Solar in San Francisco, CA
With local electricity at about 28.5¢ per kWh and 1,430 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical San Francisco home today: about a 9.3-year payback.
- Payback, typical home
- 9.3 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
- 25-year net
- $39,153after paying $14,540
- Sun
- 1,430kWh per kW per year
- Electricity
- 28.5¢59% above U.S. average
A typical San Francisco home, by the numbers
| Utility | Varies |
|---|---|
| Electricity use | 1,089 kWh a month |
| Best-value system | 4.6 kW, about 11 panels, 6,579 kWh a year (50% of use) |
| Cost | $14,540 |
| First-year savings | $1,450 |
| Payback | 9.3 years |
| Exported power | Net billing (reduced export credit) (California rule) |
Cash purchase, no federal credit, 4.0% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.
Homes in San Francisco
- Owner-occupied homes
- 38%
- Single-family detached
- 18%
- Median home value
- $1.4M
- Median year built
- 1946
- Population
- 830,235
- Solar installs, last 3 years*
- 2,715
- Roofs suitable for solar†
- 84%
Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 129,075 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 San Francisco
Companies with the most installations in San Francisco's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.
- Luminalt Energy 483 installs
- Sutro Power 181 installs
- SunPower 172 installs
- All Bay Solar Construction 164 installs
- Tesla Energy 109 installs
- Rockin Roofers 104 installs
- N R G Clean Power 98 installs
- Occidental Power Solar & Cogen 89 installs
- Solarunion 80 installs
- Albion Power Company 66 installs
Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.
Questions about solar in San Francisco
Is solar worth it in San Francisco, CA?
For a typical home in San Francisco, solar is worth it at 2026 prices: a 4.6 kW system costs about $14,540 after state incentives, saves about $1,450 in year one and pays back in about 9.3 years. Enter your address for an estimate based on your roof and bill.
How much solar power does a system produce in San Francisco?
About 1,430 kWh per year for each kW of panels on a south-facing roof, based on PVWatts and local weather. That's 14% less than the California average. East- or west-facing roofs produce roughly 10–20% less.
Who is the electric utility in San Francisco?
Several utilities may serve San Francisco. Check your bill.
How much do solar panels cost in San Francisco?
A fair cash price is around $2.90 per watt before incentives, so about $14,540 for a 4.6 kW system. There's no federal tax credit for homeowners who buy in 2026.
Nearby
- Daly City 10.4 yrs
- Pacifica 10.4 yrs
- San Bruno 10.2 yrs
- San Rafael 10.3 yrs
- South San Francisco 10.2 yrs
- Novato 10.2 yrs
- Burlingame 10.2 yrs
- Richmond 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.