Yes, solar panels are absolutely worth it in California, and installing them is a great investment. Solar Panels can save the average California a ton of money! Plus, you can deduct 30% of the cost of solar panel installation right away due to the Federal solar investment tax credit (ITC). And, California’s solar tax credit ($.95 per watt or $500) will make the cost of residential solar installation even cheaper.

Choosing to install solar panels in California can increase your home value by 2-3%. Plus, with most of the cost of solar being covered by the Federal ITC and California solar tax credit, it’s a no-brainer to go solar in CA.

Yes, solar panels can increase your home value in California by up to 2%-3%. According to Berkeley Lab, in partnership with appraisers, universities, and Sandia National Laboratories found that home buyers are willing to pay more for homes with Solar Panels. On average, home buyers are willing to pay about $4 per watt of Solar installed. The study included various states and PV markets, housing, and home types.

This means home buyers are willing to pay $15,000 more for a home that has solar installed on top of it. For example: at $4 per watt, if you have a home with a 5kW (5000 watts) solar system installed on it, that value is around $20,000 ($4 per watt x 5000 watts = $20,000). So, with the average cost of a solar 5kW system in Arizona being around $14,700; your solar panels literally pay for themselves home value!

Co-author Sandra Adomatis noted, “Our findings should provide greater confidence that PV adds a quantifiable premium to a wide variety of homes in California and beyond.”