Nope! California allows a full tax exclusion on solar panels installed by Dec. 31, 2016. In other words, if your property taxes are $3,000, they’ll remain at $3,000 after you install your solar panels.

There are a few other incentives you should look into if you’re going to install solar panels on your home. Alameda Power and light offers a Solar Photovoltaic Rebate Program with rebates starting at $2.42/watt. Through California’s Solar Initiative, you may be eligible for $1.10/W rebate. Finally, the federal government offers the Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit, which is designed to cover up to 30 percent of the cost of solar panels with no upper limit. The federal tax credit applies to second homes as well.

Another thing to keep in mind is that any time someone installs solar, they can benefit greatly from an energy audit. In-home energy audits help homeowners identify easy, cost-effective measures they can take to reduce their electricity consumption. Ultimately, by reducing your electricity demand, you'll be able to power your entire homes with smaller systems. Check out our free online energy audit tool.