Between 2023 and 2025, 1,851 home solar systems were installed in Santa Barbara by 132 different companies. Sunrun installed the most (313, or 17% of the local market), followed by Brighten Solar (311) and Tesla (127). 20% of the systems were leased or financed through a power purchase agreement; the rest were bought outright. Every company in the ranking was still installing in 2025; installers that have since closed are left out.
Top 10 Solar Companies in Santa Barbara by Home Installations
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Serves Santa Barbara, CA · no office address listed
- Most installations
- Mostly leases & PPAs
- Typical system
- 5.3 kW
- Median price (owned)
- $4.53/W
- Leased / PPA
- 81%
- With battery
- 73%
Sunrun mostly sells leases and power purchase agreements: 81% of its systems here were leased or on a PPA, so the homeowner pays monthly and doesn't own the panels. Its most common setup here pairs JA Solar panels with SolarEdge inverters with power optimizers. 73% of its systems here include a home battery. Its median price for an owned system, $4.53/W, is close to the Santa Barbara median. A typical system is 5.3 kW, about 13 panels, and it has installed in Santa Barbara since 2000. It is also among the top installers in 107 other cities we rank, including Bakersfield and San Diego.
- Map & reviews ↗
Brighten Solar
- Mostly sells systems you own
- Lowest median price in this list
- (805) 708-3654
- brightensolarco.com
- 5380 Overpass Rd Ste B, Santa Barbara, CA 93111
- Typical system
- 6.0 kW
- Median price (owned)
- $3.87/W
- Leased / PPA
- 0%
- With battery
- 39%
Brighten Solar mostly sells systems the homeowner owns, paid in cash or with a loan. Its most common setup here pairs Silfab Solar panels with Enphase microinverters. 39% of its systems here include a home battery. Its median price for an owned system, $3.87/W, is 12% below the Santa Barbara median of $4.41/W. A typical system is 6.0 kW, about 15 panels, and it has installed in Santa Barbara since 2016.
Phone from its California contractor license, CSLB #1009246
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Serves Santa Barbara, CA · no office address listed
- Mostly sells systems you own
- Typical system
- 7.3 kW
- Median price (owned)
- $3.94/W
- Leased / PPA
- 0%
- With battery
- 90%
Tesla mostly sells systems the homeowner owns, paid in cash or with a loan. Its most common setup here pairs Hanwha Q CELLS panels with Tesla inverters. 90% of its systems here include a home battery. Its median price for an owned system, $3.94/W, is 11% below the Santa Barbara median of $4.41/W. A typical system is 7.3 kW, about 18 panels, and it has installed in Santa Barbara since 2001. It is also among the top installers in 84 other cities we rank, including Fremont and Sunnyvale.
- Map & reviews ↗
Sun Pacific Solar Electric
- Mostly sells systems you own
- (805) 965-9292
- sunpacificsolar.net
- 809 Bond Avenue Suite B, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
- Typical system
- 4.9 kW
- Median price (owned)
- $5.00/W
- Leased / PPA
- 0%
- With battery
- 50%
Sun Pacific Solar Electric mostly sells systems the homeowner owns, paid in cash or with a loan. Its most common setup here pairs SunPower panels with SunPower inverters. 50% of its systems here include a home battery. Its median price for an owned system, $5.00/W, is 13% above the Santa Barbara median of $4.41/W. A typical system is 4.9 kW, about 12 panels, and it has installed in Santa Barbara since 2008.
Phone from its California contractor license, CSLB #860806
- Map & reviews ↗
Action Energy
- Mostly sells systems you own
- (805) 679-7979
- actionenergysb.com
- 629 North Salsipuedes Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
- Typical system
- 6.3 kW
- Median price (owned)
- $5.45/W
- Leased / PPA
- 0%
- With battery
- 68%
Action Energy mostly sells systems the homeowner owns, paid in cash or with a loan. Its most common setup here pairs REC Group panels with Tesla inverters. 68% of its systems here include a home battery. Its median price for an owned system, $5.45/W, is 24% above the Santa Barbara median of $4.41/W. A typical system is 6.3 kW, about 16 panels, and it has installed in Santa Barbara since 2018.
Phone from its California contractor license, CSLB #951713
- Map & reviews ↗
Good Energy Renewables
- Mostly sells systems you own
- (805) 452-7136
- goodenergysolar.com
- 137 W Mission St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
- Typical system
- 5.6 kW
- Median price (owned)
- $4.73/W
- Leased / PPA
- 1%
- With battery
- 43%
Good Energy Renewables mostly sells systems the homeowner owns, paid in cash or with a loan. Its most common setup here pairs REC Group panels with Enphase microinverters. 43% of its systems here include a home battery. Its median price for an owned system, $4.73/W, is 7% above the Santa Barbara median of $4.41/W. A typical system is 5.6 kW, about 14 panels, and it has installed in Santa Barbara since 2014.
Phone from its California contractor license, CSLB #988879
- Map & reviews ↗
Wicks Solar
- Mostly sells systems you own
- (805) 973-9037
- wicksroofing.com
- 515 N Quarantina St, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
- Typical system
- 8.2 kW
- Median price (owned)
- $4.65/W
- Leased / PPA
- 0%
- With battery
- 46%
Wicks Solar mostly sells systems the homeowner owns, paid in cash or with a loan. Its most common setup here pairs Vietnam Sunergy Joint Stock Company panels with Enphase microinverters. 46% of its systems here include a home battery. Its median price for an owned system, $4.65/W, is 5% above the Santa Barbara median of $4.41/W. A typical system is 8.2 kW, about 21 panels, and it has installed in Santa Barbara since 2018. It also works as a roofing contractor, which helps if the roof needs repairs before the panels go on.
- Map & reviews ↗
Sunrise805
- Mostly sells systems you own
- (805) 895-6096
- 4650 Vista Buena Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93110
- Typical system
- 6.4 kW
- Median price (owned)
- $5.02/W
- Leased / PPA
- 0%
- With battery
- 64%
Sunrise805 mostly sells systems the homeowner owns, paid in cash or with a loan. Its most common setup here pairs Hanwha Q CELLS panels with Enphase microinverters. 64% of its systems here include a home battery. Its median price for an owned system, $5.02/W, is 14% above the Santa Barbara median of $4.41/W. A typical system is 6.4 kW, about 16 panels, and it has installed in Santa Barbara since 2016.
Phone from its California contractor license, CSLB #1003200
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Serves Santa Barbara, CA · no office address listed
- Mostly sells systems you own
- Typical system
- 7.2 kW
- Median price (owned)
- $4.73/W
- Leased / PPA
- 0%
- With battery
- 58%
California Solar Electric Systems mostly sells systems the homeowner owns, paid in cash or with a loan. Its most common setup here pairs SunPower panels with SunPower inverters. 58% of its systems here include a home battery. Its median price for an owned system, $4.73/W, is 7% above the Santa Barbara median of $4.41/W. A typical system is 7.2 kW, about 18 panels, and it has installed in Santa Barbara since 2003. It is also among the top installers in Ventura.
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- Mostly sells systems you own
- Most battery installs
- (805) 351-3371
- photonbrothers.com
- 3566 S Higuera St #310, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
- Typical system
- 7.0 kW
- Median price (owned)
- $5.58/W
- Leased / PPA
- 0%
- With battery
- 97%
Photon Brothers mostly sells systems the homeowner owns, paid in cash or with a loan. Its most common setup here pairs REC Group panels with Tesla inverters. 97% of its systems here include a home battery. Its median price for an owned system, $5.58/W, is 27% above the Santa Barbara median of $4.41/W. A typical system is 7.0 kW, about 18 panels, and it has installed in Santa Barbara since 2015. It is also among the top installers in 2 other cities we rank, including Santa Maria and Paso Robles.
Comparing quotes in Santa Barbara?
Divide each quote's total, before incentives, by the system size in watts. Homeowners in Santa Barbara who bought their system paid a median of $4.41/W in 2023–2025. Reject any 2026 quote that subtracts a 30% federal tax credit from a purchase: that credit ended in 2025.
How to check a solar quote →Solar Battery Installers in Santa Barbara
1,033 of the 1,851 home solar systems installed in Santa Barbara in 2023–2025 (56%) included a home battery, put in by 94 companies. These installed the most:
| Installer | With battery | Of its installs | Median price | Leased / PPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Sunrun | 227 | 73% | $4.87/W | 89% |
| 2. Brighten Solar | 121 | 39% | $5.80/W | 0% |
| 3. Tesla | 114 | 90% | $4.05/W | 0% |
| 4. Action Energy | 73 | 68% | $6.81/W | 0% |
| 5. Sun Pacific Solar Electric | 57 | 50% | $7.71/W | 0% |
- Most common battery: Tesla (60% of those with a known brand), then Enphase Energy (24%).
- What a battery adds: owned systems with one had a median of $5.62/W, against $4.41/W for all home systems in Santa Barbara. The recorded price includes the battery, so the gap (+1.21 $/W on a 6.5 kW system) is roughly what it cost.
- Battery on most of their jobs: Sunrun (73%), Tesla (90%), Action Energy (68%), Photon Brothers (97%), Sunrise805 (64%), Electriq Microgrid Services (100%), Swell Contractors (84%). The others add one on some jobs, not by default.
- Lowest median price among them: Tesla, at $4.05/W for systems the homeowner bought.
Ask whether a battery quote backs up the whole house or only a subpanel, and size it from your bills: one 13 kWh battery covers essentials overnight, not central air. Under California's Net Billing Tariff (from April 2023) exported solar earns little, so storing it for evening use is what makes a battery pay. More in Tesla Powerwall installation.
Home Solar in Santa Barbara by the Numbers
Based on 1,863 residential systems installed in Santa Barbara between 2023 and 2025, as reported to utilities and state agencies.
Most-installed panel brands
- Silfab Solar
- Hanwha Q CELLS
- SunPower
Most-installed inverter brands
- Enphase Energy
- Tesla
- SolarEdge
How these brands compare nationwide: share, price and leasing →
Home installations per year
Median price of owned systems by year: 2020: $3.96/W · 2021: $4.28/W · 2022: $4.19/W · 2023: $4.24/W · 2024: $4.25/W · 2025: $5.04/W.
Solar Panel Repair in Santa Barbara
When a system stops producing, the best first call is an established local company. The companies ranked above installed systems in Santa Barbara through 2025, so they know the equipment on local roofs. Many will service a system they didn't install, but not all — ask before you book, and expect a diagnostic fee.
42% of the home systems installed here in 2023–2025 use Enphase Energy inverters, followed by Tesla (20%). Enphase systems use a microinverter under each panel, so one failure usually knocks out a single panel and the monitoring app shows which one. Systems with a central (string) inverter — SolarEdge and others — stop producing entirely when that inverter fails; a dark screen or an error code on the unit on your wall is the usual sign.
Checks to do before you call anyone: solar troubleshooting guide. Storm damage, a roof leak or a burning smell: what to do first.
Installers That Closed or Went Bankrupt in Santa Barbara
At least 184 home solar systems in Santa Barbara were installed by companies that have since closed, liquidated or filed for bankruptcy. They are left out of the ranking above. If one of them installed your system, its workmanship warranty is likely gone — but panel and inverter warranties come from the manufacturer and usually survive the installer.
- SunPower63 systems in Santa Barbara
Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August 2024. Its assets were sold off. The SunPower brand now belongs to Complete Solaria, a different company that renamed itself SunPower in 2025. Source: Utility Dive
- Freedom Forever52 systems in Santa Barbara
Filed for Chapter 11 in April 2026; converted to Chapter 7 liquidation in August 2026. Source: pv magazine USA
- Sungevity46 systems in Santa Barbara
Sungevity filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2017. Source: Solar Power World
- Verengo23 systems in Santa Barbara
Filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2016; its last office closed in 2019. Source: pv magazine
- REC Solar Commercial187 systems in Santa Barbara
No installations recorded anywhere in California after 2020 (records run through 2025). That does not by itself mean the company closed — check before relying on it for service.
- Andre Schneider Construction Group87 systems in Santa Barbara
No installations recorded anywhere in California after 2021 (records run through 2025). That does not by itself mean the company closed — check before relying on it for service.
- Solar Energy Company84 systems in Santa Barbara
No installations recorded anywhere in California after 2021 (records run through 2025). That does not by itself mean the company closed — check before relying on it for service.
- Allen Energy67 systems in Santa Barbara
No installations recorded anywhere in California after 2019 (records run through 2025). That does not by itself mean the company closed — check before relying on it for service.
- Solforce Systems63 systems in Santa Barbara
No installations recorded anywhere in California after 2019 (records run through 2025). That does not by itself mean the company closed — check before relying on it for service.
- Advanced Solar Electric30 systems in Santa Barbara
No installations recorded anywhere in California after 2016 (records run through 2025). That does not by itself mean the company closed — check before relying on it for service.
- Rm Technologies30 systems in Santa Barbara
No installations recorded anywhere in California after 2010 (records run through 2025). That does not by itself mean the company closed — check before relying on it for service.
- California Solar Systems27 systems in Santa Barbara
No installations recorded anywhere in California after 2024 (records run through 2025). That does not by itself mean the company closed — check before relying on it for service.
See the full list of solar companies that went out of business and what still works if yours is one of them.
Solar in Santa Barbara: Common Questions
Who installs the most solar panels in Santa Barbara?
In the most recent three years of records (2023–2025), Sunrun installed 313 home systems in Santa Barbara, more than any other company. Brighten Solar (311) and Tesla (127) came next. Volume shows local experience, not workmanship, so compare quotes and reviews before choosing.
How much does a solar system cost in Santa Barbara?
Homeowners who bought their system outright paid a median of $4.41/W before incentives, and the typical system was 6.3 kW — about $28,000 in total. Prices vary by installer: in the ranking above, the median ranges from $3.87/W to $5.58/W.
Do most people in Santa Barbara buy or lease their panels?
81% bought their system and 20% leased it or signed a power purchase agreement (PPA). With a lease or PPA you pay little upfront, but you don't own the panels and the savings are smaller over the contract. Some installers sell almost only one way — check the "Leased / PPA" figure for each company in the ranking.
Who repairs solar panels in Santa Barbara?
Start with the companies in the ranking above: Sunrun, Brighten Solar and Tesla did the most work here, and an installer that knows the equipment on local roofs can usually diagnose a fault faster. If your system was leased or is on a PPA, call the company you pay each month first — maintenance is normally its job.
Can I still get the federal solar tax credit in 2026?
Not as a homeowner buying the system: the 30% residential credit (Section 25D) ended on December 31, 2025. Be wary of any quote that still subtracts it from the price. See our 2026 solar tax credit guide for what's left.
What if my solar installer went out of business?
Your panels and inverters are still covered by their manufacturers' warranties; what you lose is the installer's workmanship and roof-leak warranty. If the system is leased or on a PPA, the company you pay each month is usually responsible for repairs, and any active company in the ranking can take over service. See the installers that closed in Santa Barbara and what still works when an installer closes.
What do homeowners in Santa Barbara pay for electricity?
Residential customers in California pay an average of 34.74¢ per kWh, 99% above the national average. The higher the rate, the faster solar pays for itself. Source: EIA, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A.
No company pays to be listed or to rank higher, and any ad on this site is labeled. Before you sign, confirm the contractor license, insurance and recent reviews, and get at least three quotes. If a company in Santa Barbara has closed, moved or changed its phone number, tell us and we'll check it.
How This Ranking Works
Companies are ranked by the home solar systems they installed here in 2023–2025, from utility and state records; each needs at least 10 local installations and must still have been installing in 2025. Closed or bankrupt companies are removed and listed separately. The count shows local experience, not workmanship or service.
Source: Tracking the Sun, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (2026 edition), licensed CC BY 4.0. In New York and New Jersey, recent years come from the state programs' own records (NYSERDA and New Jersey's Clean Energy Program). Company names were standardized and closures checked against news reports by Solar Power Fix. More about our methodology.
Solar system not producing in Santa Barbara?
The checks to do before you call anyone: the inverter screen, the breakers, the monitoring app and what each error code means.