You built the ADU. Now you need to power it without adding a significant utility bill on top of everything you already spent. Revolving Power Solar designs and installs solar systems specifically sized for accessory dwelling units across Sacramento and Northern California.
Sacramento County has issued more ADU permits than almost any other county in California over the last five years. Neighborhoods across East Sacramento, Land Park, Curtis Park, Arden Arcade, and Elk Grove are full of newly completed backyard homes, garage conversions, and junior ADUs that are now occupied and generating utility bills their owners did not fully plan for.
Most Sacramento homeowners who built ADUs focused their energy on construction costs, permit timelines, and rental income projections. The ongoing operating cost of powering the ADU, separate from the main home, is the expense that catches people off guard once the tenant moves in and the first PG&E bill arrives.
Sacramento’s ADU solar situation is more complicated than a standard home solar installation. The ADU may share a meter with the main home or have its own separate meter depending on how Sacramento County permitted it. The solar system may need to be designed as a standalone ADU system, an addition to the existing main home system, or a fully independent off-grid setup depending on the property configuration and the homeowner’s goals.
Revolving Power Solar designs and installs ADU solar systems, handles utility interconnection for both SMUD and PG&E service territories, and coordinates the permitting process through Sacramento County and surrounding jurisdictions. We size every system specifically for the ADU’s energy profile, not the main home’s.
Before we size or recommend any solar system we assess the ADU’s actual energy profile, square footage, occupancy, heating and cooling system type, appliance load, and whether the ADU shares a meter with the main home or has its own. We design a solar system specifically for the ADU’s energy needs rather than applying a generic formula.
For Sacramento ADUs on a shared meter with the primary residence we design and install a solar addition to the existing main home system that accounts for the combined energy load of both structures. We assess the existing system’s capacity and design the addition to maximize production for the full property under PG&E or SMUD net metering.
For Sacramento ADUs with their own separate utility meter we design and install a fully independent solar system sized specifically for the ADU. Standalone ADU systems give the owner complete control over production, consumption, and utility billing independent of the main residence.
Sacramento ADU owners who want energy independence or backup power for their backyard home can add battery storage to their ADU solar system. A battery paired with ADU solar keeps the unit powered through evening hours and Sacramento grid outage events without drawing from the main home system.
ADU solar permitting in Sacramento involves coordination between Sacramento County building department, the relevant city jurisdiction, and the utility provider. We handle the full permitting and interconnection process for both SMUD and PG&E service territories so Sacramento ADU owners do not have to navigate multiple agencies on their own.
Call us or submit a request online. We schedule a site visit at your Sacramento property to assess the ADU, the main home, the existing electrical setup, and your utility meter configuration before recommending anything.
After the assessment we design a solar system specifically sized for your ADU’s energy profile and property configuration. You get a clear written proposal covering system design, expected production, and the permitting process before any work begins.
We submit all permit applications to Sacramento County or the relevant city jurisdiction and manage the PG&E or SMUD interconnection process. ADU solar permitting in Sacramento involves multiple agencies — we coordinate all of it so you do not have to.
Our licensed technicians complete the installation and commission the full system before we leave. You get monitoring access so you can track your ADU’s solar production from day one.
ADU solar is not the same as standard home solar. Meter configuration, shared versus standalone systems, utility interconnection for a second dwelling unit on the same parcel, and sizing for a smaller occupied space all require specific expertise. We have designed and installed ADU solar systems across Sacramento and Northern California and understand the nuances that generic solar installers miss.
ADU solar installation requires both C10 Electrical and C46 Solar contractor licensing in California. Revolving Power Solar holds both. CSLB License #1135603. Every installation is performed by licensed technicians and fully permitted through the relevant Sacramento jurisdiction.
Sacramento County’s ADU permitting process has specific requirements for solar additions to existing permitted structures. We have navigated this process across Sacramento County, the City of Sacramento, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, and surrounding jurisdictions. We handle the coordination so you are not managing it alongside everything else an ADU build involves.
Most solar companies size ADU systems using the same approach they use for a standard home installation. We assess the ADU’s specific energy profile — occupancy, square footage, Sacramento Valley cooling load, and appliance mix — and design a system that actually matches the unit’s needs.
We provide licensed ADU solar design and installation throughout the Sacramento metro and surrounding Northern California communities.
ADU Solar Installation Roseville
ADU Solar Installation Auburn
ADU Solar Installation Elk Grove
ADU Solar Installation Folsom
ADU Solar Installation Fair Oaks
ADU Solar Installation El Dorado Hills
ADU Solar Installation Vacaville
ADU Solar Installation Stockton
ADU Solar Installation Yuba City
It depends on your meter configuration. ADUs on a shared meter with the main home can be served by an addition to the existing main home solar system. ADUs with their own separate utility meter are best served by a standalone solar system designed specifically for the ADU. We assess your property configuration on the first visit and recommend the right approach.
System size depends on the ADU’s square footage, occupancy level, and energy load. A 500 to 800 square foot Sacramento ADU with one to two occupants typically requires a 2 to 4 kilowatt solar system to offset most of its energy consumption. Sacramento’s summer cooling load is the biggest variable — ADUs with central air conditioning in the Sacramento Valley require more solar capacity than those without.
Yes. Solar additions to existing permitted structures in Sacramento County require building permits regardless of whether the ADU has its own meter or shares one with the main home. For ADUs with their own utility meter a utility interconnection application is also required. We handle both through the relevant Sacramento jurisdiction.
Yes. Battery storage paired with ADU solar gives the unit energy independence in the evening hours and backup capability during Sacramento grid outages. This is particularly valuable for rental ADUs where tenant comfort during outages affects the landlord-tenant relationship. We design ADU solar and storage systems together when backup capability is a priority.
For shared meter configurations yes — the combined system will be designed to offset the energy consumption of both structures together. For separate meter configurations no — the ADU solar system operates completely independently of the main home system. We assess the full property configuration before making any recommendations.
The permitting process through Sacramento County and the relevant city jurisdiction typically takes two to four weeks. Installation is typically completed in one to two days once permits are approved. We manage the permitting timeline so you are not waiting on agency approvals without visibility into the process.
Revolving Power Solar designs and installs solar systems specifically for Sacramento ADUs — standalone systems, main home additions, and battery storage configurations. Licensed, permitted, and sized for your specific unit not a generic formula.
C10 & C46 Licensed · Bonded & Insured · CSLB License #1135603 · Sacramento and Northern California
