Solar in El Cerrito, CA
With PG&E's electricity at about 40.5¢ per kWh and 1,615 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical El Cerrito home today: about a 10.2-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 10.2 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $24,338after paying $10,700
- Sun
- 1,615kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 40.5¢125% above U.S. average
A typical El Cerrito home, by the numbers
| Utility | PG&E |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 405 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3 kW, about 7 panels, 4,844 kWh a year (100% of use) |
| Cost | $10,700 |
| First-year savings | $962 |
| Payback | 10.2 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 El Cerrito
- Owner-occupied homes
- 59%
- Single-family detached
- 67%
- Median home value
- $1.1M
- Median year built
- 1956
- Population
- 25,994
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 540
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 96%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 7,994 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 El Cerrito
Companies with the most installations in El Cerrito's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Sunrun 74 installs
- SunPower 40 installs
- Bright OPS 24 installs
- A1 Sun 22 installs
- Kota Construction 20 installs
- Tesla Energy 20 installs
- Solar Technologies 16 installs
- Freedom Forever 15 installs
- GOT Watts Electric, Solar & Hvac 15 installs
- Sun Light & Power 15 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in El Cerrito
Is solar worth it in El Cerrito, CA?
For a typical home in El Cerrito, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $10,700 after state incentives, saves about $962 in year one and pays back in about 10.2 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in El Cerrito?
About 1,615 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 3% less than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in El Cerrito?
Most homes in El Cerrito are served by PG&E, at about 40.5¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in El Cerrito?
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
- San Pablo 10.2 yrs
- Berkeley 10.3 yrs
- Richmond 10.2 yrs
- Hercules 10.3 yrs
- Lafayette 10.2 yrs
- Oakland 10.3 yrs
- Martinez 10.2 yrs
- San Rafael 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.