Paying high electricity bills to Southern California Edison is a familiar story in Adelanto, with rates pushing average monthly costs toward $290. The challenge for homeowners in 2026 is that solar rules have changed. Sending your excess solar power back to the grid no longer provides a simple one-to-one credit, making how you use your solar energy more important than ever.
Compare bill offset and incentives—open the calculator next.
Open calculatorBenchmark Cost Analysis
2026 Solar & Battery Costs in Adelanto
Based on local data for a home with an average electricity bill, here are the estimated installation costs for 2026:
- Solar Panels Only (5.5 kW): The estimated gross cost is $13,805. This system is sized to significantly reduce your daytime energy purchases from SCE.
- Solar Panels + Battery (5.5 kW system with 10 kWh battery): The estimated gross cost is $28,805. This option provides power after sunset and adds valuable home backup during outages.
Note: These figures are based on 2026 modeling and do not include a federal tax credit, as the default credit for homeowners is not assumed to be available for systems placed in service after 2025.
Incentives & Tax Credits
Key California Solar Incentives for 2026
While the long-standing federal solar tax credit is not included in these 2026 projections, California homeowners still benefit from key state-level policies:
- Property Tax Exclusion: In California, the value added to your home by a solar energy system is excluded from your property tax assessment. This valuable protection for installations completed through June 30, 2026, ensures your taxes don't increase because you added solar.
- Net Billing Program: This is the framework that allows you to connect to the grid and receive credit for exported energy. Though the credits are lower than the retail rate, the program is essential for making solar work financially.
Net Metering: Southern California Edison Co
Net Billing (low export)
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Understanding Adelanto's Solar Export Rules
Under Southern California Edison's (SCE) net billing tariff, the strategy for saving money has shifted. Previously, you could trade power with the grid at nearly equal value. Now, self-consumption is key.
When your panels generate more electricity than your home is using, the excess power is sent to the grid. SCE buys this power from you at a reduced rate—modeled here at around 11 cents per kWh. However, when you buy that same kWh back from SCE in the evening, you pay over 32 cents. This difference is why pairing solar panels with a battery is highly recommended in California. A battery lets you store your own power and avoid selling it cheap only to buy it back expensive hours later.
Projected Savings
Comparing Solar Savings: With vs. Without a Battery
Your potential savings are directly tied to how much of SCE's expensive electricity you can avoid buying. With retail electricity rates around $0.32/kWh and solar export credits modeled at just $0.11/kWh, using your own solar power is three times more valuable than selling it.
- A solar-only system is projected to save an Adelanto homeowner around $2,007 annually, with an estimated payback period of 6.9 years. It works hard during sunny days but still requires you to buy grid power at night.
- A solar-plus-battery system boosts annual savings significantly to around $3,137. The battery stores your cheap solar energy produced during the day and lets you use it during the expensive evening hours, deepening your independence from the grid. While the payback period is longer at 9.2 years, the monthly bill reduction and outage protection offer greater value.