Solar in Alameda, CA
With PG&E's electricity at about 40.5¢ per kWh and 1,582 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Alameda home today: about a 10.3-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 10.3 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $24,118after paying $10,700
- Sun
- 1,582kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 40.5¢125% above U.S. average
A typical Alameda home, by the numbers
| Utility | PG&E |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 405 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3 kW, about 7 panels, 4,747 kWh a year (98% of use) |
| Cost | $10,700 |
| First-year savings | $955 |
| Payback | 10.3 years |
| Exported power | 3.9¢/kWh (PG&E) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 4.0% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Alameda
- Owner-occupied homes
- 51%
- Single-family detached
- 43%
- Median home value
- $1.2M
- Median year built
- 1965
- Population
- 77,238
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 92%
Census ACS 2020–2024. †Share of 17,909 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Older housing stock. Many homes here were built before 1975. Have the roof and electrical panel checked before signing; a roof or panel upgrade can add thousands. Roof first?
Installers working in Alameda
Public installation records for California don't name installers, so we can't rank local companies here. Browse installers in California.
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Alameda
Is solar worth it in Alameda, CA?
For a typical home in Alameda, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $10,700 after state incentives, saves about $955 in year one and pays back in about 10.3 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Alameda?
About 1,582 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 5% less than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Alameda?
Most homes in Alameda are served by PG&E, at about 40.5¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Alameda Municipal Power.
How much do solar panels cost in Alameda?
A fair cash price is around $2.90 per watt before incentives, so about $10,700 for a 3 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Oakland 10.3 yrs
- San Leandro 10.3 yrs
- San Lorenzo 10.2 yrs
- South San Francisco 10.2 yrs
- Berkeley 10.3 yrs
- Castro Valley 10.3 yrs
- Daly City 10.4 yrs
- Hayward 10.2 yrs
- All of California
Data: PVWatts (National Laboratory of the Rockies), EIA-861 2025 adjusted to 2026, U.S. Census ACS, LBNL Tracking the Sun, state policy research as of October 2026.