Typical home: Worth it

Solar in San Pablo, CA

With PG&E's electricity at about 40.5¢ per kWh and 1,622 kWh of sun per kW, solar is worth it for a typical San Pablo home today: about a 10.2-year payback.

Payback, typical home
10.2 yrsCalifornia: 10.9 yrs
25-year net
$24,389after paying $10,700
Sun
1,622kWh per kW per year
Electricity
40.5¢125% above U.S. average

A typical San Pablo home, by the numbers

UtilityPG&E
Electricity use405 kWh a month
Best-value system3 kW, about 7 panels, 4,867 kWh a year (100% of use)
Cost$10,700
First-year savings$963
Payback10.2 years
Exported power3.9¢/kWh (PG&E)

Cash purchase, no federal credit, 4.0% yearly rate increases. Run it with your own numbers.

Solar production per kW in San Pablo

kWh per kW each month, south-facing at 20° tilt. PVWatts v8 with local typical-year weather.

Show as a table
PeriodValue
Jan77
Feb102
Mar136
Apr151
May168
Jun180
Jul179
Aug171
Sep152
Oct129
Nov99
Dec80

Homes in San Pablo

Owner-occupied homes
42%
Single-family detached
45%
Median home value
$552k
Median year built
1969
Population
31,720
Solar installs, last 3 years*
728
Roofs suitable for solar†
96%

Census ACS 2020–2024. *Installations in public records for this area's ZIP codes. †Share of 5,690 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 Pablo

Companies with the most installations in San Pablo's ZIP codes over the last 3 years, from public records. We don't take payment for placement.

  1. Sunrun 117 installs
  2. Bright OPS 108 installs
  3. SunPower 63 installs
  4. Lift Energy Construction 44 installs
  5. Freedom Forever 42 installs
  6. Grid Alternatives 37 installs
  7. Citadel Roofing And Solar 29 installs
  8. Better Earth Electric 28 installs
  9. Tesla Energy 22 installs
  10. Bright Planet 18 installs

Always verify the license and get at least three quotes. Compare quotes side by side.

Questions about solar in San Pablo

Is solar worth it in San Pablo, CA?

For a typical home in San Pablo, 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 San Pablo?

About 1,622 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 San Pablo?

Most homes in San Pablo are served by PG&E, at about 40.5¢ per kWh on average.

How much do solar panels cost in San Pablo?

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

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.