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Last Updated: February 25, 2025
A solar panel array could give you a renewable power source that will pay for itself in time. Transitioning to solar energy can lower your monthly energy expenses and shrink your carbon output. Before you get started, you want to make sure you find a trustworthy installer. Luckily, we’ve analyzed local solar installers and created a guide to the best solar companies in Bakersfield. These trusted providers are smart choices homeowners can depend on.
Our Rating
User Rating
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Free quotes
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Prompt service delivery
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Our Rating
User Rating
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Free quotes
Services Offered
Today's Homeowner looks at dozens of datapoints on solar companies to come up with our data-driven rankings. It's not possible for a company to pay for preferential treatment in our rankings. We look at the following key factors in determining who should top our list:
Adopting solar power lets homeowners reduce utility bills while helping the environment by reducing your carbon footprint using clean energy. If you’re deciding whether to go solar, consider these key factors for choosing an installer.
Make sure you hire a licensed solar installer. This helps ensure that the work is done properly using the most up-to-date installation methods. There are five different types of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. For a contractor to earn a license, a contractor must take a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of field experience, and pass written exams.
Check Google Reviews, TrustPilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and other review sites to see what past customers are saying about local solar providers. Detailed reviews on these platforms can help you evaluate a provider's integrity and customer service. Stay away from providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
Contact three to five solar companies to receive free, detailed quotes. Quotes should clearly outline all costs and specify the exact solar components included. Comparing multiple quotes helps identify the best value based on your budget.
Top-notch solar installations should have strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship guarantee covers installation defects, such as poor alignment, cracks in the panels, or poor wiring. A performance guarantee ensures a minimum energy output. Comprehensive guarantees show that a solar company believes in its work.
Solar panels can help lower your electricity costs long-term. When weighing solar panel's cost and value, be sure to weigh these considerations.
Bakersfield homeowners typically spend about $7,037 on home solar systems after federal tax refunds. Solar arrays in Bakersfield cost approximately $3,470 per kilowatt, with the average residential solar system being 2.9 kilowatts. An estimate from a local solar provider will include costs for permit fees, preliminary work, and labor, and will account for your system's size, panel type, and capacity. Some homeowners prefer to lease their solar panels to reduce upfront costs.
Incentive Amount:
Eligible products can be financed for up to 25 years, depending on the useful life of the eligible product.
Minimum financing: $5,000
The financing may not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the market value of the property, up to the first seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) of the property’s market value, and ten percent (10%) of the remaining value of the Property above seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) minus any PACE assessment on the propertyThe total amount of any annual property taxes and assessments shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the property's fair market value, determined at the time program financing is approved.
Incentive Amount:
Step 1 Incentive Rates (contact utility to determine current incentive levels):
Single Family Residential Incentives:
Systems that displace natural gas: $29.85 per estimated therm displaced
Systems that displace electricity or propane: Funding has been exhausted
Commercial/Multifamily Incentives:
Systems that displace natural gas: $20.19 per estimated therm displaced
Systems that displace electricity or propane: $0.42 per estimated kWh displaced *** Note, funding has been exhausted in this category for SCE and PG&E
Solar Pool heating: $5.00 per estimated therm displaced
Incentive Amount:
For projects 30 kW or larger, 50% of incentive will be received up-front; 50% will be received based on actual kWh production over the first 5 years. For projects under 30kW, 100% of the incentive will be paid up front.
Incentives will step down over time. See below for incentive amounts.
Incentive Type: PACE Financing
Incentive Amount:
Locally determined
Generally speaking, a solar photovoltaic (PV) array can be used to power any household system or appliance that uses electricity. In the simplest case, you can use a solar water heater.
With home solar PV, you can recoup the cost of the system over time, lower your property's emissions, and gain additional energy independence.
Yes, it's possible to use home solar energy alongside conventional power sources. In many areas, solar panels are designed to supplement your existing energy sources, meaning that you can reap the environmental benefits and savings of solar energy without having to completely switch over.
Generally speaking, your energy bills will significantly decrease after you install solar panels. This is because you're using the energy you generate for free rather than buying it from your power company. In Bakersfield, the average amount someone can save is $964 per year. With net metering programs offered by many utilities, you could ultimately make a profit from your system after the payback period concludes.
Your payback period is the time to earn a net profit from your solar panels. It will vary based on the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power, their rated capacity, and the average sunlight in your area. Bakersfield has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 7.3 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
Of course. Solar panels exist independently from the power grid in Bakersfield and will continue to generate power even if the grid is having problems. Keep in mind, however, that a solar system won't take you through a nighttime outage if you don't have a storage system. Your contractor can discuss some economical options to keep your home's power access reliable through the worst conditions, including battery backups or an emergency generator.
With respect to taxes, the federal government offers a tax credit of up to 30% of the panels' cost. Depending on where you live, you could also claim or apply for state or property tax incentives. For insurance, your monthly premium may be slightly higher because solar panels increase your property's value. You should speak with your accountant or insurance agent for information specific to your case.
Solar energy can be more efficient than other forms of renewable energy. They have inexpensive upkeep and today's systems can stand up to the worst conditions.
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