California solar in numbers, 2024
Every figure below is computed by us from the Form EIA-861 annual files. Ranks are out of 51 jurisdictions, highest first.
| Measure | California | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Households with a metered rooftop system2,090,983 systems across 14,217,180 residential accounts | 14.71% | 2nd of 51 |
| Average system sizeNational average 6.74 kW | 6.07 kW | 44th of 51 |
| Residential priceDerived average across the state, not a tariff | 31.97¢/kWh | 2nd of 51 |
| Consumption per accountWhat a system here is typically sized against | 6,039 kWh/yr | 50th of 51 |
| Systems with a battery221,123 paired systems | 10.58% | 6th of 51 |
| Third-party ownedLeased or under a power purchase agreement | 32.0% | 11th of 51 |
| Five-year growth164,524 systems added in 2024 | 14.4%/yr | 43rd of 51 |
| Installed capacityResidential net-metered capacity | 12,701.6 MW | — |
What the adoption figure means
One of the most established rooftop markets in the country: a deep installer bench, and permitting offices that process these applications routinely.
Residential electricity in California averaged 31.97¢ per kilowatt-hour in 2024, 2nd of 51 and above the national average of 16.48¢. Among the most expensive residential electricity in the country, which is the strongest single reason adoption rises: what you avoid paying is the value of every kilowatt-hour you use on site. Prices and adoption across all 51.
System size and consumption
The average California system was 6.07 kW in 2024, ranking 44th of 51. Households consumed an average of 6,039 kilowatt-hours a year (50th of 51) — the figure a system here is sized against.
Size your own system from your own kilowatt-hours, not from this average — how to do that.
Who owns the systems
32.0% of California systems were third-party owned in 2024 — leased or under a power purchase agreement rather than owned by the householder. That is 11th of 51.
Third-party ownership is the dominant model, so expect a lease or PPA to be the first thing you are offered. Who claims the federal credit · ownership across all 51.
Battery attachment
10.58% of California solar systems were paired with a battery in 2024, 6th of 51 — 221,123 paired systems.
Among the highest attachment rates in the country, which normally points to poor export compensation, unreliable supply, or both. Attachment across all 51 · does a battery belong in your project.
Where the market is going
California added 164,524 systems in 2024 and has grown at 14.4% a year over five years, 43rd of 51. Where growth has turned.
Solar companies and licensing in California
We checked 560 California solar companies against the state licence register. 28.4% did not hold a current licence at the time of checking — 134 expired and 25 revoked.
The licence classes that apply to solar work here are C10, B, C46, C39. A company quoting you should hold one of these, and you can confirm it with the issuing authority yourself.
How to verify a licence before you sign.
Method
Figures are computed by HyreSolar from the Form EIA-861 2024 annual files — net-metered residential systems only, penetration counted against residential accounts, sizes as means. EIA publishes the inputs, not these ratios. Full methodology and the underlying CSV.
None of these figures is an estimate for your property. What to work through before you talk to anyone.
Common questions
How many homes in California have solar?
2,090,983 residential net-metered systems were recorded in California in 2024, against 14,217,180 residential electricity accounts — 14.71% of households, 2nd of 51 jurisdictions. That is a HyreSolar calculation from Form EIA-861.
What size solar system is typical in California?
The average net-metered residential system in California was 6.07 kW in 2024, against a national average of 6.74 kW. Your own system should be sized from twelve months of your kilowatt-hours and your usable roof, not from a state average.
Do people in California add batteries to solar?
10.58% of California systems were paired with storage in 2024, 6th of 51. Battery attachment tracks outage frequency and export rules more than it tracks sunshine.
Is California a good state for solar?
On the measures we can compute: residential electricity averages 31.97¢/kWh (2nd of 51), households use 6,039 kWh a year (50th of 51), and 14.71% have installed a system (2nd of 51). Retail price and export rules move the answer far more than sunshine does, and both are set by your specific utility rather than by the state.
Source: US EIA, Form EIA-861, 2024 final release, retrieved 2 September 2026. Figures marked as a HyreSolar calculation are derived by us and are not official EIA statistics.