{"id":10992,"date":"2023-05-26T04:00:22","date_gmt":"2023-05-26T04:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/?p=10992"},"modified":"2023-06-01T18:56:59","modified_gmt":"2023-06-01T18:56:59","slug":"solar-panel-cost-calculator-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/solar-panel-cost-calculator-california\/","title":{"rendered":"Solar Panel Cost Calculator California: 3 Ways to Estimate Your Cost"},"content":{"rendered":"

Installing solar panels is not only a major construction project, it\u2019s also an investment in reducing your energy costs and carbon emissions.<\/p>\n

As such, it\u2019s a good idea to begin the solar process with an understanding of how much your project could cost \u2013 just like looking up the Kelly Blue Book value of a car before stepping foot into the dealership.<\/p>\n

As a robust and mature residential solar market, California has plenty of resources to calculate the cost of your solar project. In this article, we\u2019ll identify three ways to calculate your solar panel cost<\/a>, and explore whether solar panels will get cheaper in 2023.<\/p>\n

Our goal, as always, is to empower you with the resources and knowledge to make educated decisions during the solar process.<\/p>\n

How do you calculate solar panel costs in California?<\/h2>\n

There are a few ways to estimate the cost of solar panels<\/a> for your home without inviting a salesperson into your home.<\/p>\n

Online solar calculators<\/h3>\n

There are a number of online calculators that use Google Earth imaging assumptions about your utility costs to provide a ballpark estimate of how much solar would cost and how much you could save.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to note that every solar panel cost calculator operates based on assumptions<\/em>, and the results should be taken with a grain of salt.<\/p>\n

Here are a few resources to check out:<\/p>\n

Solar.com has its own <\/strong>calculator<\/strong><\/a> that generates a side-by-side comparison of your energy costs before and after solar based on your address and average electricity costs. Our calculator also allows you to calculate the cost of adding battery storage to your solar system.<\/p>\n

Check your utility provider <\/strong>to see if they have an online solar calculator or solar marketplace. For example, on Southern California Edison\u2019s Solar Marketplace<\/a> you can easily design a solar system and generate binding quotes from local installers without ever leaving your couch.<\/p>\n

Punch your address into the <\/strong>NREL PVWatts Calculator<\/strong><\/a> to get a precise idea of how much a solar system would produce on your roof. This calculator doesn\u2019t provide cost estimates, but by working backward you can get an idea of how large of a system you\u2019ll need based on our annual electricity consumption.<\/p>\n

Calculate solar panel cost by hand<\/h3>\n

If online calculators aren\u2019t your thing, there are some simple steps to calculate your solar panel cost by hand.<\/p>\n

Like the online calculators, this method relies on some assumptions. However, at least you\u2019ll know exactly what those assumptions are, since you <\/em>are the one making them.<\/p>\n

The steps to calculate your solar panel cost are show in the graphic below:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"calculate<\/p>\n

You notice in the final steps we ask you to assume a price per watt (PPW). This figure typically ranges between $3 to $5, depending on your location and local incentives, and you won\u2019t know exactly what it is until you get binding quotes from installers.<\/p>\n

Get binding quotes from local installers<\/h3>\n

You can use all the calculators in the world, but you won\u2019t know exactly how much solar costs until you get binding <\/em>quotes from local installers.<\/p>\n

We emphasize binding because many online solar marketplaces offer price estimates that are often much lower than what installers can actually offer. However, on solar.com, we offer binding quotes based on live pricing set by the installers themselves.<\/p>\n

That means that the price you see in the quote is the price you\u2019ll pay.<\/p>\n

Our marketplace is free to use, so if you are genuinely interested in how much solar will cost, you can design a custom system and generate binding quotes with no financial investment.<\/p>\n

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Is it worth it to get solar panels in California?<\/h2>\n

Even with NEM 3.0 solar billing<\/a>, it is worth getting solar panels in California for energy cost savings alone. And it\u2019s important to remember that energy cost savings isn\u2019t the only benefit of home solar \u2013 it\u2019s just the benefit that makes solar a no-brainer.<\/p>\n