Solar in Novato, CA
With PG&E's electricity at about 40.5¢ per kWh and 1,623 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Novato home today: about a 10.2-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 10.2 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $24,403after paying $10,700
- Sun
- 1,623kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 40.5¢125% above U.S. average
A typical Novato home, by the numbers
| Utility | PG&E |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 405 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3 kW, about 7 panels, 4,869 kWh a year (100% of use) |
| Cost | $10,700 |
| First-year savings | $963 |
| 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 Novato
- Owner-occupied homes
- 66%
- Single-family detached
- 58%
- Median home value
- $1.0M
- Median year built
- 1975
- Population
- 52,546
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 1,319
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 94%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 15,392 buildings Google Project Sunroof rated technically suitable (2019 snapshot).
Installers working in Novato
Companies with the most installations in Novato's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Sunrun 340 installs
- Solarcraft Services 121 installs
- Tesla Energy 110 installs
- C S S Construction 64 installs
- Better Earth Electric 48 installs
- SunPower 47 installs
- Rockin Roofers 41 installs
- Northern Pacific Power Systems 31 installs
- Semper Solaris 28 installs
- Ambrose Solar 27 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Novato
Is solar worth it in Novato, CA?
For a typical home in Novato, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $10,700 after state incentives, saves about $963 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 Novato?
About 1,623 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 2% less than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Novato?
Most homes in Novato are served by PG&E, at about 40.5¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Novato?
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 Rafael 10.3 yrs
- Petaluma 10.3 yrs
- Richmond 10.2 yrs
- San Pablo 10.2 yrs
- Hercules 10.3 yrs
- Vallejo 10.3 yrs
- El Cerrito 10.2 yrs
- Napa 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.