision.

None of these differences are obvious from a generic solar proposal. They require in-state knowledge, current program data, and operational familiarity with the utilities, regulators, and enrollment processes in each jurisdiction. Solar Energy World has operated in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington D.C., and Florida since its founding in 2009. The in-house incentive specialists, permitting coordinators, and installation supervisors on staff know their states. Solar Energy World handles every incentive application, SREC registration, utility interconnection, and rebate enrollment on behalf of every customer, in every state, without the homeowner needing to navigate any of it independently.

This article covers the solar landscape in each of the eight jurisdictions Solar Energy World serves: what the incentives are, what makes each market distinctive, and why local expertise produces better outcomes for homeowners.

Why state-specific knowledge matters

Homeowners who go solar with installers that do not handle state-specific incentive paperwork frequently miss programs they were entitled to. Some of those missed opportunities are significant.

In New Jersey, the SuSI SREC-II registration must be completed before construction begins. If the registration is not filed before the first panel goes on the roof, the homeowner misses the enrollment window entirely and loses access to a guaranteed income stream worth $12,000 or more over 15 years. In Delaware, Delmarva Power’s Green Energy Program rebate is not automatic: it requires a specific application through the state portal, and some recipients must also assign their SRECs to the state as part of the agreement, a trade-off that needs to be understood before signing. In Washington D.C., SREC registration requires a revenue-grade meter and monthly production reporting through the PJM-GATS platform. None of this is intuitive, and none of it happens automatically.

Solar Energy World has navigated these programs, across these states, for more than 16 years. The depth of operational experience that comes from being the number one residential solar installer in Maryland for seven consecutive years, from registering thousands of systems in New Jersey’s SREC program, and from working through DC’s PEPCO interconnection process across thousands of installations is not replicated by a national installer entering a new market for the first time.

Maryland: Solar Energy World’s home state

Maryland is where Solar Energy World was founded in 2009, where its headquarters remains, and where it has maintained the number one residential installer position for seven consecutive years.

What makes Maryland strong for solar

Maryland’s solar incentive stack combines an active SREC market, net metering at the full retail rate, a statewide 100% property tax exemption, a 6% sales tax exemption on solar equipment, and county-level tax credits in many jurisdictions. Maryland has also set an ambitious renewable energy target of sourcing 50% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, which keeps demand for SRECs structurally supported.

Maryland SREC program

For every megawatt-hour of solar electricity a homeowner’s system produces in Maryland, the homeowner earns one SREC, which can be sold to utilities through brokers. Maryland SRECs have sold at $60 to $80 per certificate in recent years. The Solar Alternative Compliance Payment, which sets the ceiling on SREC values, was $55 in 2025 and declines annually to $22.50 by 2030. A homeowner with an 8 kW system generating approximately 9 MWh annually can expect roughly $500 to $720 per year in SREC income for the first 15 years of system operation.

Solar Energy World registers every Maryland installation in the SREC program and manages the ongoing enrollment so income arrives without the homeowner needing to maintain a separate brokerage relationship.

Maryland Solar Access Program

The Maryland Clean Energy Rebate Program, which offered a $1,000 grant, concluded at the end of FY 2025. It has been replaced by the Maryland Solar Access Program (MSAP), which offers grants up to $7,500 for income-eligible residents at or below 150% of the area median income. MSAP operates on a first-come, first-served basis; FY26 applications were accepted through June 5, 2026, or until funds were exhausted. Solar Energy World’s incentive team monitors program windows and availability for customers who may qualify.

Net metering and tax treatment

Maryland net metering credits excess solar production at the full retail electricity rate. A 2025 policy update allows Maryland solar customers to carry forward excess credits indefinitely rather than facing annual expiration. The April annual true-up gives homeowners the option to receive a cash payment for unused credits, though at a lower rate than retail.

Maryland’s 100% property tax exemption means the value added to a home by a solar installation is not included in the property’s assessed value, preventing any increase in annual property taxes. The 6% state sales tax is fully exempted on solar equipment purchases. Many Maryland counties also offer additional alternative energy tax credits of up to $5,000, which Solar Energy World’s incentive team identifies and applies for on a county-by-county basis.

Virginia: the Virginia Clean Economy Act advantage

Virginia’s Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA), passed in 2020, established a renewable portfolio standard and created both an SREC market and a mandate for net metering that supports the long-term financial case for residential solar.

What makes Virginia strong for solar

Virginia’s VCEA sets a goal of 100% renewable electricity by 2050. To achieve that goal, utilities including Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power must procure growing percentages of their electricity from renewable sources, which creates ongoing demand for the SRECs that Virginia solar homeowners generate.

Virginia SREC program

Virginia homeowners earn one SREC per MWh of solar electricity produced. Current market values run approximately $22.50 per SREC. An 11 kW system producing roughly 13 MWh annually earns approximately $292 per year. Virginia SREC values are market-based and fluctuate with supply and demand. Solar Energy World registers every Virginia installation with an SREC broker and handles the enrollment process so the income flows without administrative burden on the homeowner.

Net metering and tax treatment

Virginia’s net metering policy provides 1:1 retail rate credit for systems up to 25 kW through Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power, the two main utilities in Solar Energy World’s Virginia service area. One important development for Virginia homeowners in 2026: both utilities have proposed reducing the compensation rate for new net metering customers. These proposals have not yet been implemented, and homeowners who install before policy changes take effect are expected to be grandfathered under existing terms. Installing sooner rather than later captures current net metering terms before any adjustment occurs.

Virginia provides a statewide 100% property tax exemption for solar installations, ensuring that adding solar does not increase annual property tax bills.

Washington D.C.: the highest-value SREC market in the US

Washington D.C. operates the most lucrative SREC market in the country. With 2025 SREC prices near $383 per certificate, D.C. SRECs are more than double the next-highest state in the country and five times the national average.

What makes Washington D.C. exceptional for solar

D.C.’s SREC values reflect two structural factors. The District has set a 100% renewable electricity goal by 2032, one of the most aggressive in the country. And the District’s limited land area means large-scale solar installations are not feasible, so utilities must source solar compliance certificates from residential and commercial rooftop systems. That constrained supply, combined with high compliance demand, keeps DC SREC values consistently among the highest in the US.

DC SREC program

For every MWh of solar electricity a DC system produces, the homeowner earns one SREC valued at $300 to $400 at current market prices. A homeowner with an 8 kW system generating approximately 9 MWh annually earns $2,700 to $3,600 per year from SRECs alone, before accounting for net metering savings. Over a five-year SREC holding period, that 8 kW system can generate $13,500 to $18,000 in SREC income.

DC SREC registration requires a revenue-grade meter and monthly production reporting through the PJM-GATS platform. Solar Energy World handles this setup as part of every DC installation.

Net metering and additional programs

PEPCO, the primary utility in Washington D.C., credits homeowners at the full retail electricity rate for excess solar exported to the grid. Credits are measured in kWh and roll from month to month, but reset at the end of each calendar year. Unused credits are paid out at the generation rate (approximately $0.088 per kWh), which is lower than the retail rate. DC does not charge sales tax on solar equipment, and solar installations are exempt from property tax assessment increases.

For income-qualified DC residents, the Solar for All program administered by the DC Sustainable Energy Utility provides solar at no cost, with potential electricity bill reductions of up to 50%. The program is available to both homeowners and renters.

New Jersey: the strongest fixed-rate solar income stream in the Northeast

New Jersey’s Successor Solar Incentive program pays residential solar owners a fixed $85 per SREC-II for every MWh their system produces, for 15 years from registration. The rate is locked at the time of registration and does not change for the duration of the term.

What makes New Jersey strong for solar

No other state in the Northeast offers a comparable fixed-rate solar production incentive. New Jersey’s SuSI program provides a guaranteed, predictable income stream for 15 years, stacked on top of one of the best net metering policies in the country. The combination makes NJ a very strong solar market even following the expiration of the federal residential tax credit.

An important update: the NJ Board of Public Utilities reduced the residential net-metered ADI rate from $85/MWh to $76.50/MWh for applications submitted on or after March 6, 2026. Systems registered before that date retain the $85/MWh rate for their full 15-year term. Earlier registration locks in a higher rate.

SuSI SREC-II program

For an 8 kW system generating approximately 9 MWh annually at the $85 rate, annual SREC-II income runs approximately $765 per year. Over 15 years, that is more than $11,000 in production-based income on top of net metering bill savings. Payments arrive quarterly, automatically, for the full 15-year term.

The SuSI registration must be completed before construction begins. Solar Energy World files the pre-construction registration, handles the post-construction documentation packet, and sets up the GATS account and InClime enrollment so payments begin as soon as the system activates.

Net metering and tax treatment

New Jersey offers 1:1 full retail rate net metering at approximately $0.26 per kWh for customers of all four investor-owned utilities (JCP&L, PSE&G, Atlantic City Electric, and Orange and Rockland). Solar equipment is fully exempt from New Jersey’s 6.625% state sales tax. Solar installations are 100% exempt from property tax increases. As of early 2026, more than 216,000 New Jersey homes and businesses had installed solar totaling over 5 GW of capacity.

Pennsylvania: net metering and a growing SREC market

Pennsylvania supports residential solar through mandatory 1:1 net metering across all investor-owned utilities and an SREC market tied to the state’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards. Savings come primarily from net metering, with SREC income adding to the return over time.

What makes Pennsylvania work for solar

Pennsylvania’s Public Utilities Commission requires all investor-owned utilities to provide 1:1 net metering for residential solar customers. Every kWh exported to the grid offsets one kWh consumed from the grid, at the full retail rate. Pennsylvania’s electricity rates and consumption patterns support a solid financial case for solar based on net metering savings alone.

Pennsylvania SREC market

Pennsylvania homeowners earn one SREC per MWh of solar electricity produced. SRECs are tracked through the PJM-GATS platform and sold to electricity suppliers to meet Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard requirements. Current SREC values in Pennsylvania run approximately $31 per certificate, at the lower end nationally. An 8 kW system generating approximately 9 MWh annually earns approximately $279 per year from SRECs. Solar Energy World registers every Pennsylvania installation in the SREC program and manages the sales process through a broker relationship.

Pennsylvania does not have a statewide solar rebate program. The City of Philadelphia maintains a local solar rebate program for Philadelphia residents, which Solar Energy World’s team identifies and applies for on behalf of applicable customers.

Permitting and utility expertise

Pennsylvania’s permitting landscape varies by municipality and utility territory. Solar Energy World’s team is experienced across the major PA utilities including PECO, PPL, Metropolitan Edison, and others, and handles the full interconnection process in each territory.

Delaware: Green Energy Program rebates and an active SREC market

Delaware’s Green Energy Program provides upfront cash rebates through participating utilities, and the state runs an SREC market that generates additional income for the life of the system. The combination of a direct rebate and ongoing SREC income makes Delaware a strong solar market for customers of the major utilities.

What makes Delaware distinctive

Delaware has no state sales tax, which immediately reduces the upfront cost of any solar installation compared to states that apply a 6% or higher sales tax to equipment. Property tax exemptions apply in most jurisdictions, preventing the added home value from solar from increasing annual property tax bills.

Delaware Green Energy Program

The Green Energy Program is a utility-administered rebate program funded through ratepayer contributions. The rebate amount depends on which utility serves the homeowner’s address.

Delmarva Power, which serves most of Delaware’s population, offers $0.70 per watt of installed capacity, up to a maximum rebate of $6,000 for residential systems. For a typical 8.5 kW system, that is a $5,950 rebate applied directly against installation costs. One important condition: Delmarva rebate recipients are typically required to assign their SRECs to the state as part of the program agreement. Solar Energy World explains this trade-off clearly so homeowners can make an informed decision about whether the upfront rebate or the SREC income stream produces a better overall return for their situation.

Delaware Electric Cooperative (DEC) members can receive $0.35 to $0.50 per watt for the first 5 kW installed and $0.20 per watt above that. DEMEC municipal utility customers in Newark, Milford, Lewes, Middletown, and Smyrna receive $1.00 per watt for the first 5 kW and $0.50 per watt above that, up to $3,500.

Delaware SREC market

Delaware homeowners who do not assign SRECs to the state as part of a rebate agreement earn one SREC per MWh of solar electricity produced. SRECs are sold through the state’s annual procurement process at approximately $30 per certificate for years 1 through 10, and $10 per certificate for years 11 through 25. An 8 kW system generating approximately 9 MWh annually earns approximately $270 per year from SRECs in the first decade. Solar Energy World handles Energize Delaware registration and all SREC auction enrollment.

Net metering

Delaware requires 1:1 retail rate net metering from all utilities for residential systems up to 25 kW. Credits are measured in kWh and reset at the end of a 12-month period the homeowner selects as a true-up date; unused credits do not roll over or pay out as cash.

Florida: sunshine, strong net metering, and substantial tax savings

Florida is the third-largest solar state in the US by total installed capacity. It has no statewide SREC market and no state income tax credit, but its combination of full retail net metering, a 100% property tax exemption, a 6% sales tax exemption, and 237 average sunny days per year makes it a consistently strong solar market.

What makes Florida strong for solar

Florida’s financial case for solar rests on three pillars: electricity bill savings from net metering, the 100% property tax exemption that prevents a tax increase from the added home value, and the 6% sales tax exemption that immediately reduces upfront cost. There is no SREC income, but the net metering policy in Florida is excellent: investor-owned utilities are required to provide full retail rate credit for every kWh of excess solar exported to the grid.

Florida also has a significant grid reliability context. The US Energy Information Administration found that Americans experienced an average of 11 hours of power outages in 2024, with hurricanes Beryl, Helene, and Milton accounting for 80% of those lost hours. Florida homeowners were among the most heavily affected. Battery storage adds meaningful resilience value in Florida specifically, and Solar Energy World’s battery lineup, including Tesla Powerwall 3 and FranklinWH aPower2, addresses that need directly.

Net metering

Florida Power and Light, Duke Energy, Tampa Electric, and Florida Public Utilities are all required to offer full 1:1 retail rate net metering for residential solar customers. Credits roll forward month to month and reset at the end of a 12-month period. Any unused credits at the annual reset are paid out at the avoided cost rate, typically 3 to 5 cents per kWh, which is significantly lower than the retail credit rate. Sizing the system appropriately to minimize unused credits at year-end is part of Solar Energy World’s custom design approach for every Florida installation.

Tax treatment

Florida Statute §193.624 specifically exempts solar energy system value from increasing assessed property value, with the exemption available through 2037. For a solar system that adds $15,000 to a home’s market value, this exemption saves approximately $250 to $600 per year in property taxes depending on local mill rates. The 6% state sales tax exemption on solar equipment, made permanent in 2005, saves approximately $1,200 to $2,500 upfront on a typical Florida residential installation.

What Solar Energy World handles in every state

Regardless of which jurisdiction a homeowner is in, the administrative burden of going solar falls on Solar Energy World, not on the homeowner.

Every state has a different enrollment process. New Jersey’s SuSI registration must precede construction. DC’s SREC registration requires revenue-grade metering and ongoing monthly reporting. Delaware’s Delmarva Green Energy Program requires a specific application through the state portal before the rebate is issued. Maryland’s county-level tax credit applications are separate from the state programs and vary by county. Pennsylvania’s SREC registration goes through PJM-GATS with specific documentation requirements.

Solar Energy World’s in-house incentive specialists handle all of it. The same team that designed and installed the system identifies every applicable program for the homeowner’s specific address, prepares and submits every application, files every registration, and confirms every enrollment before the system activates. Homeowners who work with installers that do not provide this service frequently miss programs they were entitled to. With Solar Energy World, that does not happen.

The solar by state guide on the Solar Energy World website goes deeper on each state’s current program details and links to the specific state-level information pages for each jurisdiction.

Get a free solar estimate in your state

Solar Energy World offers free in-home and virtual solar estimates across Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington D.C., and Florida. Every estimate includes a full review of the incentive programs applicable to the homeowner’s specific address, utility territory, and income situation, before any financial projections are presented.