Best Solar Companies in Sacramento, CA

A relatively slanted roof with plenty of unshaded space is best. The worst place to install would be on a north-facing roof, especially if the roof has a high pitch (very steep). Here are some other questions to ask yourself:

• What is the condition of my roof? If you have to replace your roof, do that before you install solar panels. Solar panels are designed to last up to 30 years, so you want your roof to last just as long. Otherwise, it could cost thousands to remove the panels, fix your roof and reinstall the panels.
• How much sunlight do I get? Sacramento gets a good amount of sunlight. The state averages 5 to 7.5 peak sun hours every day. However, if you have a lot of shading around your house, whether from trees or tall buildings, the panels might not get enough sun to power your home.
• How old are my appliances? Getting your electrical loads as small as possible before going solar means you’ll need a smaller system, which will be cheaper overall. If you have older electrical appliances, upgrade those before investing in solar panels.

As long as your house is a good candidate for solar, it’s at least worth considering. We suggest using NREL’s PVWatts Calculator to estimate how much electricity a solar panel can produce over a year on your house. Project Sunroof is a reliable solar savings estimator.

Yes, and you can combine them with federal and state incentives to maximize your solar savings.

• SGIP: Residents can take advantage of statewide solar incentives in California, including Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) rebates for homeowners who install battery storage systems with their solar panels.
• CEC: The California Energy Commission (CEC) offers various incentives and rebates that are applicable statewide, which Sacramento homeowners can access. Programs include incentives for solar water heating systems and energy efficiency upgrades, which can be combined with solar installations to maximize overall savings.
• DAC-SASH: The Disadvantaged Communities Single-family Solar Homes (DAC-SASH) program, run by GRID Alternatives, offers no-cost rooftop solar installations for income-qualified homeowners in disadvantaged communities. Find out if you live in an eligible community using this map from the California Environmental Protection Agency.
• Property tax exemption: Under California law, solar installations are exempt from property tax reassessments, meaning the value added to your home by solar panels won’t increase your property taxes.

In California, net metering lets homeowners with solar panels send excess energy into the grid in exchange for credits on their utility bills. These credits help offset future energy costs, reducing overall electricity expenses and making solar energy more affordable.

Under the state’s new NEM 3.0 policy, compensation for excess solar energy sold back to the grid has been reduced, which affects the overall return on investment (ROI) for solar installations. Homeowners in Sacramento will need to factor this into their financial planning, especially if they plan to rely heavily on selling excess energy to offset installation costs. This makes energy storage systems more attractive, as they allow homeowners to use stored solar power during peak hours instead of buying from the grid at higher rates.

California’s Solar Rights Act prevents homeowners associations (HOAs) from restricting residential solar panel installations. HOAs can, however, impose minor restrictions as long as they don’t reduce the system’s efficiency.

Monocrystalline and polycrystalline are the most common types of solar panels used in residential installations. In general, monocrystalline panels are considered the best bang for your buck. Cheaper solar panels are typically polycrystalline. The key difference is in materials and efficiency: Monocrystalline panels use pure, single silicon crystals, while polycrystalline panels are made from melted silicon fragments, resulting in different efficiency levels.

Solar panel efficiency is a measure of how well a panel makes electricity. Standard efficiency rates range from 19% to 23%, which means 19% to 23% of the sunlight that hits the panels gets converted into electricity. The more efficient the solar panels you buy are, the fewer panels you need. While more efficient panels cost a little more, you save by buying fewer panels.