*Prices are shown after applying the 30% federal tax credit.
As of Mar 2024, the average cost of solar panels in San Leandro is $2.48 per watt making a typical 6000 watt (6 kW) solar system $10,401 after claiming the 30% federal solar tax credit now available.
This is lower than the average price of residential solar power systems across the United States which is currently $3.00 per watt.
The size of a solar panel system also plays a role in how much the installation will cost.
Larger solar installations will typically have a lower cost per watt, because the panels can be purchased at a ‘bulk price’. However, these larger solar systems will still have a higher total cost, because they are made up of more individual panels.
System size* | Avg cost per watt |
Avg system cost
(After tax credit) show before tax |
---|---|---|
4kW | $2.69 | $7,533 |
5kW | $2.60 | $9,099 |
6kW | $2.48 | $10,401 |
7kW | $2.46 | $12,053 |
8kW | $2.48 | $13,910 |
9kW | $2.40 | $15,141 |
10kW | $2.39 | $16,707 |
Best unit price
$320.00 ($0.96 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 5.0kW system
$12,721.85
($2.53 p/w)
LG335N1K-V5 overview
Rated power
335 watts
Efficiency
19.6
Number of Cells
60
Cell type
Monocrystalline/N-type
Manufactured
KR
Best unit price
$562.50 ($1.50 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 4.9kW system
$12,120.18
($2.49 p/w)
LG375A1C-V5 overview
Rated power
375 watts
Efficiency
21.7
Number of Cells
60
Cell type
Monocrystalline/N-type
Manufactured
KR
Best unit price
$430.00 ($1.15 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 4.9kW system
$12,919.30
($2.65 p/w)
LG375Q1C-V5 overview
Rated power
375 watts
Efficiency
21.7
Number of Cells
60
Cell type
Monocrystalline/N-type
Manufactured
KR
Best unit price
$473.34 ($1.30 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 5.1kW system
$13,231.07
($2.59 p/w)
LG365Q1K-V5 overview
Rated power
365 watts
Efficiency
21.1
Number of Cells
60
Cell type
Monocrystalline/N-type
Manufactured
KR
Best unit price
$432.00 ($1.20 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 5.0kW system
$13,276.66
($2.63 p/w)
LG360Q1K-V5 overview
Rated power
360 watts
Efficiency
20.8
Number of Cells
60
Cell type
Monocrystalline/N-type
Manufactured
US
Best unit price
$530.85 ($1.50 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 5.0kW system
$12,386.87
($2.49 p/w)
LG355Q1K-V5 overview
Rated power
355 watts
Efficiency
20.6
Number of Cells
60
Cell type
Monocrystalline/N-type
Manufactured
US
Best unit price
$495.00 ($1.38 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 5.0kW system
$13,091.06
($2.60 p/w)
LG360Q1C-V5 overview
Rated power
360 watts
Efficiency
20.8
Number of Cells
60
Cell type
Monocrystalline/N-type
Manufactured
US
Best unit price
$407.97 ($1.10 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 5.2kW system
$13,159.30
($2.54 p/w)
LG370Q1C-V5 overview
Rated power
370 watts
Efficiency
21.4
Number of Cells
60
Cell type
Monocrystalline/N-type
Manufactured
US
Best unit price
$323.39 ($0.97 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 5.0kW system
$12,691.01
($2.53 p/w)
LG335N1C-V5 overview
Rated power
335 watts
Efficiency
19.6
Number of Cells
60
Cell type
Monocrystalline/N-type
Manufactured
US
Best unit price
$338.19 ($0.99 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 5.1kW system
$0.00
($0.00 p/w)
LG340N1C-V5 overview
Rated power
340 watts
Efficiency
19.8
Number of Cells
60
Cell type
Monocrystalline/N-type
Manufactured
US
Best unit price
$600.00 ($1.83 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 4.9kW system
$12,808.41
($2.61 p/w)
SPR-E20-327-COM overview
Rated power
327 watts
Efficiency
20.4
Number of Cells
96
Cell type
Monocrystalline
Manufactured
US
Best unit price
$800.00 ($2.22 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 5.0kW system
$13,201.67
($2.62 p/w)
SPR-X22-360 overview
Rated power
360 watts
Efficiency
22.2
Number of Cells
96
Cell type
Monocrystalline
Manufactured
US
Best unit price
$620.00 ($1.90 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 4.9kW system
$13,703.10
($2.79 p/w)
SPR-E20-327-D-AC overview
Rated power
327 watts
Efficiency
20.4
Number of Cells
96
Cell type
Monocrystalline
Manufactured
US
Best unit price
$620.00 ($1.90 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 4.9kW system
$13,610.59
($2.77 p/w)
SPR-E20-327 overview
Rated power
327 watts
Efficiency
20.4
Number of Cells
96
Cell type
Monocrystalline
Manufactured
US
Best unit price
$181.00 ($0.60 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 5.1kW system
$11,003.04
($2.16 p/w)
CS6K-300MS overview
Rated power
300 watts
Efficiency
18.33
Number of Cells
60
Cell type
Monocrystalline
Manufactured
CA
Best unit price
$196.11 ($0.65 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 5.1kW system
$9,948.02
($1.95 p/w)
LR6-60-HPB-300M overview
Rated power
300 watts
Efficiency
18.1
Number of Cells
120
Cell type
Mono PERC
Manufactured
CN
Best unit price
$172.00 ($0.56 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 4.9kW system
$9,568.53
($1.96 p/w)
LR6-60-HPB-305M overview
Rated power
305 watts
Efficiency
18.4
Number of Cells
120
Cell type
Mono PERC
Manufactured
CN
Best unit price
$165.00 ($0.53 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 5.0kW system
$9,761.72
($1.97 p/w)
LR6-60-HPB-310M overview
Rated power
310 watts
Efficiency
18.7
Number of Cells
120
Cell type
Mono PERC
Manufactured
CN
Best unit price
$228.00 ($0.60 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 4.9kW system
$9,579.65
($1.94 p/w)
LR4-60HPH-380M overview
Rated power
380 watts
Efficiency
20.9
Number of Cells
120
Cell type
Mono PERC
Manufactured
CN
Best unit price
$234.00 ($0.60 per watt)
Best system price
Installed 5.1kW system
$10,126.74
($2.00 p/w)
LR6-72HBD-390M overview
Rated power
390 watts
Efficiency
19.4
Number of Cells
144
Cell type
Mono PERC
Manufactured
CN
4.92 400 Reviews
Michael Azzarella, over 1 month
Renova was Excellent from start to Finish, My solar is up and running 9 months now, Professional workers and Salesforce Do your homework and read feedback's and reviews from whoever is going to install your Solar, It saved me from a competitor that would have been a nightmare based on their "Sun Run" Reviews, I thought because they were inside Costco it was a good product! "Wrong" Thanks Renova!!!
Read more
Michael Azzarella, over 1 month
Renova was Excellent from start to Finish, My solar is up and running 9 months now, Professional workers and Salesforce Do your homework and read feedback's and reviews from whoever is going to install your Solar, It saved me from a competitor that would have been a nightmare based on their "Sun Run" Reviews, I thought because they were inside Costco it was a good product! "Wrong" Thanks Renova!!!
4.90 282 Reviews
Lo M, over 1 month
We were planning to get solar installed for a while. Finally, we went for it and made the April deadline before the net metering rules changed. Although, we would have done the installation regardless. A big shout-out goes to Cosmic Solar for providing us with stellar service. Pey Shadzi is an incredible wealth of knowledge and knows everything solar. Pey provided us with the best solar options based on our needs and usage. He is honest, personable, and genuine. The entire team kept us informed every step of the way and paid attention to all details. The team at Cosmic Solar made our installation a seamless process. Cosmic Solar is a reputable company. Our solar is up and running, and I am thrilled to be doing our part for the environment. Several solar installation companies broached us, and some companies were pushy. That was not the case with Cosmic. Hands down, I recommend Cosmic Solar for all your solar needs. This company goes the extra mile, and the whole process was a positive experience. It’s clear that customer service is this company's priority. Thank you to the team, Pey, Mary, Ashley, Hector, and Witchy!
Read more
Average cost (5kW system)
$19,300 ($3.86 per watt)
Lo M, over 1 month
We were planning to get solar installed for a while. Finally, we went for it and made the April deadline before the net metering rules changed. Although, we would have done the installation regardless. A big shout-out goes to Cosmic Solar for providing us with stellar service. Pey Shadzi is an incredible wealth of knowledge and knows everything solar. Pey provided us with the best solar options based on our needs and usage. He is honest, personable, and genuine. The entire team kept us informed every step of the way and paid attention to all details. The team at Cosmic Solar made our installation a seamless process. Cosmic Solar is a reputable company. Our solar is up and running, and I am thrilled to be doing our part for the environment. Several solar installation companies broached us, and some companies were pushy. That was not the case with Cosmic. Hands down, I recommend Cosmic Solar for all your solar needs. This company goes the extra mile, and the whole process was a positive experience. It’s clear that customer service is this company's priority. Thank you to the team, Pey, Mary, Ashley, Hector, and Witchy!
4.89 196 Reviews
itang, over 1 month
Thank you so much, I've been wanting solar panels for years but they were so cost prohibitive. I'm glad it's gotten a lot less expensive and that Sunwork nonprofit offers solar panels at a low cost for those who can qualify. Appreciate it!
Read more
Average cost (5kW system)
$13,500 ($2.70 per watt)
itang, over 1 month
Thank you so much, I've been wanting solar panels for years but they were so cost prohibitive. I'm glad it's gotten a lot less expensive and that Sunwork nonprofit offers solar panels at a low cost for those who can qualify. Appreciate it!
4.84 190 Reviews
Brian Lewton, 3 days ago
All facets of Stellar Solar's operation (sales, coordination, installation, and app/system assistance) were excellent. The sales folks are no-pressure, what's-best-for-your-situation type people. We have been operational for just over a year and we are very happy with the system. We received an overproduction check from SDG&E on our first annual true-up. We installed Q Cells [Q.PEAK DUO 400-DC (BLK)] panels and a Tesla Powerwall+, Gateway, and monitoring system. The Tesla app works great. We like having complete control over how much energy we are storing in the battery and how much we send off to the grid. Stellar is truly a great group to work with.
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Brian Lewton, 3 days ago
All facets of Stellar Solar's operation (sales, coordination, installation, and app/system assistance) were excellent. The sales folks are no-pressure, what's-best-for-your-situation type people. We have been operational for just over a year and we are very happy with the system. We received an overproduction check from SDG&E on our first annual true-up. We installed Q Cells [Q.PEAK DUO 400-DC (BLK)] panels and a Tesla Powerwall+, Gateway, and monitoring system. The Tesla app works great. We like having complete control over how much energy we are storing in the battery and how much we send off to the grid. Stellar is truly a great group to work with.
4.79 77 Reviews
EC, 3 days ago
Can't say enough about how great of an experience it was working with Sol R Us. Used them twice, once for the solar panels and then eventually got solar storage with them. Installation was very smooth and I am so happy with the final product.
Read more
Average cost (5kW system)
$15,350 ($3.07 per watt)
EC, 3 days ago
Can't say enough about how great of an experience it was working with Sol R Us. Used them twice, once for the solar panels and then eventually got solar storage with them. Installation was very smooth and I am so happy with the final product.
4.79 79 Reviews
Gnyan Rama, over 1 month
Want to thank Meo and his team that made the solar instal project a breeze for us. He was always well prepared , took care of all the permits and installed the solar unit in record time (few weeks from planning to install). Inspections took a bit longer because of the city backlog. Highly recommend the team as trusted solar installers
Read more
Average cost (5kW system)
$14,900 ($2.98 per watt)
Gnyan Rama, over 1 month
Want to thank Meo and his team that made the solar instal project a breeze for us. He was always well prepared , took care of all the permits and installed the solar unit in record time (few weeks from planning to install). Inspections took a bit longer because of the city backlog. Highly recommend the team as trusted solar installers
4.77 87 Reviews
Ram, over 1 month
I strongly recommend excite energy for getting your solar system. They have been very helpful in answering all my concerns patiently and made sure all the processes are executed seamlessly. Colm, who installed the solar, did a very great job. He made sure he concealed the exterior/garage interior piping as much as possible and the job was done with minimal holes to the house. Special shoutout to Jonna/Arianna who helped me from getting all the paperwork/appointments from the start to the last hiccup of getting solar activated going through inspections and PG&E agreements.
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Average cost (5kW system)
$15,900 ($3.18 per watt)
Ram, over 1 month
I strongly recommend excite energy for getting your solar system. They have been very helpful in answering all my concerns patiently and made sure all the processes are executed seamlessly. Colm, who installed the solar, did a very great job. He made sure he concealed the exterior/garage interior piping as much as possible and the job was done with minimal holes to the house. Special shoutout to Jonna/Arianna who helped me from getting all the paperwork/appointments from the start to the last hiccup of getting solar activated going through inspections and PG&E agreements.
4.75 33 Reviews
Anonymous, over 1 month
SunGreen did a wonderful job setting me up with solar panels at my new home. I was able to create the kind of design I wanted. Once installed, their tech support (Benny) has been outstanding in helping me understand how I can monitor the energy I'm producing. SunGreen is great and I highly recommend them.<br /><br />Everyone who get's solar in LA should know that LADWP does not pay you for the excess solar energy you create and send to their grid. I am still happy with my investment in solar because I don't have an electric bill (just the $22 tax every billing cycle for being hooked up to the grid) and my property value increased with the installation.
Read more
Average cost (5kW system)
$26,650 ($5.33 per watt)
Anonymous, over 1 month
SunGreen did a wonderful job setting me up with solar panels at my new home. I was able to create the kind of design I wanted. Once installed, their tech support (Benny) has been outstanding in helping me understand how I can monitor the energy I'm producing. SunGreen is great and I highly recommend them.<br /><br />Everyone who get's solar in LA should know that LADWP does not pay you for the excess solar energy you create and send to their grid. I am still happy with my investment in solar because I don't have an electric bill (just the $22 tax every billing cycle for being hooked up to the grid) and my property value increased with the installation.
4.73 67 Reviews
Alexa G, over 1 month
We inherited a solar system on a home we recently purchased. During escrow, the system faulted and no longer produced any power by the time we took occupancy. Suffice it to say, conversations were extremely difficult to coordinate among our home seller, real estate agents, the solar installer, the solar manufacturer, the battery installer, and the battery manufacturer. Enter Mike Curtis of Solar Symphony who took the time to not only educate me on solar power systems but also organized the conversations among the previously mentioned parties resulting in the work I needed to be covered by warranty and completed quickly by capable technician. Many thanks to Mike and everyone on the Solar Symphony team!
Read more
Average cost (5kW system)
$19,250 ($3.85 per watt)
Alexa G, over 1 month
We inherited a solar system on a home we recently purchased. During escrow, the system faulted and no longer produced any power by the time we took occupancy. Suffice it to say, conversations were extremely difficult to coordinate among our home seller, real estate agents, the solar installer, the solar manufacturer, the battery installer, and the battery manufacturer. Enter Mike Curtis of Solar Symphony who took the time to not only educate me on solar power systems but also organized the conversations among the previously mentioned parties resulting in the work I needed to be covered by warranty and completed quickly by capable technician. Many thanks to Mike and everyone on the Solar Symphony team!
4.72 28 Reviews
Vikram K., over 1 month
I purchased my system through these guys with a battery back up. We want to make sure if the grid goes down that we have power to our freezer and fridge so our food doesn't spoil. The team at gim was helpful throughout the process and even helped fix my ac system when they were mounting the panels on my roof. I recommend this team for their experience in construction. Easy quote process and kept my informed entire time.
Read more
Vikram K., over 1 month
I purchased my system through these guys with a battery back up. We want to make sure if the grid goes down that we have power to our freezer and fridge so our food doesn't spoil. The team at gim was helpful throughout the process and even helped fix my ac system when they were mounting the panels on my roof. I recommend this team for their experience in construction. Easy quote process and kept my informed entire time.
Where there is no specific pricing information available for a brand then we have used state pricing data for that brand.
Solar panel manufacturer | Avg. cost per watt |
---|---|
Canadian Solar | $2.37 |
LG Solar | $2.66 |
SunPower | $2.75 |
Panasonic | $2.68 |
LONGi Solar | $2.31 |
The most important difference between buying solar panels and any other purchase is that solar panels last 25-30 years. This is a long, long time and you will need customer service over all that time. The reviews below of the two largest corporate solar installation companies indicate larger corporate solar companies are not delivering this support to their customers.
We recommend you find a small or mid-size, local, family-owned solar company. These companies tend to care more about you and your specific job. You don't want to be on hold to a corporation's call center for the next 25 years!
The cost of solar doesn't just include the equipment and installation costs - it’s also made up of permitting costs, inspection costs, and installer profit margins.
These different components are what make the price of solar fluctuate between installations. Some of the factors that affect solar power system installation costs for specific homes include:
Homes that use more electricity will need more solar panels to cover their energy needs.
Although solar panels do get cheaper on a per-watt basis, the overall cost of the system will increase as more panels are added.
But, the higher a home’s energy usage, the more solar panels can save the homeowners on their energy bills.
The price of solar panels can vary depending on the type of solar panels you choose.
There are two main types of solar panels for residential solar installations: monocrystalline and polycrystalline. Monocrystalline solar panels tend to be more efficient and more expensive than other solar panels. Polycrystalline panels have a lower efficiency rating and come at a lower price point.
The type of inverter you buy will also influence the cost of your solar system.
You may see some solar quotes with prices that seem too good to be true.
If you get quoted for a ridiculously cheap price, the installer might be using low-quality equipment or an unsustainable pricing model. You want to use a solar installer that is charging enough so that they can stay in business - as you’ll be relying on them for the next 25 years!
It’s important to make sure that your installer is giving you the best quality at the best price possible. This is why getting multiple solar quotes is so important.
The overall cost of solar can be influenced by the solar incentives available.
Across the U.S., homeowners can apply for the federal solar tax credit. The solar tax credit makes installing solar more cost-effective by providing homeowners with a tax credit equal to 30% of the cost of their installed solar panel system.
Local solar tax incentives and rebates can end up saving homeowners thousands on a solar installation, especially when they’re used with the federal solar tax credit.
See what solar incentives are available in your area by using our solar panel calculator.
The cost of installing residential solar panels in San Leandro varies with the brand of solar panels and inverters you choose, the installation company you choose to install them, the relative ease or difficulty of installing solar panels on your home, and of course the amount of solar panels you need. The amount of solar panels you need is, in turn, related to your energy usage.
The table below shows the data extracted from a real life quote delivered through the SolarReviews marketplace recently for a fairly typical home in San Leandro.
As you can see the payback period is relatively short and equates to a much better return on investment than he historical returns that have been available from investing in things like shares or property.
System information | Value |
---|---|
System Size (for 100% usage offset) | 6.58 kW |
Annual power generation | 10,612 kWh |
Pay-back time (assuming Cash purchase) | 7.2 Years |
Internal rate of return (IRR) on investment | 11% |
Gross cost | $17,323 |
Total Upfront Incentives and Rebates | -$4,505 |
Net Cost of System after rebated and incentives | $12,821 |
Total Cost of Utility Power Avoided over 25 years | $59,212 |