Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
Expert Advice On Improving Your Home
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Written By David Cusick
Last Updated February 2024
Rooftop solar energy is becoming increasingly popular for homeowners in Oakland. A rooftop solar array can help you decrease your carbon footprint, provide a dependable source of power, and add value to your property. Solar power can reduce your energy costs and shrink your carbon footprint. However, it's important to hire a trustworthy solar installer. That’s why we’ve researched the options and compiled a guide to the most reliable solar installation companies in Oakland. These top providers consistently deliver high-quality and reliable services.
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Informative resources
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Free quotes
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Free quotes
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Prompt service delivery
Reliable customer support
Informative resources
Clear pricing policy
Free quotes
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Clear pricing policy
Informative resources
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Clear pricing policy
Services Offered
Informative resources
Reliable customer support
Services Offered
Reliable customer support
Free quotes
Services Offered
Clear pricing policy
Reliable customer support
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:
Going solar can be a great way to save money on electricity costs and help the planet by reducing your carbon footprint using renewable energy. Here are some crucial factors to consider when evaluating if a solar installer is reliable.
Make sure you hire a licensed solar installer. This help guarantee that the work is done correctly using current best installation practices. There are five distinct levels of solar contracting licenses in California: boilers, PV electrical, HVAC, thermal, and pool heating. To earn licensure, an installer must take a highly comprehensive educational series, gain four years of field experience, and pass written exams.
Check Google Reviews, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), TrustPilot, and other review sites to see what past customers have to say about local solar companies. Detailed reviews on these platforms can help you evaluate a provider's trustworthiness and customer service. Avoid providers with few or mainly poor reviews.
Call at least three solar companies for free, itemized quotes. The quotes should describe all costs and list the solar equipment included. Reviewing multiple quotes helps identify the option that aligns with your budget.
Quality solar installations should come with strong workmanship and performance warranties. A workmanship guarantee addresses any installation defects (such as cracks in the panels, poor wiring, or poor alignment), while a performance guarantee ensures a certain level of energy production. Strong guarantees show that a company is confident in its work.
Installing solar panels can help reduce your electric bills over time. When weighing the total price and value of solar panels, be sure to consider these factors.
In Oakland, solar panels cost an average of $3,470 per kilowatt, with an average system size of 3.0 kilowatts. The typical Oakland homeowner spends $7,314 on their solar array after federal tax refunds. An estimate from a local provider will consider additional information reflecting your desired system's size, required preliminary work, panel type, and capacity. In some cases, homeowners may prefer to lease 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 Type: PACE Financing
Incentive Amount:
Locally determined
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 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
A solar photovoltaic (PV) array can generate power to run any electric appliance or system in your home. More specifically, you can install a solar water heating system.
There are many advantages of home solar energy. You can qualify for tax benefits, reduce emissions, and save money. With the right storage equipment, solar panels can also provide you with further energy independence and offer some protection from power outages.
Yes, you can use home solar energy alongside conventional power sources. In most parts of the country, solar panels are designed to supplement your existing energy sources, so you can reap the savings and environmental benefits that come from using solar energy without having to completely switch over.
Your payback period is the time to achieve an ROI on your solar panels. It will vary based on their rated capacity, the rate your utility charges per kilowatt of power, and the average sunlight in your area. Oakland has extremely high daily sunlight levels, so you could recoup your investment in as little as 6.9 years per 5 kW of rated capacity.
Net metering is a type of "power purchase agreement." If your utility or state offers net metering, you can return the solar energy you don't use to the grid. In return, they'll give you a credit on your power bill.
While solar energy might not be the best performing choice for some in wet or dark areas, the latest generation of equipment and energy storage systems could boost your property's solar viability enough where you could achieve a return on investment. A contractor could also recommend a different primary source of renewable energy like wind or geothermal to boost your generation.
Solar panels are gaining in popularity for their high efficiency and low maintenance costs. Depending on how much sunlight your property receives, you may find they're the best performing source of renewable energy compared to others.
