Solar in Orange, CA
With Southern California Edison (SCE)'s electricity at about 33.8¢ per kWh and 1,663 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Orange home today: about a 10.6-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 10.6 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $22,731after paying $10,700
- Sun
- 1,663kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 33.8¢88% above U.S. average
A typical Orange home, by the numbers
| Utility | Southern California Edison (SCE) |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 468 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3 kW, about 7 panels, 4,989 kWh a year (89% of use) |
| Cost | $10,700 |
| First-year savings | $930 |
| Payback | 10.6 years |
| Exported power | 4.6¢/kWh (Southern California Edison (SCE)) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 4.0% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in Orange
- Owner-occupied homes
- 57%
- Single-family detached
- 56%
- Median home value
- $946k
- Median year built
- 1973
- Population
- 138,266
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 1,876
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 96%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 35,180 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 Orange
Companies with the most installations in Orange's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Sunrun 371 installs
- Tesla Energy 134 installs
- Freedom Forever 88 installs
- Orange County Contracting Services 86 installs
- SunPower 86 installs
- Infinity Solar 73 installs
- Better Earth Electric 36 installs
- Energy Service Partners INC DBA ESP Contracting 36 installs
- Bright OPS 31 installs
- Solarmax Renewable Energy Provider 25 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Orange
Is solar worth it in Orange, CA?
For a typical home in Orange, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $10,700 after state incentives, saves about $930 in year one and pays back in about 10.6 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Orange?
About 1,663 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 0% more than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Orange?
Most homes in Orange are served by Southern California Edison (SCE), at about 33.8¢ per kWh on average. Some areas are served by City of Anaheim.
How much do solar panels cost in Orange?
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
- Santa Ana 10.6 yrs
- North Tustin 10.6 yrs
- Tustin 10.6 yrs
- Garden Grove 10.6 yrs
- Placentia 10.6 yrs
- Fountain Valley 10.6 yrs
- Anaheim 15.8 yrs
- Stanton 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.