San Diego dual-use solar prices

As of December 2024, the average solar panel system costs $2.39/W including installation in San Diego, CA. For a 5 kW installation, this comes out to about $11,969 before incentives, though prices range from $10,174 to $13,764. After the federal tax credit, the average price drops by 30%. You'll probably pay even less than what we show here.

While a 5 kW system will only cost you $11,969 in San Diego, CA, doubling the system size effectively doubles the price, so you'll pay about twice that for a 10 kW system. The higher the price tag, though, the more you'll get back as a credit towards your federal tax bill. Are solar panels worth it in San Diego, CA?

While the cost of solar panels in San Diego is already much lower than paying for grid electricity, there are several incentives that can maximize your savings. Let's start with the most valuable incentive: The 30% federal solar tax credit.

Even without the 30% federal tax credit, the cost of electricity from solar panels is more than four times cheaper than grid electricity in San Diego. And that's just in the first year. These savings can be expected to increase each year as the cost of electricity rises.

While there are no free solar panels in San Diego, there are programs and incentives that can substantially lower the cost of installing solar panels. These incentives include federal tax credits, local net metering benefits, and financing options that make solar installations more affordable.

Based on our binding quotes, solar panels typically cost between $3 to $4 per watt in California. You might find a lower figure elsewhere, but make sure that: The figures below are from a real quote for a 4.4 kW solar system presented to a solar.com customer in San Diego.