Solar Power in California

When it comes to dollars saved for every dollar spent, California is the best place in the country to go solar. The state has just the right mix of factors that make solar work for the average home: lots of sun, high electricity prices, great support from state government, and plenty of options for solar panel financing.

The good news doesn't stop there. The most populated areas of the state enjoy a temperate climate, meaning Californians don't use a ton of energy to heat and cool their homes. That means you can install a smaller solar panel system, which will generate more electricity than it would in a cloudier place. You probably have neighbors and friends who have gone solar and are already saving hundreds of dollars per year on their electric bill. You can save money with solar power in California, too!

If you go solar in California in 2020, you'll be signed up for "Net Energy Metering 2.0", aka NEM 2.0, a 20-year contract from your utility company that defines how much they'll pay you for your excess solar energy, and how much you'll have to pay every month to maintain a 2-way connection. We get more in-depth on what NEM 2.0 means in our section on net metering, below.