Plug-in solar savings on City of Healdsburg Electric
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The short answer: on City of Healdsburg Electric's D-1 rate of 31.92¢/kWh,[source] the example kit (800 W, $1,000) saves about $253 a year and pays for itself in about 4.0 years, assuming typical placement and that you use most of its power at home.
What the example kit saves on City of Healdsburg Electric
| Where the panels go | Saves a year | Pays back in |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent: south-facing, tilted, no shade | $333 | 3.0 years |
| Typical: well-placed | $253 | 4.0 years |
| Shaded or vertical balcony | $184 | 5.4 years |
Power you send back to the grid is valued at $0, so a kit sized to what you use during the day saves the most. Run your own numbers, including how savings add up over the years.
Where this rate comes from
Healdsburg's D-1 residential rate, effective with the first November 2026 bills: $0.1765 for baseline use (about 10.2 kWh a day in summer, 10.8 in winter) and $0.3192 above it, all year. We use the upper tier. The tariff names a public benefits charge and the state surcharge without amounts, so they aren't included.[source]
Discounts
CARE and FERA are CPUC programs for investor-owned utilities, so they don't apply here. City, district and co-op utilities run their own discount programs, which we haven't verified.
SB 868 and City of Healdsburg Electric
SB 868 covers local publicly owned utilities such as City of Healdsburg Electric, as well as investor-owned utilities. City of Healdsburg Electric may ask you to register a qualifying kit through a simple online form, but can't charge fees related to it.[source] Read SB 868 explained and run through the checks before you buy.
Estimates only. Not electrical, legal or financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
- How much could a plug-in solar kit save on City of Healdsburg Electric?
- About $253 a year for an example 800 W kit with typical placement, at City of Healdsburg Electric's D-1 rate of 31.92¢/kWh, paying back in about 4.0 years. Your result depends on your usage and where the panels go.
- Does SB 868 apply to City of Healdsburg Electric customers?
- Yes. The law covers both investor-owned and local publicly owned electric utilities. City of Healdsburg Electric may ask you to register a qualifying kit online, but can't charge fees related to it.