Solar Savings Calculator for LA & the San Fernando Valley
Estimate what rooftop solar could actually save on your LADWP, SCE, Burbank, or Glendale bill. This free solar savings calculator uses conservative math and published 2026 utility rates — no signup, no sales call, and every assumption is listed right below the results.
Your estimated savings
- Estimated system size
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- Estimated year-one savings
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- Estimated 25-year savings
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- vs. staying on the utility, assuming rates rise 4% per year
- Estimated bill offset
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Honest note: heavily shaded roofs are sometimes not a good fit for solar at all. If that's your situation, we'll tell you straight at the free consultation instead of selling you a system that underperforms.
These are planning estimates for a typical Valley home — not a quote. Savings shown are utility-bill savings before any loan, lease, or PPA payment. Your roof, rate plan, and usage decide the real number.
How we calculate this
- Utility rates (typical effective residential rate, rounded down from published 2026 figures, checked August 2026): LADWP ~$0.26/kWh, SCE ~$0.32/kWh, Burbank Water and Power ~$0.20/kWh, Glendale Water and Power ~$0.25/kWh. Your actual rate plan and tier may differ.
- We assume about $15/month of your bill is fixed charges that solar can't remove; the rest is energy use.
- Production: 1,450–1,600 kWh per kW per year for an unshaded San Fernando Valley roof. Partial shade is discounted to 85% of that; heavy shade to 65%.
- We size the system to offset about 90% of annual usage on a full-sun roof, 80% with some shade, and 60% with heavy shade — never a promised 100%.
- Solar energy is valued at 85% of your retail rate on average, because exported power is often credited below retail depending on your utility and plan.
- 25-year totals assume utility rates rise 4% per year and panel output declines 0.5% per year.
- We don't size below 3 kW (smaller projects rarely pencil out) or above 20 kW for a home.
- Savings are gross utility-bill savings versus doing nothing. Net savings depend on how you pay — cash, loan, or lease/PPA.
What actually changes your number
The calculator can't see your roof, so it works from conservative averages. Four things move the real number the most:
- Roof direction and shading. A south-facing roof with clear sky beats an east-facing roof with afternoon tree shade — sometimes by 25% or more.
- Your rate plan. Tiered and time-of-use plans value solar power differently. High-tier LADWP and SCE usage is exactly what solar erases first.
- When you use power. Daytime usage (working from home, pool pumps, AC) pairs better with solar than heavy evening usage.
- How you pay. Cash, loan, and lease/PPA all produce different net savings — see solar lease vs. buy: which saves more for the honest comparison.
How much do solar panels cost in LA?
It depends on system size, roof complexity, and equipment — which is why any company quoting you a price before seeing your roof is guessing. Most Valley homes land somewhere in the 4–8 kW range, and with zero-down financing or a lease/PPA, most of our customers pay less per month than their current electric bill from day one.
One thing to know for 2026: the federal residential tax credit for purchased systems ended December 31, 2025. Lease and PPA structures can still pass incentives through, which changed the math on how to pay — we break down what that means in the solar tax credit in 2026 and how a solar PPA works.
When you're ready for a real price, our solar panel installation in Los Angeles page walks through the process, and a free estimate gets you exact numbers for your address.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is this calculator?
It uses conservative published utility rates and typical San Fernando Valley production numbers, so it should land in the right neighborhood — but it can't see your roof. Orientation, shading, your rate plan, and when you use power all move the number. Treat it as a planning estimate, not a quote.
What changes my actual savings the most?
Three things: how much sun your roof actually gets, which rate plan you're on (tiered vs. time-of-use), and how you pay for the system — cash, loan, and lease/PPA each produce different net savings. A design based on your real bill and roof pins all three down.
What happens on the free consultation?
We review a recent electric bill, check your roof from satellite imagery, and build a system design with exact pricing for your home. You get real numbers to compare against this estimate — no pressure, and no obligation to move forward.
Get exact numbers for your roof
A free consultation turns this estimate into a real design with real pricing — we walk you through the math, no pressure, no obligation.