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California solar decisions
Solar Companies in Chico, CA: Who Installed the Most Systems in 2025
Utility records show 630 home solar systems connected in Chico in 2025. Sunrun was the installer of record on 124 of them, followed by Alternative Energy Systems Inc (59) and Bright Ops (46). The table lists each company's CSLB license number. It is a count from public records, not a ranking or endorsement: check each license and get at least three quotes.
California Rate Relief is a private solar referral service.
Key facts
Installers who connected the most home solar systems in Chico in 2025
| Installer (name as reported) | Systems in 2025 | Jan 2024 to May 2026 | CSLB license |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunrun | 124 | 295 | 750184 check |
| Alternative Energy Systems Inc | 59 | 150 | 853351 check |
| Bright Ops | 46 | 82 | 1020761 check |
| Ohm Solar Solutions | 44 | 111 | 1069206 check |
| Royal Aire Inc | 36 | 71 | 510286 check |
| Urban Design | 26 | 45 | 893826 check |
| Webb Bill Construction Inc | 22 | 81 | 749650 check |
| BLM Holdings Inc | 21 | 91 | 927742 check |
Counts from utility records, not a ranking or endorsement. Check each license's status and complaint history on the CSLB's Check a License page (checked Sept. 24, 2026).
Source: California Distributed Generation Statistics (CPUC), Interconnected Project Sites data set, data through May 31, 2026 (checked Sept. 24, 2026).
Home solar in Chico by the numbers
PG&E approved 630 home solar systems in Chico in 2025, from 69 installers; the top three were named on 36% of them. The busiest year since 2021 was 2023, with 1,739 (2025: -64%). Another 224 were approved from January through May 2026.
2025 mix: 22% leased or on a power purchase agreement, 78% owned by the household; 31% with a battery; median size 6.8 kW DC. Butte County: 25% leased or PPA, 29% with a battery, median 6.27 kW.
| Year | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systems connected | 904 | 1,369 | 1,739 | 712 | 630 |
Start with your Chico electricity bill
For a PG&E electric account, ask the proposal to name the actual tariff and any generation provider listed on the bill. Keep existing-system enrollment and new-system assumptions separate. A high bill could justify investigating solar, but it does not establish the right array size or battery configuration.
What a Chico quote needs to explain
| Check | Ask each bidder |
|---|---|
| Property and jurisdiction | Identify conventional or manufactured housing and confirm the responsible permit authority. |
| Existing equipment | Request a diagnostic scope and production history before accepting replacement or expansion as the only option. |
| Storage goal | List essential circuits and runtime assumptions, then show any bill-savings estimate separately. |
A comparison to ask for
If the property is a manufactured home, start with the permit authority, roof structure and mounting plan. Compare proposals only after those conditions match. For an existing array, separate diagnosis and repair from expansion; replacing an underperforming component may be a different decision from buying a larger system.
Verify the company behind the Chico quote
Match the business name and license number on each Chico proposal to the CSLB record, then use our contractor verification steps, the quote comparison guide and the PPA, loan, lease and cash comparison.
Permit fees and the filing route are on the Chico solar cost and permit page.
Chico solar quote questions
Does Chico handle every manufactured-home solar permit?
The city instructs owners to check with the California Department of Housing and Community Development to establish whether state or city jurisdiction applies. Confirm before finalizing the bid.
Should I replace an existing Chico solar system that produces less than expected?
Start with the production history and a diagnostic scope. Ask what repair would cost and what an expansion would change, including utility enrollment and permit requirements.
Before you sign anything in Chico
Two of the contract terms that most often change what a quote really costs.
Ask for a competing quote
Start with the utility on your bill and what you pay in a typical month. Contact details come after that. Submitting does not guarantee that a provider will quote your project.
California Rate Relief is a referral service. We are not a licensed contractor. California Rate Relief is compensated by a solar provider when a homeowner we refer signs an agreement. How we make money
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