# California Solar Cost Calculator

> Solar panel cost calculator for California, 2026: size a system from your bill, price panels and storage, and see what net billing and the ended federal credit mean.

## Key facts

- A $250 monthly California electricity bill at the state's May 2026 average rate of 33.25 cents per kWh implies about 9,023 kWh a year, which a south-facing roof covers with roughly 5.6 kW of solar.
- At $3.30 a watt that 5.6 kW system is $18,480 installed, or $32,480 with a $14,000 home battery.
- California residential electricity averaged 33.25 cents per kWh in May 2026, more than twice the Arizona, Florida and Texas averages in the same month, which is why California payback math is unlike anywhere else.

## Key pages

- [Solar panel cost calculator for California homes](https://californiasolarcostcalculator.com/): the main tool, answer above the fold.
- [California net billing (NEM 3.0): what changed and what it means](https://californiasolarcostcalculator.com/california-net-billing/): Since April 15, 2023 new California solar takes the net billing tariff: exports are paid at their value to the grid, not at retail. How to design around it.
- [The federal solar tax credit in 2026: what the IRS page says now](https://californiasolarcostcalculator.com/federal-solar-tax-credit-2026/): The residential clean energy credit was 30% for property installed 2022 through 2025. The IRS states it is not available for property placed in service after 2025.
- [California solar incentives in 2026: what is left after the federal credit](https://californiasolarcostcalculator.com/california-solar-incentives/): California has no state solar income tax credit. What remains is property tax treatment under R&TC section 73, which is time-limited, and the CPUC storage program.
- [California solar cost by monthly bill, 2026](https://californiasolarcostcalculator.com/#data): original data table, updated 2026-09-05.
- [Full site content as markdown](https://californiasolarcostcalculator.com/llms-full.txt)

## Data

- California solar cost by monthly bill, 2026. Methodology: Every row comes from the calculator's own formulas. Annual kWh is monthly bill x 12 divided by the rate in dollars per kWh (33.25 cents, the California residential average for May 2026 from the EIA). System size is annual kWh divided by 1,600 kWh per kW per year for an unshaded south-facing roof, rounded to one decimal and clamped to 2-20 kW. Panel cost is size x 1,000 x $3.30 a watt, and the battery column adds a flat $14,000. The rate is official; the price per watt, the battery price and the production figure are editable inputs with typical 2026 defaults, not published market rates. No federal credit is applied.
- Last updated: 2026-09-05. Every figure cites its source inline.
- Source: IRS, Residential Clean Energy Credit (Internal Revenue Code Section 25D): https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/residential-clean-energy-credit
- Source: CPUC, Net Energy Metering and the Net Billing Tariff (D.22-12-056): https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/electrical-energy/demand-side-management/net-energy-metering
- Source: CPUC, Self-Generation Incentive Program: https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/industries-and-topics/electrical-energy/demand-side-management/self-generation-incentive-program
- Source: California Revenue and Taxation Code section 73, active solar energy systems: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=RTC&sectionNum=73
- Source: EIA, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, average retail price of electricity by state: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a

## Citation

Cite as: "California solar cost by monthly bill, 2026", California Solar Cost Calculator, https://californiasolarcostcalculator.com/ (updated 2026-09-05).

## About

- California Solar Cost Calculator is an information site operated by Ellul Solutions Ltd. It is not affiliated with the IRS, the California Public Utilities Commission, the Franchise Tax Board, any utility or any installer, and nothing here is tax or financial advice. Confirm credit and incentive eligibility with a tax professional and prices with licensed installers before buying.
- Operated by Ellul Solutions Ltd. Contact: contact@californiasolarcostcalculator.com