All states · West Virginia
Updated October 2026 · ranks 37 of 50
Only under favorable conditions
6 kW system · $17,700 after incentives · $1,154 returned in year one
0 yrs25 yrs
At 15.7 years the outcome depends more on individual circumstances than on the state average. It shortens appreciably with above-average consumption, an unshaded south-facing roof, or an installed price below $2.95 a watt, and lengthens with the opposite.
The answer depends on the individual property rather than the state average. At 15.7 years, shading or below-average consumption can move the outcome materially in either direction.
The case modeled here approximates an average West Virginia household on the state average rate of 15.8¢, with an unshaded roof and no financing: $17,700 of capital, $1,154 returned in the first year, and break-even near year 15.7. Above-average consumption, a south-facing roof or a competitive installed price shorten that period; shading, a loan carrying a dealer fee, or a sale within six years lengthen it. Exports earn 12.6¢, close to the retail rate, so daytime occupancy makes little difference to the result.
At 15.8¢ per kilowatt-hour, electricity in West Virginia costs 4% less than the United States average of 16.5¢. Inexpensive grid power lowers household bills but weakens solar economics, since each kilowatt-hour generated displaces a cheap one.
A 6 kW array in West Virginia generates approximately 7,390 kWh a year, below the national median. This is not disqualifying - Germany installs solar at lower irradiance than any US state - but it means the retail electricity rate matters more here than the weather does.
West Virginia credits exported power below the retail rate, at approximately 12.6¢ against a retail rate of 15.8¢. Electricity consumed as it is generated is therefore worth several times more than electricity exported, and sizing a system to daytime consumption rather than to annual total consumption is what protects the return.
West Virginia offers no state rebate or tax credit at present, so the installed price of $17,700 stands. With Section 25D expired there is no federal credit to deduct either, the first year in over a decade in which that has been the case.
A 6 kW system, the size typical of West Virginia households, costs approximately $17,700 installed at $2.95 a watt before deductions. No deduction applies in West Virginia: there is no state rebate, no state tax credit, and no federal credit following the expiry of Section 25D on 31 December 2025. Prices vary with roof complexity, equipment selection and local installer demand; quotes $0.40 a watt either side of this figure are common. Smaller systems cost more per watt and larger ones less, although sizing beyond on-site consumption is not penalized, since exports earn 15.8¢.
| System size | 6 kW |
|---|---|
| Annual production | 7,390 kWh |
| Installed cost | $17,700 |
| Incentives | none |
| Net cost | $17,700 |
| Electricity rate | 15.8¢ / kWh |
| Export credit | 12.6¢ / kWh |
| Year-one saving | $1,154 |
| Break-even | 15.7 years |
| 25-year gain | $16,108 |
Of the 50 states published here, West Virginia ranks 37th for how quickly a bought system repays itself. Fastest right now: Hawaii, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts. Slowest: South Dakota, Louisiana, North Dakota, Tennessee. Compare them all on the map.
Solar economics change at state lines rather than at county lines, because the export tariff and the netting period do. These states share a border with West Virginia, and the figure each produces on the same assumptions.
About $17,700 installed for a 6 kW system at $2.95 a watt. No deduction applies in West Virginia: no state rebate, no state credit, and no federal credit following the expiry of Section 25D. A system sized to daytime consumption costs less and repays faster here, because exports earn only 12.6¢.
Only under favorable conditions. A 6 kW system breaks even in 15.7 years on the assumptions used here, following the expiry of the 30% federal tax credit on 31 December 2025.
Approximately $1,154 in the first year on a 7,390 kWh system, rising thereafter as West Virginia electricity rates increase. Almost all of that derives from power consumed as it is generated; at 12.6¢, export earns little.
A 6 kW array is about 14 modules at 430 W and generates 7,390 kWh a year here, which covers a household using roughly that much. Sizing beyond on-site use is poor value in West Virginia, since the surplus earns 12.6¢ against a 15.8¢ retail rate. The sizing calculator works it out from a bill.
Only under favorable conditions. The retail rate here is 15.8¢ against a national average of 16.5¢, exports earn 12.6¢, and a 6 kW system breaks even in 15.7 years. What separates West Virginia from states with similar sunshine is the rate and the export tariff, not the weather.
West Virginia credits exported power below the retail rate, at approximately 12.6¢ against a retail rate of 15.8¢.
Generation is taken from NREL PVWatts v8 for the largest metropolitan area in West Virginia, south-facing at 20°. The retail rate is from the EIA and the export credit from the state's net metering rule. The break-even figure incorporates 0.5% annual panel degradation, 3% annual electricity price growth, $150 a year in maintenance and an inverter replacement in year 12. The federal credit is set to $0 — Section 25D expired 31 December 2025. Credits accumulate across the year, so close to 95% of generation is valued at the full retail rate. Full method and sources. Privacy. Export terms checked against the state source in September 2026.
These are estimates for comparison between states, not quotations. Roof orientation, shading, consumption pattern and installer pricing all affect the result. At least three written quotations are advisable before purchase.