West Virginia
West Virginia solar in 2026
West Virginia has a law many solar markets would like to have: utilities must offer net metering. That does not make every roof a good deal. Production is middling, the grid has historically been cheap coal power, and a long payback is not a defect in the spreadsheet. It is the honest result for some homes.
Net metering helps. It does not repeal basic economics.
The grid price is higher than it was a year earlier, but solar output is not especially high and installed cost is not especially low. That combination can create a legitimate long-payback outcome. If a proposal says otherwise, make it show production, financing cost, and the exact utility credit.
| Energy source | Type | Average price | What that means |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia household electricity | Electricity | 16.8¢ per kWh | May 2026 statewide residential measure. |
| West Virginia residential gas | Natural gas | $24.68 per Mcf | May 2026 gas series, equal to roughly 8.1 cents per thermal kWh. |
| Owner-held rooftop PV | Electricity | ~9.6¢ per kWh | Estimated lifetime energy cost from EnergySage price data and West Virginia PVGIS production. |
We take the power-price reference from EIA Table 5.6.A for May 2026. The gas figure is from EIA's May natural-gas series, with 1 Mcf treated as about 304 thermal kWh. Solar's long-run cost is calculated under the methodology page approach.
Ridge-and-valley production is not one statewide number
Martinsburg is the high result in this group and Morgantown is the low. A broad West Virginia average hides too much terrain, shade, and roof variation to serve as a quote.
| Modeled city | kWh per kW, annual | Estimated 14.39 kW generation |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston | 1,269 | 18,264 kWh |
| Morgantown | 1,220 | 17,562 kWh |
| Huntington | 1,289 | 18,547 kWh |
| Martinsburg | 1,331 | 19,157 kWh |
Method: PVGIS v5.2. PVGIS v5.2 model runs by Solar Learning Lab on August 18, 2026, using the NSRDB radiation database. Assumptions: fixed roof mount, south facing, 30 degree tilt, 14 percent losses. Your roof will differ. This 14.39 kW example is based on the EnergySage average size.
Net metering is law, and the interconnection date matters
W. Va. Code §24-2F-8 requires utilities to offer net metering on a first-come, first-served basis under a standard tariff. The PSC sets the fair-value rebate or discount for electricity delivered under the arrangement. Solar United Neighbors describes monthly netting with excess credits that roll over indefinitely, a 25 kW residential size limit, and a 3% statewide cap tied to previous-year peak demand.
In FirstEnergy territory, existing customers have a 25-year preservation of the 1:1 credit, and Solar United Neighbors says the protection extends to new owners interconnected by December 31. Anyone submitting an interconnection application is treated as interconnected. If that is your territory, get the date and application record right. Elsewhere, confirm the tariff and credit method directly with your utility.
Policy source: W. Va. Code §24-2F-8.
No state credit, no rebate, no pretend RPS
| Item | Value | Fine print |
|---|---|---|
| West Virginia cash incentive | None verified | No verified state homeowner payment is part of the return. |
| Residential 25D tax credit | Ended on December 31, 2025 | A PPA or lease owner may still claim 48E, and its value can influence pricing (CRS) |
No state solar tax credit or rebate was verified. The earlier alternative and renewable energy portfolio provision is repealed. A sales pitch that adds a state RPS benefit to your numbers is building on a dead rule.
West Virginia projects live or die on the application record
The state rule starts with access: utilities must offer net metering on a first-come, first-served basis under a standard tariff. The Public Service Commission determines the fair-value rebate or discount for electricity delivered under the arrangement and must protect against cross-subsidization within a service class. Residential systems are limited to 25 kW. The statewide program cap is 3% of the previous year's peak demand, while credits are described as rolling over indefinitely. None of that makes a generic savings chart reliable. The serving utility's tariff and the application date still control the useful answer. W. Va. Code §24-2F-8 Solar United Neighbors
FirstEnergy territory has its own hard edge. Existing customers keep the 1:1 credit for 25 years, and that protection extends to new owners interconnected by December 31. A customer who submits an interconnection application is treated as interconnected. That is a records question. Keep the dated application, utility acknowledgment, approval, and final agreement together. For a house purchase, ask to see them before assuming the credit treatment carries with the system. FirstEnergy territory details
There is also an aggregate-metering option: qualifying meters can sit on one tract or on contiguous tracts within two miles. That can matter for a property with more than one account, but it does not erase the utility's size tiers. Get the configuration approved before treating separate meters as one solar project. West Virginia program details
Appalachian Power's 2026 guide makes the execution concrete. Its Level 1 process covers generators of 25 kW or less connected to distribution at 69 kV or less, with a $30 fee. Level 2 costs $50 plus $1 per kW. Residential participants need at least $100,000 in general liability insurance. Ask the installer to spell out which level applies and who supplies the insurance documentation. That is far more useful than a generic promise that the company “handles interconnection.” Appalachian Power guide program requirements
There were 3,776 net-metered PV customers in West Virginia in 2024, including 3,535 residential customers. Appalachian Power alone accounted for 4,632,296 MWh of residential sales that year, ahead of Monongahela Power at 3,579,591 MWh and Potomac Edison at 1,968,719 MWh. This is why the utility name needs to be on the proposal cover sheet. A statewide claim without a territory is incomplete. EIA West Virginia utility and customer data
Model the cash case before the financed case
With modest production and nontrivial installed cost, financing can decide the outcome. Start with cash, then compare the loan result. The calculator cannot replace the utility tariff or a roof shading assessment.
The range comes from four West Virginia PVGIS runs. Terrain, shade, and roof orientation can matter more than the spread between these city runs.
Cash quotes in West Virginia cluster near $3.05 per watt, against a $3.50 national 2024 median (LBNL). Use your quote.
Assumptions you can change
Use the rate on your actual lease or PPA quote. There is no published statewide average we trust enough to hardcode.
Cash purchase
$26,535 after state credit
- Year 1 benefit
- $156/mo
- Payback
- 13 years
- 20 year net position
- $18,759
No verified state cash rebate or income-tax credit. West Virginia requires net metering, but modest production and financing cost can still produce a long payback.
Solar loan
$332/mo 15 yr payment
- Year 1 net
- -$177/mo
- Upfront
- $0
- 20 year net position
- -$14,528
We price loans at $4.25 per watt: the EnergySage cash figure plus the $1.20 national loan-over-cash spread LBNL documents, since dealer fees get built into loan pricing.
Lease / PPA
$0 down you buy the power
- Year 1 net
- -$67/mo
- Upfront
- $0
- 20 year net position
- -$16,302
A lease or PPA provider can still claim the federal 48E business credit. Make it identify the actual West Virginia net-metering tariff rather than assuming a statewide savings rate.
Estimates, not quotes. Inputs use the West Virginia average rate from EIA (Table 5.6.A, May 2026), our own PVGIS production runs, and EnergySage August 2026 cost data. We are a solar installer and we also partner with other solar companies. See our disclosures.
West Virginia solar: the contract questions
- For FirstEnergy territory, document the interconnection application date and the 1:1-credit preservation details before the December 31 cutoff. (Solar United Neighbors)
- Confirm the 25 kW residential size limit and the 3% statewide cap before system design is finalized. (Solar United Neighbors)
- Appalachian Power lists a $30 Level 1 interconnection fee, and its guide lays out the tariff and rule framework. (Appalachian Power)
- Do not claim a state RPS benefit. The portfolio provision at W. Va. Code §24-2F-1 is repealed. (statute status)
West Virginia installers to investigate
West Virginia's market is concentrated, so compare scopes rather than logos. Ask whether the bidder manages the utility application, has the required liability coverage, and works in your territory. We did not verify a statewide solar-installer licensing authority, so confirm contractor credentials with the authority having jurisdiction.
Solar Holler
Huntington, WV
4.6(126 Google reviews)
Solar Holler
Shepherdstown, WV
4.4(74 Google reviews)
Revolt Energy
Nitro, WV
4.8(45 Google reviews)
Advancing Solar Solutions
Ripley, WV
5.0(20 Google reviews)
Cenvar Roofing - Beckley
Beckley, WV
4.9(45 Google reviews)
Ratings snapshot: Google Maps, August 2026, via the DataForSEO SERP feed. Zero companies paid us and none are endorsed by us. Verify licensing, insurance, and permit requirements with the authority having jurisdiction.
Get your West Virginia estimate
Use four quick answers to generate an estimate from this page's West Virginia EIA and PVGIS inputs. We are a solar installer and we also partner with other solar companies. Details in our disclosures.
What does your monthly electric bill look like?
West Virginia average is $155 per month (EIA, 2024).