California Solar Tool

Solar Savings Calculator

Estimate monthly and annual bill savings from rooftop solar and optional battery storage using California utility rate proxies. Both solar tools use the same illustrative model.

Illustrative assumptions for a new homeowner installation

  • Federal homeowner credit applied: $0. Section 25D does not apply to expenditures for installations completed after December 31, 2025. Earlier installations and carryforwards need separate review. IRS Form 5695 guidance
  • Shared model: 5 peak sun hours/day, 18% system losses, 40% direct self-use and 90% battery round-trip efficiency. These are scenario assumptions.
  • Export value: a user-adjustable dollar value, not a fixed percentage of retail or an official NBT rate. PG&E, SCE and SDG&E export credits vary by hour. Municipal suppliers have their own programs. CPUC net billing overview
  • Rate evidence: Loading utility-rate evidence...
PV Your Solar System
$ Your Current Bill
Scenario assumptions

Defaults are illustrative. Use your provider's export schedule and unavoidable charges. This model assumes a new homeowner-owned system completed in 2026 or later and applies $0 federal homeowner credit. It does not calculate earlier-year credits, carryforwards, leases or business incentives.

+ Estimated Savings

Monthly Savings

$0

Annual Savings

$0

Simple Payback

- yrs

Bill Offset

0%

Monthly Production

0 kWh

Self-Consumed

0 kWh

Exported to Grid

0 kWh

Estimated new monthly bill: $0

Illustrative results will appear after rate data loads. Actual bills, production and export compensation depend on your account, roof and hourly usage.

How solar scenarios are estimated

Both solar tools use the same production, self-consumption, battery and cost assumptions. Average utility rate proxies value self-consumed energy. The adjustable export value is a simplified scenario input, not an hourly export tariff. Public utilities such as LADWP, SMUD and Modesto ID have their own rules.

Simple payback divides assumed upfront cost by first-year bill reduction. No federal homeowner credit is assigned to new installations completed after 2025. Roof conditions, hourly tariffs, incentives, degradation and financing can change the outcome. Compare this screening estimate with a provider tariff and installer quote.