Solar Panel Cost in Redwood City, CA (2026): $5.32/W Reported
By Chad SimpsonUpdated 9 sources citedRedwood City, San Mateo County
Redwood City homeowners who bought their own solar systems reported a median of $5.32 per watt between January 2025 and May 2026, across 160 systems. The middle half paid $4.08 to $6.67 per watt.
A 6.88 kW system, the median size connected in Redwood City in 2025, comes to about $36,600 at that median, or $28,100 to $45,900 across the middle half.
Those are reported costs, not a quote, and no federal credit comes off a Redwood City system finished in 2026: 26 U.S.C. §25D does not cover one whose installation is completed after December 31, 2025 (state and federal rules).
- Median reported cost
- $5.32/W
- Redwood City addresses, 160 systems
- Middle half
- $4.08 to $6.67/W
- 25th to 75th percentile
- Typical 6.88 kW system
- $36,600
- 6.88 kW × $5.32/W, before any incentive
- Same system, middle half
- $28,100 to $45,900
- size: Redwood City addresses, 2025 median
Source: California Distributed Generation Statistics (CPUC), Interconnected Project Sites data set, data through May 31, 2026, checked September 24, 2026. Homeowner-owned, solar-only systems of 1 to 25 kW; leases, PPAs and battery systems are left out (method). The CPUC notes these costs are not verified by the government.
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What a solar permit costs in Redwood City
Redwood City's published permit fee for a home rooftop system is $450 (residential solar system, 15 kW or less). Above 15 kW: $450.00 plus $15.00 per kW; 13% GIS/technology fee listed for building permits.
That is exactly the $450 limit that Government Code §66015 sets for a home system up to 15 kW.
- What Redwood City publishes: Redwood City's Master Fee Schedule for fiscal year 2026-27, effective July 1, 2026, lists a residential solar system of 15 kW or less at $450.00 and one of 16 kW or more at $450.00 plus $15.00 per kW. The same building fee table lists an electrical service permit of up to 200 amperes at $431.65 and a residential reroof at $645.25, and it adds a GIS maintenance and technology fee of 13 percent of the building permit fee without saying whether that applies to a solar permit.
- How to file: Yes. Redwood City offers automatic solar permitting through SolarAPP+, and residential solar permits are then pulled through the City's eTRAKiT portal following its SolarAPP+ permitting guide. The California Energy Commission's SB 379 data lists Redwood City's platform as SolarAPP+.
- Automated permit platform: SolarAPP+
Sources: City of Redwood City, SolarAPP+ Automatic Permitting, checked September 24, 2026; City of Redwood City, Master Fee Schedule FY 2026-2027, effective July 1, 2026 (Building Inspection & Code Enforcement: Photovoltaic Solar Systems; Electrical Permit Fees, Services; Reroof; GIS maintenance/Technology Fee), checked September 24, 2026; California Energy Commission, Residential Solar Permitting Program data (SB 379 platform status as self-reported by each jurisdiction; data last updated August 3, 2026), checked September 23, 2026; Gov. Code §66015, checked September 24, 2026. Redwood City in the California Solar Cost Index sets this fee beside every other city's.
Solar in Redwood City: installs, leases and batteries
Home solar systems connected at Redwood City addresses: 309 in 2021, 412 in 2022, 549 in 2023, 302 in 2024 and 309 in 2025. So connections peaked in 2023 and 2025 ran 44% below that peak. Another 160 were connected from January to May 2026.
Of the 309 systems connected in Redwood City in 2025, 28% were leased or on a PPA, so a solar company owns them, and 72% belonged to the homeowner. 55% had a battery, about as often as the 55% statewide. The median Redwood City system was 6.88 kW, and 79 companies connected at least one.
| Redwood City | San Mateo County | Statewide | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Systems connected in 2025 | 309 | 2,230 | 145,404 |
| Leased or on a PPA | 28% | 28% | 45% |
| With a battery | 55% | 55% | 55% |
| Median system size | 6.88 kW | 6.8 kW | 6.15 kW |
| Median reported cost | $5.32/W (160) | $5.43/W (1,203) | $4.14/W (58,628) |
| Companies connecting systems | 79 | 212 | 2,475 |
Source: CPUC DG Stats, data through May 31, 2026. Counts are home systems given permission to operate each year; a city means the service city on the application.
Your utility: PG&E
Redwood City is billed by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). PG&E's average residential rate is 33.7¢/kWh (June 2026 (unchanged since March 2026); rate tracker).
WestLight Energy (formerly Peninsula Clean Energy) supplies generation for many Redwood City addresses while PG&E delivers and bills; your bill shows which. Source: WestLight Energy (formerly Peninsula Clean Energy): serves San Mateo County and Los Banos; one PG&E bill.
Before you compare proposals
The Redwood City project checks that change the decision
Redwood City permits rooftop solar through SolarAPP+ and its eTRAKiT portal and charges $450 for a home system up to 15 kW. WestLight Energy, San Mateo County's community electricity provider, supplies generation and balances solar credits every month.
Ask the same three questions
- Does the permit line match Redwood City's $450.00 for a system of 15 kW or less, and does the quote say whether the City's 13 percent technology fee is included?
- If the main panel or the roof is being replaced, are the $431.65 electrical service permit and the $645.25 reroof permit in the quote?
- Does the bill estimate reflect WestLight Energy's monthly balancing of solar credits rather than a single annual true-up?
Local checks
SolarAPP+, then eTRAKiT
Redwood City offers automatic permitting through SolarAPP+. The contractor then pulls the residential solar permit in the City's eTRAKiT portal, following the City's SolarAPP+ permitting guide.
$450 up to 15 kW
The fiscal year 2026-27 Master Fee Schedule lists $450.00 for a residential system of 15 kW or less and $450.00 plus $15.00 per kW for one of 16 kW or more. Its building table also carries a 13 percent GIS maintenance and technology fee and re-inspections at $211.06 an hour.
Panel and roof have their own lines
The same schedule lists an electrical service permit of up to 200 amperes at $431.65 and a residential reroof at $645.25, each separate from the solar permit.
WestLight's monthly balance
WestLight Energy pays for solar power a home exports but does not use, and balances what it owes, or is owed, every month instead of once a year.
Related decisions
Local sources and limits
- City of Redwood City — SolarAPP+ Automatic Permitting — verified 2026-09-24. Automatic solar permitting through SolarAPP+; residential solar permits are pulled through the City's eTRAKiT portal following its SolarAPP+ permitting guide; SolarAPP+ questions go to a named Building Division contact.
- City of Redwood City — Master Fee Schedule FY 2026-2027 (effective July 1, 2026) — verified 2026-09-24. Building Inspection & Code Enforcement: photovoltaic solar systems, residential 15 kW or less $450.00, 16 kW or more $450.00 plus $15.00 per kW; electrical services up to 200 amperes $431.65; residential reroof $645.25; re-inspection $211.06 per hour; GIS maintenance/technology fee 13% of the building permit fee.
- WestLight Energy (formerly Peninsula Clean Energy) — verified 2026-09-23. Serves San Mateo County and Los Banos; PG&E delivers the power and customers get one PG&E bill with WestLight generation charges and PG&E delivery charges.
- WestLight Energy — Solar & Battery (residential) — verified 2026-09-24. WestLight pays for electricity a customer generates but does not use and, unlike PG&E's annual true-up, balances what it owes the customer (or is owed) every month; it says it does not install solar panels or batteries.
- California Energy Commission — Residential Solar Permitting Program data (SB 379) — verified 2026-09-23. Self-reported platform status per jurisdiction, data last updated August 3, 2026; the CEC says it does not certify compliance. Rows used for the Tier 3 cities: Santa Clara, Clovis, Berkeley, Concord, Richmond, San Clemente, Encinitas, San Marcos, Lakewood, Elk Grove, Mission Viejo, Victorville, Tulare, Yucaipa, Rocklin and Grass Valley (SolarAPP+); Glendale and Santa Barbara (custom platform); Saratoga and Vacaville (Symbium); Napa (without a platform); Gilroy, San Ramon, Redding and Yuba City (SolarAPP+); Windsor and Ventura (Symbium); Redwood City and Cupertino (SolarAPP+); Hollister (without a platform, deadline Sept 2024).
Before you sign
In Redwood City the middle half of reported costs spans $4.08 to $6.67 per watt, and roof, panel work, equipment and contract terms explain most of that gap. California Solar Tax and Permit Rules for 2026 covers them, and the tax, lease and disclosure rules a Redwood City contract follows.
Frequently asked questions
How much does solar cost in Redwood City?
About $36,600 for a 6.88 kW system, at the $5.32 per watt median that Redwood City owners reported (160 systems, January 2025 to May 2026; middle half $4.08 to $6.67). Source: CPUC DG Stats. No federal credit applies to a Redwood City system finished in 2026.
What does a solar permit cost in Redwood City?
$450 for a home rooftop system on Redwood City's published schedule (checked September 24, 2026); the state limit is $450 up to 15 kW under Gov. Code §66015.
Which utility serves Redwood City?
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). Its average residential rate is 33.7¢/kWh, as of June 2026 (unchanged since March 2026).
Sources
- California Distributed Generation Statistics (CPUC), Interconnected Project Sites data set, data through May 31, 2026 — checked September 24, 2026
- CPUC, California Solar Consumer Protection Guide — checked September 24, 2026
- 26 U.S.C. §25D(h) and (e)(8)(A), residential clean energy credit — checked September 24, 2026
- Redwood City solar permitting — City of Redwood City, SolarAPP+ Automatic Permitting — checked September 24, 2026
- City of Redwood City, Master Fee Schedule FY 2026-2027, effective July 1, 2026 (Building Inspection & Code Enforcement: Photovoltaic Solar Systems; Electrical Permit Fees, Services; Reroof; GIS maintenance/Technology Fee) — checked September 24, 2026
- California Energy Commission, Residential Solar Permitting Program data (SB 379 platform status as self-reported by each jurisdiction; data last updated August 3, 2026) — checked September 23, 2026
- California Government Code §66015(a), residential solar permit fees — checked September 24, 2026
- WestLight Energy (formerly Peninsula Clean Energy): serves San Mateo County and Los Banos; one PG&E bill — checked September 23, 2026
- PG&E average residential rate — CPUC Public Advocates Office, Q2 2026 Electric Rates Report, p.8, 20 — checked September 24, 2026
The tax, contract and permit rules every California city shares, with their statutes: California Solar Tax and Permit Rules for 2026.
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