Solar in Ridgecrest, CA
With Southern California Edison (SCE)'s electricity at about 33.8¢ per kWh and 1,845 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical Ridgecrest home today: about a 10.3-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 10.3 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $23,869after paying $10,700
- Sun
- 1,845kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 33.8¢88% above U.S. average
A typical Ridgecrest home, by the numbers
| Utility | Southern California Edison (SCE) |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 468 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 3 kW, about 7 panels, 5,535 kWh a year (99% of use) |
| Cost | $10,700 |
| First-year savings | $967 |
| Payback | 10.3 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 Ridgecrest
- Owner-occupied homes
- 59%
- Single-family detached
- 68%
- Median home value
- $254k
- Median year built
- 1981
- Population
- 28,225
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 1,124
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes.
Installers working in Ridgecrest
Companies with the most installations in Ridgecrest's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Zurn Electric 335 installs
- Bright OPS 115 installs
- Bright Planet 112 installs
- Vibe Solar 96 installs
- Sunrun 68 installs
- Freedom Forever 30 installs
- Titanium Solar 28 installs
- Ilum Solar 22 installs
- Quality Homes Services 21 installs
- EXO Energy 19 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in Ridgecrest
Is solar worth it in Ridgecrest, CA?
For a typical home in Ridgecrest, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 3 kW system costs about $10,700 after state incentives, saves about $967 in year one and pays back in about 10.3 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in Ridgecrest?
About 1,845 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 11% more than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in Ridgecrest?
Most homes in Ridgecrest are served by Southern California Edison (SCE), at about 33.8¢ per kWh on average.
How much do solar panels cost in Ridgecrest?
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
- Barstow 10.3 yrs
- Lancaster 10.3 yrs
- East Niles 10.1 yrs
- Adelanto 10.2 yrs
- Palmdale 10.3 yrs
- Oildale 10.1 yrs
- Victorville 10.3 yrs
- Bakersfield 10.1 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.