Balcony solar in Santa Ana

The local numbers

We haven't put household counts or an exact renter share on this page yet. The Census figures are easy to find and easy to get subtly wrong, and a city page that quotes a number we haven't checked is exactly the kind of page we're trying not to publish. They'll go in once verified against QuickFacts.

What it saves here

The production figures are effectively identical to Irvine's — this is the same solar resource, eleven miles away. What differs is the housing and the money.

Estimated at SCE's 33.2-cent blended rate with someone home most days. Full working.

What's different about Santa Ana

More older, smaller apartment stock. Which means: more units without an outdoor outlet on the balcony, more balconies that face into a courtyard rather than out, and more buildings where the landlord is an individual rather than a management company. That last one is often good news — an individual owner can just say yes.

Fewer HOAs than Irvine. More of the rental stock is straightforwardly landlord-owned rather than condo units under an association, which removes a whole layer of approval.

Check CARE first. California Alternate Rates for Energy is a substantial discount on SCE bills for income-qualifying households. If you're eligible and not enrolled, that's worth more than a small solar panel and it costs nothing. Enrol first, then look at solar — and note that a lower rate lengthens solar payback, which is a good problem.

Start small. Given the housing stock and the incomes, the honest recommendation here is a $285 starter kit rather than an $850 system. Find out what your particular balcony does before spending more.

In Spanish

This page exists in Spanish at /es/ciudades/santa-ana, as do our main guides. If something's unclear in either language, tell us.

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