We’ve removed the jargon to keep things simple, but to compare our quote against others you’ll need to learn a few terms.
Solar systems are measured in different ways. The most common are kW-STC and kW-CEC.
A kW-STC (1000 watts under standard test conditions) is the standard global power rating for the solar panels in your system. In California, each kW-STC will generate about 1,500 kWh (kilowatt-hours, or units of electricity) per year, which at a $0.15 per kWh utility rate is about $220 per year in savings (see solar financials to learn about the values.)
A kW-CEC is the California Energy Commission rating, which is lower than the STC global rating to account for inefficiencies in the rest of the solar panel system.
These terms are unnecessarily confusing, so we’ve named our systems A, B, C, D and E. The STC and CEC ratings will be different, but the amount of energy generated will be the same for each system.
Ultimately, what matters to you - the investor in a solar system - is the amount of annual energy generated (and saved), the environmental benefits, and the financial returns, so we stick to those details. To allow comparison with other quotes, though, we will include cost per kWh (STC & CEC!) in the quote we provide you.