San Diego's solar installer. In-house crews, 943+ reviews, $0 down options.
SDG&E's rates are among the highest in the country. Bundled residential customers were paying around 45-46 cents per kilowatt-hour as of early 2026. San Diego also gets some of the best sun in California, and that combination is exactly why solar pays off faster here than almost anywhere else in the state.
San Diego homeowners deal with a strange contradiction: some of the best weather in the country, and some of the most expensive electricity. SDG&E's rates have climbed for years, and the utility routinely ranks near the top of every "most expensive electricity in America" list. If your summer bill has crept past $300 or $400 a month, you're not imagining it. You're paying SDG&E rates.
The upside is that San Diego is also one of the strongest solar markets in the state. The city gets about 5.7 peak sun hours a day and over 260 sunny days a year, with a mild climate that keeps panels performing consistently across seasons. No brutal winters cutting production, no extreme heat derating output the way it does in the desert.
Put high rates and strong sun together and the math works in your favor. A properly sized system offsets a large share of your SDG&E bill, and because your rate is already high, every kilowatt-hour you generate yourself is worth more than it would be almost anywhere else in the country.
SDG&E is on NEM 3.0, the same net billing structure that applies to PG&E and SCE customers statewide. Export compensation is low, just a few cents per kilowatt-hour in most cases, so the way to win under NEM 3.0 isn't exporting power. It's using your own solar production directly and storing the rest in a battery for the evening peak. We size every San Diego system around that reality, not around outdated assumptions from the old net metering rules.
SDG&E's time-of-use rate structure makes battery storage especially valuable here. Peak pricing typically hits in the early evening, right when your solar panels are winding down for the day. Without a battery, you're often buying expensive grid power right after your system stops producing. With a battery, you store cheap solar power from the afternoon and use it during those expensive peak hours instead.
This is the single biggest thing that changed in California solar since NEM 3.0 took effect in 2023. Under the old rules, exporting excess power to the grid was worth close to retail value. Under NEM 3.0, it isn't. A battery is how you protect your savings from that shift, and in a high-rate market like San Diego, that protection is worth more than it would be somewhere with cheaper electricity.
Property tax exclusion, install deadline December 31, 2026. California excludes the added home value from a solar system from your property tax assessment. Normally, adding $25,000 to $45,000 in home improvements would raise your tax bill. Solar doesn't, thanks to this exclusion, but it expires for new installations after December 31, 2026. Systems installed and complete before that date lock in the exclusion permanently, for as long as you own the system. This is the clearest reason to act in 2026 instead of waiting.
SGIP battery rebate, mostly closed. California's Self-Generation Incentive Program used to offer rebates on nearly every home battery installed in the state. As of January 1, 2026, the General Market, Equity, and Equity Resiliency budgets are closed to new applicants, which covers the vast majority of homeowners. The only pathway still open is RSSE (a state-funded program under AB 209), and it's limited to income-qualified households at or below 80% of the area median income, and it's currently waitlist-only.
$0 down financing. Lease and PPA products are available with no money down. The financing company owns the system and can access the commercial solar tax credit, which typically gets passed through to you as a lower monthly rate. Loans through GoodLeap, Skylight, and Enfin let you build equity in a system you own instead.
Federal residential tax credit, expired. The 30% federal residential solar tax credit ended December 31, 2025. It does not apply to homeowner-purchased systems installed in 2026. Lease and PPA products can still pass through savings from the separate commercial credit. Ask your KIN advisor to walk through exactly how that works for your situation.
A note on sales tax. Unlike some other states, California does not have a sales tax exemption specifically for solar equipment. We'd rather tell you that upfront than let you find out later.
San Diego's mild climate keeps electricity usage more consistent year-round than hotter inland cities, but coastal homes still see a jump in the summer from air conditioning. A typical San Diego household uses somewhere in the 500 to 800 kWh per month range, though larger homes and homes with pool equipment or EV charging run higher.
Given SDG&E's rate, among the highest in the country, even a modest amount of monthly usage adds up fast. Most San Diego residential systems run 6 to 12 kW of panels, and paired with a battery for evening rate management, homeowners typically offset $150 to $300 a month in electricity costs. A $0-down lease at that system size often runs less than what SDG&E was already charging, meaning savings start on day one. Cash purchases typically pay back in 6 to 9 years given San Diego's rate environment, one of the faster payback windows in the state.
Free estimate and custom system design. A KIN Home energy advisor reviews your SDG&E bill, evaluates your roof and shading, and builds a system sized to your actual usage, not a generic quote. You'll see projected production, savings estimates, and every financing option side by side.
Permits and utility approval. Solar permits within San Diego city limits go through the City's Development Services Department (DSD). Most standard residential systems qualify for SolarApp+, an expedited self-certification pathway that can turn permits around in as little as 1 to 5 business days. Systems that don't qualify for the fast track, including larger arrays, certain roof types, and panel upgrades, go through standard plan review, typically 10 to 21 business days. If you're in an unincorporated part of San Diego County rather than the city itself, permits go through County Planning and Development Services instead. Either way, KIN handles the filing. You don't touch the paperwork. SDG&E interconnection approval typically adds another 15 to 30 business days on top of the permit and install timeline.
Installation and interconnection. Our in-house crew, no subcontractors, installs the panels, racking, inverter, and battery, and handles any electrical panel upgrades your home needs. Most San Diego installs are physically finished in a day or two. From signed contract to SDG&E's Permission to Operate, the typical total timeline runs 60 to 90 days.
KIN Home has installed solar across California. Over 943 Google reviews. 4.4 stars. In-house installation crews, not subcontractors.
"I had three quotes and KIN was the only one who actually explained NEM 3.0 instead of just quoting old numbers. That honesty is why I went with them." Southern California customer.
"In-house crew, no subcontractors, showed up when they said they would. My SDG&E bill dropped from over $380 to under $40." San Diego County customer.
"The property tax exclusion deadline was news to me. My advisor explained it clearly and it made the decision easier to make this year instead of waiting." Southern California customer.
Does SDG&E have net metering?
SDG&E operates under NEM 3.0, the same net billing framework as PG&E and SCE. Exported solar power is credited at a low rate, a few cents per kWh in most cases, which is why battery storage matters more now than it did under the older net metering rules.
Do I need a battery in San Diego?
Not required, but strongly recommended. SDG&E's peak pricing typically hits in the early evening, right after solar production tapers off. A battery lets you store afternoon solar power and use it during those expensive hours instead of buying from the grid.
How much does solar cost in San Diego?
A typical 6 to 12 kW system runs roughly $18,000 to $36,000 depending on size and battery. $0-down lease and PPA options are available. Cash purchase payback is typically 6 to 9 years given SDG&E's rates.
How long do permits take in San Diego?
Most standard residential systems qualify for SolarApp+ expedited review, as fast as 1 to 5 business days. Non-qualifying systems go through standard plan check, typically 10 to 21 business days. Total timeline from signed contract to Permission to Operate usually runs 60 to 90 days.
Does the CA property tax exclusion apply in San Diego?
Yes, statewide. It expires for new installations after December 31, 2026.
Is the SGIP battery rebate still available?
For most homeowners, no. General Market, Equity, and Equity Resiliency budgets closed to new applicants on January 1, 2026. Only the income-qualified RSSE program remains, and it's waitlist-only.
What are SDG&E's electricity rates?
SDG&E's bundled residential rate averaged around 45-46 cents per kWh in early 2026, among the highest of any major utility in the country.
Does KIN Home use subcontractors in San Diego?
No. Every KIN Home installation is performed by our own employees.
SDG&E's rates aren't going down, and the California property tax exclusion has a hard deadline of December 31, 2026. Between the two, 2026 is the year this math works best.
Get your free estimate. We'll show you the real numbers for your home: your roof, your SDG&E bill, and what a system would actually save you. No pressure. Takes 2 minutes to start.
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KIN Home · Licensed California Solar Contractor · support@kinhome.com