Solar power in Agoura Hills, California
As a resident of Agoura Hills you are probably purchasing power from Southern California Edison (SCE). The utility company that you buy power from is important when considering installing solar panels for your home because that defines how much you pay for power and therefor how much installing solar panels will save you.
What solar incentives, tax credits or rebates can I get to install solar panels on my home in Agoura Hills?
Neither SCE, the city or the state government offers up front rebates for solar anyomore as the cost of solar in California has fallen to the point where you can make a great return on investment without them doing so.
However, as of 2020, 26% of the cost of solar panel installation is covered by the federal solar tax credit.
With solar now available from local solar companies servicing Agoura Hills at well under $3.00 per watt, and the tax credit covering part of this amount, most homeowners in Agoura Hills can make a profit of $50,000 or more by installing a solar power system and get a payback of less than 6 years.
Given a solar system will last 25 years or longer. Thats at least 19 years of living with free power... and a whopping profit.
Are solar panels worth it in Agoura Hills ?
The attractiveness of installing solar power on your home is further improved by an SCE program called net metering.
When your solar system is producing more energy than what your home is using the excess power is sent to the SCE grid.
How the federal solar tax credit works
Assuming you have a taxable income, as of 2020, 26% of your solar installation costs can be claimed as a deduction to federal taxes. This incentive isn't always upfront since it is claimed whenever you do your taxes, for example if you installed a system in January this year and don't do your taxes to midway through the year, you aren't receiving the credit until one and a half years later.
Net Metering Broken Down
The net metering law entended by the PUC in 2016 requires SCE to pay you the full retail value for each kWh of power your solar system sends them during the day when you solar is generating a lot of power but you are not using much.
So, for example if you export 300 kwh's of power to the SCE grid during the day but consume 400 kwh from the grid at night then they will bill you only for 100 kwh for that month.
The story gets a little more confused because of time of use billing because the rate you are credited for the excess power you export to the gird during the day is different to the rate you pay for power used from the grid during the peak hours in the evening. This means you need a system that produces more than the amount of power you use to get close to a zero power bill.
There are also non-bypassable charges of around 2 cents per kwh under NEM 2 legilsation and this also makes it harder to get to a zero bill. But all in all solar is still an amazing financial investment in Agoura Hills out performing the long term average returns from shares or property.
If at the end of the yearly billing cycle you have remaining credit, SCE will pay you directly at the avoided-cost rate per kWh (3¢-4¢).
Recent changes to net metering (NEM-2)
Since SCE is an Investor Owned Utility(IOU) new solar customers must switch to time-of-use billing in order to use net metering. This change in 2016 reduced the reurns form install solar by around 10% but falls in the price of solar systems since then has meant that solar is still a better investment than ever for SCE customers.
The average cost of installing residential solar panels in Agoura Hills,
California in 2020 is
$2.72 per watt. The average system size
in the US is 6 kilowatts, which means the average price of a solar system
in Agoura Hills, CA
is $13,600.
(after claiming 26% tax credit and other rebates)
The 26% federal solar tax credit explained
If you have a federal income tax liability, 26% of the cost of your solar system can be claimed as a deduction to your taxes. This incentive is claimed when you do your taxes. In order to receive the tax credit quicker it's best to do your taxes as soon as possible after installation.
What if my tax liability is less than 26% of my systems costThere is the option to claim this incentive over several years if your tax liability is less than 26% of the system cost.
How much will solar panels on my home save me?
The answer to this question depends on your electricity usage. Generally speaking the greater your power usage the greater the potential savings from installing solar.
The average monthly usage in California is only 573kWh per month however, you are most likely using a lot more than this since this average includes condos and small apartments.
The Agoura Hills solar panel savings calculator below will convert your monthly power spend into power usage (in kWh's) and then work out exactly how many solar panels you need to offset your usage, how much they will cost based on the prices of local solar companies and the amount you will save. Our California solar savings calculator can do this because it contains a database of the electric rates charged by City of Azusa, City of Burbank Water and Power, City of Glendale, City of Pasadena, City of Vernon, LADWP (City of Los Angeles), Southern California Edison Co
How much can solar panels save you in Agoura Hills
What does the cost of a real solar system look like?
Facts about installing a 12.19kW solar system in Agoura Hills, CA
This system would offset 100% of your energy usage if your typical monthly bill is $304, however your situation may vary so try our Agoura Hills solar calculator to get a result tailored to you.
$22,552
Net cost of system
5 Years 6 Months
Average payback time
16,285 kWh
Annual power production
6¢/kWh
Levelized cost of solar energy
40¢/kWh
If you don't get solar
Cash flow graph based on cash purchase of this 12.19kW system
Life-time savings on this system over the next 25 years
$129,795
(Prices shown after repayments of capital)
289
Solar companies in Agoura Hills, CA that provide pricing through the Solar-Estimate marketplace.
Average total cost of solar panel installation in Agoura Hills
| System Size |
Cash purchase After 26% solar tax credit |
Financed purchase After 26% solar tax credit |
|---|---|---|
| 3kw | $6,416 | $6,929 |
| 4kw | $8,377 | $9,047 |
| 5kw | $10,286 | $11,109 |
| 6kw | $12,077 | $13,043 |
| 7kw | $13,831 | $14,937 |
| 8kw | $15,451 | $16,687 |
| 9kw | $17,050 | $18,414 |
| 10kw | $18,500 | $19,980 |
Find out what system size you need for your home
Going solar in California
Check out all of the ways energy providers of California can help you be more energy efficient and save money.
The following programs are available:
| Incentive Name | Eligibility | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit | Federal | Personal Tax Credit |
| Property Tax Exclusion for Solar Energy Systems | State | Property Tax Incentive |
| Sonoma County - Energy Independence Program | Local | PACE Financing |
| NEM 2.0 | State | Net Metering |
| California Solar Initiative - Single-Family Affordable Solar Housing (SASH) Program | State | Low-Income Program |
| Self-Generation Incentive Program | State | Battery Rebate |
| City of San Francisco - Low-Income Solar Energy Incentive Program | City | Low-Income Program |
| LADWP - Net Metering | Utility | Net Metering |
| LADWP - Solar Incentive Program | Utility | Rebate Program |
Find your local rebates and incentives
Please keep in mind that the best source of up-to-date information on incentives are the solar installers who specialize in your area.
