Solar in Berkeley, CA
With PG&E's electricity at about 40.5¢ per kWh and 1,553 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Berkeley home today: about a 10.3-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 10.3 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $23,930after paying $10,700
- Sun
- 1,553kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 40.5¢125% above U.S. average
A typical Berkeley home, by the numbers
| Utility | PG&E |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 405 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3 kW, about 7 panels, 4,658 kWh a year (96% of use) |
| Cost | $10,700 |
| First-year savings | $949 |
| 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 Berkeley
- Owner-occupied homes
- 44%
- Single-family detached
- 40%
- Median home value
- $1.4M
- Median year built
- 1944
- Population
- 120,257
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 1,910
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 88%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 24,483 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 Berkeley
Companies with the most installations in Berkeley's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- A1 Sun 161 installs
- Sunrun 141 installs
- SunPower 122 installs
- Kota Construction 120 installs
- Sun Light & Power 89 installs
- Solar Technologies 81 installs
- Save A LOT Solar 50 installs
- Tesla Energy 50 installs
- Bright OPS 43 installs
- GOT Watts Electric, Solar & Hvac 42 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Berkeley
Is solar worth it in Berkeley, CA?
For a typical home in Berkeley, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $10,700 after state incentives, saves about $949 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 Berkeley?
About 1,553 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 6% less than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Berkeley?
Most homes in Berkeley are served by PG&E, at about 40.5¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Berkeley?
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
- El Cerrito 10.2 yrs
- Richmond 10.2 yrs
- San Pablo 10.2 yrs
- Oakland 10.3 yrs
- Alameda 10.3 yrs
- Lafayette 10.2 yrs
- Hercules 10.3 yrs
- San Leandro 10.3 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.