Is solar worth it in California?
A 6 kW system pays for itself in
3.8 years$12,600 after the tax credit
Over its life the system generates power at 5.4¢ per kilowatt hour against the 33.25¢ California utilities charge. That comparison, rather than the sunshine, is what decides it.
What your utility credits matters more than the weather
Full retail credit
3.8 yrs
Credited below retail
5.7 yrs
The panels are identical in both columns. The only difference is what the utility pays for power you export rather than use, and states have been cutting that. Check what California requires of your utility before treating the left-hand figure as yours.
The numbers behind it
A 6 kW array at a representative point in California produces about 9,843 kilowatt hours a year — 1,641 per kilowatt installed. At $3.00 a watt that is $18,000 before the 30% federal credit and $12,600 after it, saving about $3,273 in the first year.
Common questions
Is solar worth it in California?
A 6 kW system pays for itself in about 3.8 years with full net metering, and around 5.7 years where exports are credited below retail. It generates power at 5.4¢ per kilowatt hour against the 33.25¢ the utility charges.
How much do solar panels produce in California?
About 1,641 kilowatt hours per kilowatt of panels a year, so a 6 kW system produces roughly 9,843 kWh. Modelled by NREL's PVWatts for a south-facing roof at a representative point in the state.
What does a solar system cost in California?
About $18,000 before incentives for 6 kW at $3.00 a watt, or $12,600 after the 30% federal tax credit. That credit reduces tax owed rather than the price paid.
Your roof, not the state
The calculator models your own ZIP code rather than a point in the middle of the state, and lets you set the system size, the installed price and the export credit.
Solar payback calculatorProduction modelled by NREL PVWatts for the centroid of California's ZIP codes, south-facing at 20°. A state is not a point — a centroid can sit in the sunnier half, as it does in states split by mountains, so treat this as the state's middle rather than your address. Electricity price from the EIA, 2026-05. Payback assumes 2% annual price rises and 0.5% panel degradation.