- California has strong sun and very high prices, the best combination for payback.
- Texas has great sun but cheaper electricity, so payback is slower.
- New York has modest sun but high prices, landing in between.
- None of the three had a plug-in law in effect as of September 2026; California’s and New York’s were awaiting governors’ decisions.
In this article
The comparison
An 800 W kit costing $900, vertical on a south-facing balcony with light shade, 75% self-consumption:
| California (San Francisco) | Texas (Austin) | New York (NYC) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specific yield (tilted) | ~1,670 | ~1,510 | ~1,340 |
| Est. output (vertical, light shade) | ~710 kWh | ~590 kWh | ~620 kWh |
| Price per kWh | ~$0.35 | ~$0.16 | ~$0.29 |
| Savings/year | ~$186 | ~$71 | ~$135 |
| Payback | ~4.8 years | ~12.7 years | ~6.7 years |
Output from our PVGIS satellite-data runs (our 30-city data), reduced by 15% for light shade; prices are June 2026 state averages (EIA). Notice that Austin’s strong sun does little for a vertical panel: the high Texas sun grazes it. Rates vary widely by utility and plan; in Texas’s deregulated market, your retail plan matters a lot.
California: time-of-use matters
Most Californians are on time-of-use rates. Midday power can be cheaper than the headline price, while evening peak is expensive. A plug-in kit offsets midday consumption, so its value per kWh may be below the average price you pay. A battery that shifts solar into the 4-9 pm peak can raise savings substantially. TOU explained.
Legally, SB 868 awaited the governor’s decision as of late September 2026. Status here.
Texas: sun without the savings
Texas sunshine is excellent, but cheap retail plans stretch payback. Tilting panels in a yard (instead of vertical) could cut payback to around 7-8 years. Texas had no plug-in law as of 2026; ERCOT-area utilities require interconnection for any generator.
New York: expensive power, dense housing
NYC’s many apartments with balconies or fire-escape-free terraces make it an obvious plug-in market. The SUNNY Act passed both chambers in 2026 and awaited Governor Hochul’s signature. With high prices, even modest sun gives reasonable payback. Note that building rules in NYC often restrict what can hang from facades.
Bottom line
High prices beat strong sun. If you live in a high-price state with a plug-in law, a kit is an easy decision; in cheap-power states, optimize placement or wait for kit prices to fall. Use the calculator for your city.
How the three states compare on the other things that matter
| California | Texas | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plug-in law (Sept 2026) | SB 868 awaiting governor | None | SUNNY Act awaiting governor |
| Typical rate structure | Time-of-use common (e.g. 4-9 pm peak) | Competitive retail plans | Utility or ESCO supply plus delivery |
| Best mounting | West or south-west if on a TOU plan | Tilted, south, in a yard | Vertical, south balcony or terrace |
| Main risk | Midday value lower than average price | Cheap plans stretch payback | Building rules on facades |
What would change the ranking
- A tilted mount. Tilting at about 30° raises output by roughly 30-40% over vertical in all three states. Texas benefits most in dollar terms, because its payback is the longest.
- A higher-priced Texas plan. Texas retail prices vary widely. At 20 cents instead of 16, the Dallas kit would save about $110 a year and pay back in about eight years.
- TOU in California. If most of your solar offsets midday power priced below your average rate, savings fall. Shifting some load to the afternoon or facing the panels west helps. See time-of-use tariffs.
- A kit price drop. At $700 instead of $900, payback falls to about 3.5 years in California, 5.5 in New York and 8 in Texas.
Prices in the main table are EIA’s June 2026 state averages, rounded. Your own bill is the better number: divide the total by the kWh billed to include delivery charges.
Frequently asked questions
What about Florida and Arizona?
Both have strong sun. Florida’s prices are moderate and Arizona’s vary by utility and plan, so payback typically lands between Texas and California. Neither had a plug-in law as of September 2026.
Does a tilted kit change the ranking?
Tilting improves all three by roughly 30-40%, but California stays ahead because of prices.
What about renters in New York City?
Building rules and facade regulations can restrict what hangs from balconies. Check with your building management before planning, even once the SUNNY Act is in effect.
Sources
- Electricity rates by state (EIA data, June 2026), Choose Energy.
- Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: average price of electricity by state, U.S. Energy Information Administration.
- PVWatts Calculator, National Laboratory of the Rockies (formerly NREL).
- Time-of-use rate plans, PG&E.
- California Legislature passes balcony solar bill, Canary Media.
- Senate unanimously passes SUNNY Act, New York State Senate.
Sources checked in September 2026. Laws, prices and product details change; if you spot something out of date, tell us.