Solar in Bakersfield, CA
With PG&E's electricity at about 40.5¢ per kWh and 1,684 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Bakersfield home today: about a 10.1-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 10.1 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $24,774after paying $10,700
- Sun
- 1,684kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 40.5¢125% above U.S. average
A typical Bakersfield home, by the numbers
| Utility | PG&E |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 405 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3 kW, about 7 panels, 5,053 kWh a year (104% of use) |
| Cost | $10,700 |
| First-year savings | $976 |
| Payback | 10.1 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 Bakersfield
- Owner-occupied homes
- 61%
- Single-family detached
- 72%
- Median home value
- $372k
- Median year built
- 1990
- Population
- 411,986
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 20,880
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 97%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 101,638 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Bakersfield
Companies with the most installations in Bakersfield's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Sunrun 5,379 installs
- Jeff Periera Home Energy 1,823 installs
- Next Phase Electric 733 installs
- Citadel Roofing And Solar 651 installs
- Infinity Energy 584 installs
- Sun Solar Energy Solutions 553 installs
- Freedom Forever 512 installs
- Bland Company 493 installs
- Solar Negotiators 446 installs
- Tesla Energy 407 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Bakersfield
Is solar worth it in Bakersfield, CA?
For a typical home in Bakersfield, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $10,700 after state incentives, saves about $976 in year one and pays back in about 10.1 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Bakersfield?
About 1,684 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 2% more than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Bakersfield?
Most homes in Bakersfield are served by PG&E, at about 40.5¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by Southern California Edison (SCE).
How much do solar panels cost in Bakersfield?
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
- Oildale 10.1 yrs
- East Niles 10.1 yrs
- Wasco 10.1 yrs
- Delano 10.6 yrs
- Porterville 10.6 yrs
- Tulare 10.7 yrs
- Lancaster 10.3 yrs
- Santa Paula 10.6 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.