Solar in Imperial Beach, CA
With SDG&E's electricity at about 45.1¢ per kWh and 1,711 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Imperial Beach home today: about a 11.3-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 11.3 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $20,106after paying $10,700
- Sun
- 1,711kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 45.1¢150% above U.S. average
A typical Imperial Beach home, by the numbers
| Utility | SDG&E |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 296 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3 kW, about 7 panels, 5,132 kWh a year (144% of use) |
| Cost | $10,700 |
| First-year savings | $866 |
| Payback | 11.3 years |
| Exported power | 3.7¢/kWh (SDG&E) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 4.0% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Imperial Beach
- Owner-occupied homes
- 31%
- Single-family detached
- 42%
- Median home value
- $857k
- Median year built
- 1971
- Population
- 25,764
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 344
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 96%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 5,324 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 Imperial Beach
Companies with the most installations in Imperial Beach's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Sunrun 62 installs
- Suacci Electric 31 installs
- Bright Planet Solar 23 installs
- Semper Solaris 23 installs
- Freedom Solar 15 installs
- Aloha Solar Power 13 installs
- Baker Electric 11 installs
- Tesla Energy 11 installs
- Home Energy Systems 10 installs
- SunPower 8 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Imperial Beach
Is solar worth it in Imperial Beach, CA?
For a typical home in Imperial Beach, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $10,700 after state incentives, saves about $866 in year one and pays back in about 11.3 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Imperial Beach?
About 1,711 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 3% more than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Imperial Beach?
Most homes in Imperial Beach are served by SDG&E, at about 45.1¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Imperial Beach?
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
- National City 11.3 yrs
- Chula Vista 11.3 yrs
- La Presa 11.3 yrs
- Lemon Grove 11.3 yrs
- Spring Valley CDP (San Diego County) 11.3 yrs
- La Mesa 11.3 yrs
- San Diego 11.3 yrs
- El Cajon 11.3 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.