Solar in Richmond, CA
With PG&E's electricity at about 40.5¢ per kWh and 1,608 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Richmond home today: about a 10.2-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 10.2 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $24,269after paying $10,700
- Sun
- 1,608kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 40.5¢125% above U.S. average
A typical Richmond home, by the numbers
| Utility | PG&E |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 405 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3 kW, about 7 panels, 4,825 kWh a year (99% of use) |
| Cost | $10,700 |
| First-year savings | $960 |
| 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 Richmond
- Owner-occupied homes
- 55%
- Single-family detached
- 60%
- Median home value
- $668k
- Median year built
- 1966
- Population
- 115,505
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 1,166
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 96%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 27,812 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 Richmond
Companies with the most installations in Richmond's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Sunrun 196 installs
- Grid Alternatives 150 installs
- Bright OPS 133 installs
- Better Earth Electric 43 installs
- Freedom Forever 39 installs
- SunPower 35 installs
- Titan Solar Power 28 installs
- ESP Contracting 27 installs
- Lift Energy Construction 25 installs
- Semper Solaris 20 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Richmond
Is solar worth it in Richmond, CA?
For a typical home in Richmond, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $10,700 after state incentives, saves about $960 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 Richmond?
About 1,608 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 Richmond?
Most homes in Richmond are served by PG&E, at about 40.5¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Richmond?
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
- El Cerrito 10.2 yrs
- Hercules 10.3 yrs
- Berkeley 10.3 yrs
- San Rafael 10.3 yrs
- Vallejo 10.3 yrs
- Novato 10.2 yrs
- Lafayette 10.2 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.