WattBuy’s Guide to

Solar Energy in
California

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The State of Solar in California

Here are a few numbers showing how popular solar energy is in California and how much solar energy potential there is on average.

331,810

Houses with solar panels

(circa 2019)*

871 kWh

Average monthly energy use per household

12 kW

Average system size

1,497 kWh

Energy generated by average sized system

How much does solar cost in California?

Average solar panel installation

$17,715

Federal Incentives

$5,315

Total

$12,400

Average monthly bill without solar

$228

Average monthly bill with solar

$0

Solar will pay for itself in

5 years
Tax Credits Available

Free money (kind of)

The Inflation Reduction Act has made it easier and more affordable than ever to go solar, thanks to a 30% federal tax credit. This means that for every $10,000 you spend on solar panels, you can deduct $3,000 from your federal taxes.

LEARN MORE
Net Metering Available

Get paid for the extra solar you produce

Net metering policies in California can help solar panel owners save money and reduce their carbon footprint. When your solar panels generate more electricity than you use, you can send the excess back to the grid and receive credit on your next bill. Just something to keep in mind when considering solar panels.

Solar Incentives in California

Self-Generation Incentive ProgramSee Details
Property Tax Exclusion for Solar Energy Systems and Solar Plus Storage SystemSee Details
San Diego County - Green Building ProgramSee Details
Sonoma County Energy Independence Program (SCEIP)See Details
Local Option - Municipal Energy Districts
Marin Clean Energy - Feed-In TariffSee Details
City of San Diego - Sustainable Building Expedited Permit ProgramSee Details
Western Riverside Council of Governments - Home Energy Renovation Opportunity (HERO) Financing ProgramSee Details
CaliforniaFIRSTSee Details
Renewable Market Adjusting Tariff (ReMAT)See Details
LADWP - Feed-in Tariff (FiT) ProgramSee Details

The Solar Process

Getting solar panels may seem complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. Here’s what you can expect.

1

Understand your energy needs

Take a closer look at your energy usage to determine how much solar power you'll require.

2

Get quotes and choose an installer

Reach out to multiple solar companies to gather quotes and select the one that best fits your needs and budget.

3

Design the system

Work with your chosen installer to design a solar system customized to your specific requirements and goals.

4

Obtain the necessary permit

Take care of the paperwork and permits required by local authorities before installing your solar panels.

This takes 7 days on average.

5

Install solar panels

Let the professionals handle the installation of your solar panels and related equipment.

This takes 15 days on average.

6

Inspection time

Have your newly installed solar system inspected to ensure it meets safety and quality standards.

This takes 17 days on average.

7

Lights on!

Connect your solar system to the electrical grid and start generating clean, renewable energy for your home or business.

This takes 5 days on average.

Solar Installers in California

Bright Planet Solar

www.brightplanetsolar.com

Coverage

CA, CT, IL, MA, NH, NJ, RI, UT

Sunrun

sunrun.com

Coverage

AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, HI, IL, MA, MD, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, PA, PR, RI, SC, TX, VA, VT, WI

Freedom Forever

freedomforever.com

Coverage

AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TX, UT, VA, VT, WI

Infinity Energy

infinityenergy.com

Coverage

CA

Energy Service Partners

www.joinesp.com

Coverage

CA

Baker Electric Home Energy

bakerhomeenergy.com

Coverage

CA

LA Solar Group

la-solargroup.com

Coverage

CA

Vibe Solar

vibesolar.com

Coverage

CA, TX

Palomar Solar & Roofing

www.palomarsolar.com

Coverage

CA

Solar Source

www.solarsourceinc.com

Coverage

CA

Solarponics

www.solarponics.com

Coverage

CA

Clean Solar

www.cleansolar.com

Coverage

CA

Magic Sun Solar

www.magicsunsolar.com

Coverage

CA

Earth Electric

www.earth-electric.com

Coverage

CA

Sandbar Solar & Electric

sandbarsc.com

Coverage

CA

Run on Sun

runonsun.solar

Coverage

CA

Palmetto Solar

palmetto.com

Coverage

AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, MA, MD, MI, MO, NC, NJ, NV, OH, PA, RI, SC, TX, UT, VA

Semper Solaris

www.sempersolaris.com

Coverage

AZ, CA, FL, TX

Forme Solar Electric

formesolar.com

Coverage

CA

A.M. Sun Solar

amsunsolar.com

Coverage

CA

Clayco Electric

claycoelectric.org

Coverage

CA

California Solar

www.cal-solar.coop

Coverage

CA

Future Energy

www.futureenergysavers.com

Coverage

CA

YouVee Solar

www.youveesolar.com

Coverage

CA

Westcoast Solar Energy

westcoastsolarenergy.com

Coverage

CA

Momentum Solar

www.momentumsolar.com

Coverage

AZ, CA, CT, FL, GA, MA, NJ, NV, NY, PA, TX

SolarMax Technology

www.solarmaxtech.com

Coverage

CA

GRID Alternatives

gridalternatives.org

Coverage

CA

Simply Solar SoCal

www.simplysolarsocal.com

Coverage

CA

Orange County Solar

ocsolarinc.com

Coverage

CA

Tesla

tesla.com

Coverage

Nationwide

ADT Solar

www.adt.com/solar

Coverage

AK, AZ, CA, FL, GA, IA, IL, KS, LA, MO, MS, NC, NE, NM, NV, OH, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA

Titan Solar Power

titansolarpower.com

Coverage

AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NM, NV, OH, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA

Guyou Construction

www.guyouconstruction.com

Coverage

CA

Renova Energy

www.renovaenergy.com

Coverage

CA

Simply Solar

simplysolar.com

Coverage

CA

Cosmic Solar

www.cosmicsolar.com

Coverage

CA

Allterra Solar

www.allterrasolar.com

Coverage

CA

Save a Lot Solar

www.savealotsolar.com

Coverage

CA

Green Stock Solar

www.greenstocksolar.com

Coverage

CA

SolarHut

www.solarhut.org

Coverage

CA

Learn About Solar in These California Cities

AcampoAdelantoAgoura HillsAlamedaAlamoAlbanyAlhambraAliso ViejoAlta SierraAltadenaAlum RockAmerican CanyonAmestiAnaheimAndersonAngelus OaksAngwinAntelopeAntiochApple ValleyApplegateAptosAptos Hills-Larkin ValleyArcadiaArcataArden-ArcadeArmonaAromasArroyo GrandeArtesiaAshlandAtascaderoAthertonAtwaterAuburnAvila BeachAvocado HeightsAzusaBakersfieldBaldwin ParkBanningBarstowBay PointBayviewBayview-MontalvinBeaumontBellBell CanyonBell GardensBella VistaBellflowerBelmontBelvedereBen LomondBeniciaBerkeleyBermuda DunesBeverly HillsBig BearBig Bear LakeBlack Point-Green PointBlackhawkBloomingtonBonitaBonsallBorondaBostoniaBoulder CreekBoyes Hot SpringsBradburyBrandeisBreaBrentwoodBret HarteBrisbaneBroadmoorBrookdaleBuena ParkBurbankBurlingameBystromCalabasasCalexicoCalimesaCalistogaCalpellaCamarilloCambrian ParkCameron ParkCamp Pendleton SouthCampbellCanyonCanyon LakeCapitolaCarlsbadCarmel ValleyCarmel-by-the-SeaCarmichaelCarpinteriaCarsonCasa de Oro-Mount HelixCastro ValleyCastrovilleCathedral CityCedar RidgeCeresCerritosChannel Islands BeachCherry ValleyCherrylandChicago ParkChicoChinoChino HillsChula VistaCitrusCitrus HeightsCity of IndustryClaremontClaytonClovisClydeCoachellaColfaxColmaColtonCommerceComptonConcordContra Costa CentreCornellCoronaCoronadoCorte MaderaCosta MesaCotatiCoto de CazaCountry ClubCovinaCoyoteCresseyCrestCrestlineCrockettCudahyCulver CityCupertinoCuttenCypressDaly CityDana PointDanvilleDavisDay ValleyDeer ParkDel AireDel MarDel Monte ForestDel ReyDel Rey OaksDel RioDelanoDenairDesert Hot SpringsDesert View HighlandsDiabloDiamond BarDiamond SpringsDinubaDiscovery BayDowneyDuarteDublinDurhamEast ComptonEast FoothillsEast HemetEast Los AngelesEast OakdaleEast Palo AltoEast PasadenaEast PortervilleEast Richmond HeightsEast San GabrielEast WhittierEastonEastvaleEl CajonEl Camino VillageEl CentroEl CerritoEl Dorado HillsEl GranadaEl MaceroEl MonteEl RioEl SegundoEl SobranteEl VeranoEldridgeElk GroveElmiraElvertaEmerald HillsEmeryvilleEmpireEncinitasEscalonEscondidoEurekaExeterFair OaksFairbanks RanchFairfaxFairfieldFairviewFallbrookFarmersvilleFawnskinFeltonFetters Hot Springs-Agua CalienteFields LandingFlorence-GrahamFlorinFolsomFontanaFoothill FarmsForestvilleFoster CityFountain ValleyFowlerFreedomFremontFrench CampFresnoFruitdaleFullertonFultonGarden AcresGarden GroveGardenaGilroyGlen EllenGlendaleGlendoraGold RiverGoletaGoshenGrand TerraceGranite BayGranite HillsGrass ValleyGratonGreen ValleyGrover BeachHacienda HeightsHalf Moon BayHanfordHappy ValleyHavasu LakeHawaiian GardensHawthorneHaywardHealdsburgHelendaleHemetHerculesHermosa BeachHesperiaHidden HillsHidden MeadowsHighgroveHighlandHighlands-Baywood ParkHillsboroughHollisterHome GardenHome GardensHomelandHughsonHumboldt HillHuntington BeachHuntington ParkImperialImperial BeachIndian WellsIndioInglewoodInterlakenIrvineIrwindaleIsla VistaIvanhoeJamulJunctionJurupa ValleyKagel CanyonKelseyKennedyKensingtonKentfieldKenwoodKeyesKingsburgKnightsenLa Cañada FlintridgeLa ConchitaLa Crescenta-MontroseLa HabraLa Habra HeightsLa MesaLa MiradaLa PalmaLa PresaLa PuenteLa QuintaLa RivieraLa Selva BeachLa VerneLadera HeightsLadera RanchLafayetteLaguna BeachLaguna HillsLaguna NiguelLaguna WoodsLake ArrowheadLake ElsinoreLake ForestLake San MarcosLake of the PinesLakeland VillageLakesideLakeviewLakewoodLancasterLarkfield-WikiupLarkspurLas FloresLas LomasLathropLatrobeLawndaleLemon GroveLennoxLincolnLincoln VillageLindaLindsayLive OakLivermoreLodiLoma LindaLomitaLondonLong BeachLoomisLos AlamitosLos AltosLos Altos HillsLos AngelesLos BanosLos GatosLoyolaLucas Valley-MarinwoodLynwoodLytle CreekMaderaMadera AcresMalagaMalibuManhattan BeachMantecaMarch Air Reserve BaseMarinaMarina del ReyMartinezMarysvilleMayflower VillageMaywoodMcClellan ParkMcFarlandMcKinleyvilleMeadow VistaMeiners OaksMenifeeMenlo ParkMentoneMercedMidway CityMill ValleyMillbraeMillvilleMilpitasMira MonteMission CanyonMission ViejoModestoMonroviaMontaraMontclairMonte SerenoMontebelloMontecitoMontereyMonterey ParkMoorparkMoradaMoragaMoreno ValleyMoss BeachMountain ViewMountain View AcresMuir BeachMurrietaMuscoyMussel ShoalsMyrtletownNapaNational CityNaval Air Station Point MuguNevada CityNewarkNewcastleNewport BeachNipomoNorcoNorth AuburnNorth El MonteNorth Fair OaksNorth HighlandsNorth RichmondNorth TustinNorwalkNovatoNuevoOak ParkOak ViewOakdaleOaklandOakleyOakvilleOceanoOceansideOildaleOjaiOlivehurstOntarioOrangeOrangevaleOrcuttOrindaOrovilleOroville EastOxnardPachecoPacific GrovePacificaPajaroPalermoPalm DesertPalm SpringsPalmdalePalo AltoPalos Verdes EstatesPalos Verdes PeninsulaParamountParksdaleParkway-South SacramentoParkwoodParlierPasadenaPaso RoblesPenngrovePenrynPerrisPetalumaPico RiveraPiedmontPinolePismo BeachPittsburgPlacentiaPlacervillePleasant HillPleasantonPlumas LakePomonaPort CostaPort HuenemePortervillePortola ValleyPowayPrunedalePumpkin CenterQuartz HillRancho CordovaRancho CucamongaRancho MirageRancho Mission ViejoRancho Palos VerdesRancho San DiegoRancho Santa FeRancho Santa MargaritaReddingRedlandsRedondo BeachRedwood CityRedwood ValleyReedleyRescueRialtoRichmondRidgemarkRidgewoodRimforestRio LindaRio del MarRiponRiverbankRiverdale ParkRiversideRocklinRodeoRohnert ParkRolling HillsRolling Hills EstatesRollingwoodRoselandRosemeadRosemontRosevilleRossRossmoorRowland HeightsRutherfordSacramentoSaint HelenaSalidaSalinasSamoaSan AnselmoSan Antonio HeightsSan BernardinoSan BrunoSan CarlosSan ClementeSan DiegoSan DimasSan FernandoSan FranciscoSan GabrielSan JacintoSan JoseSan Juan CapistranoSan LeandroSan LorenzoSan Luis ObispoSan MarcosSan MarinoSan MateoSan PabloSan QuentinSan RafaelSan RamonSand CitySangerSanta AnaSanta BarbaraSanta ClaraSanta ClaritaSanta CruzSanta Fe SpringsSanta MariaSanta MonicaSanta NellaSanta PaulaSanta RosaSanta VenetiaSanteeSaratogaSaticoySausalitoScotts ValleySeal BeachSeasideSebastopolSelmaShafterShastaShasta LakeShingle SpringsSierra MadreSignal HillSimi ValleySolana BeachSomisSonomaSoquelSouth El MonteSouth GateSouth OrovilleSouth PasadenaSouth San FranciscoSouth San GabrielSouth San Jose HillsSouth WhittierSpreckelsSpring ValleyStanfordStantonStevenson RanchStocktonStrathmoreStrawberrySugarloafSuisun CitySummerlandSunnyvaleSutterTaft MosswoodTalmageTamalpais-Homestead ValleyTara HillsTemeculaTemelecTemple CityTempletonThermalThermalitoThousand OaksThousand PalmsTiburonTierra BuenaTopangaToro CanyonTorranceTrabuco CanyonTraverTruckeeTulareTurlockTustinTwentynine PalmsTwin LakesTwin PeaksUkiahUnion CityUniversal CityUplandVacavilleValindaValle VistaVallejoValley CenterValley HomeVenturaVernonVictorvilleView Park-Windsor HillsVilla ParkVincentVine HillVineburgVineyardVisaliaVistaWalnutWalnut CreekWalnut ParkWatsonvilleWeimarWest AthensWest CarsonWest CovinaWest HollywoodWest Menlo ParkWest ModestoWest Puente ValleyWest Rancho DominguezWest SacramentoWest Whittier-Los NietosWestlake VillageWestminsterWestmontWhittierWildomarWillowbrookWinchesterWindsorWinter GardensWinterhavenWintonWoodbridgeWoodcrestWoodlandWoodsideYorba LindaYosemite ValleyYountvilleYuba CityYucaipa

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*Source: Project Sunroof