Solar Companies in Novato, CA: Who Installed the Most Systems in 2025

Installers who connected the most home solar systems in Novato in 2025

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 Novato by the numbers

PG&E approved 266 home solar systems in Novato in 2025, from 65 installers; the top three were named on 45% of them. The busiest year since 2021 was 2023, with 638 (2025: -58%). Another 122 were approved from January through May 2026.

2025 mix: 37% leased or on a power purchase agreement, 64% owned by the household; 55% with a battery; median size 6.48 kW DC. Marin County: 24% leased or PPA, 55% with a battery, median 7.02 kW.

Hiring a solar company in Novato

Solar companies in Novato can get an instant City permit through SolarAPP+ for most rooftop systems, with or without a battery, if they hold a B, C-46 or C-10 license. PG&E delivers the power and MCE supplies the generation, paying annual surplus at the Net Surplus Compensation rate plus $0.02 per kWh. Owner-builders use the City's standard permit. Compare at least three written bids built on your own bill.

Start with your Novato electricity bill

A Novato bill has two halves: PG&E's delivery charges and MCE's generation charges, with MCE's generation credits shown on MCE's page of the statement. Novato is an MCE member, and MCE enrolls solar customers in its own program automatically: Net Energy Metering for systems that applied by April 14, 2023, and its Solar Billing Plan after that. Each bidder should model both halves from your own statement.

Who can use Novato's SolarAPP+ permit

Novato adopted SolarAPP+ to give residential rooftop solar a code-compliance check without a full plan set. The City describes the route as covering the majority of residential, roof-mounted, new and retrofit photovoltaic systems with and without energy storage systems, and only projects that conform to the SolarAPP+ checklist can use it. When they do, the automated review replaces plan review and the City issues the permit instantly.

The route is limited to contractors: the City names General B, Solar C-46 and Electrical C-10 licenses. It is not mandatory; a licensed contractor can still apply through the standard building permit process, and owner-builders and applications that do not fit the checklist must. A SolarAPP+ submission covers up to three revisions. Novato has not yet filed an annual SB 379 report with the Energy Commission, so there is no published count of how many local permits used the instant route.

How MCE credits a Novato solar home

MCE enrolls solar customers automatically. Systems whose applications were completed by April 14, 2023 are on MCE's Net Energy Metering program: credits accrue at retail rates, offset generation charges during the year and are settled at an annual cash-out each spring. Any surplus is paid at the Net Surplus Compensation rate plus $0.02 per kWh, and remaining retail credits are zeroed out at that point. Later systems are on MCE's Solar Billing Plan on the generation side and PG&E's on the delivery side.

PG&E still charges delivery on its own schedule and trues that up separately. A proposal that promises a large annual surplus should say what the surplus is worth at MCE's cash-out rate, and should show the PG&E delivery charges that remain.

What a Novato quote needs to explain

A comparison to ask for

Ask each Novato bidder whether its design fits the SolarAPP+ checklist. If it does, the permit can issue the same day; if not, the standard permit adds plan review and the schedule should show it. Then compare the MCE and PG&E bill each proposal leaves you with, not a single savings percentage.

Verify the company behind the Novato quote

Match the business name and license number on each Novato proposal to the CSLB record, then use our contractor verification steps, the quote comparison guide and the PPA, loan, lease and cash comparison.

Novato solar quote questions