Solar payback in Irvine, CA

Electricity rates near Irvine

We use Southern California Edison (SCE) as the likely utility for Irvine. Check your bill to confirm yours. Other utilities in the state are listed for comparison.

How much sun Irvine gets

Estimated output of 1 kW of rooftop solar, month by month, from NREL PVWatts weather data: about 1,530 kWh per year. Real output depends on your roof, shading and equipment.

Homes in Irvine

Homes (housing units)

120,206

Lived in by their owner

44.5% of occupied homes

Detached single-family houses

37.4% of homes

Median year built

2002

Median value of owner-occupied homes

$1,191,500

Rooftop solar is usually the homeowner's decision, and it is simplest on a house with a roof of its own. In Irvine, 44.5% of occupied homes are lived in by their owner and 37.4% of all homes are detached single-family houses. Condos, townhomes and apartments usually need approval from the building or association first.

Half of Irvine's homes were built before 2002. Panels last decades, so if your roof is near the end of its life, ask installers whether to replace it before they install.

Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Irvine city, read on 2026-11-01. See the Census table. Estimates have a margin of error.

Example payback in Irvine

These use illustrative example bills, not averages for Irvine. They show a solar-only system (no battery, some shading) at the likely utility's rates, with no federal tax credit. Your own numbers will differ; use the calculator for yours.