Solar Brands Named in Southern California Building Permits: What the Data Shows
Building permits often name the equipment going onto a house, and counting those names shows what Southern California installers actually put in. As of October 2026, in the permits loaded into Cali-Graf, the free directory built by Cali Energy, a Los Angeles solar and roofing contractor, batteries are named most often — Tesla's Powerwall 3 leads with 2,115 permits by 81 licensed installers — followed by Enphase IQ8 microinverters and SolarEdge's home-hub inverters, with Qcells the most-named panel brand. Two cautions shape every number here: these are counts of permits that name a model, not of systems installed, and they come from the permit portals loaded so far. They show what's common and who installs it; they are not market shares.
Brands named most often
Permits naming each manufacturer's products, across all categories:
| Manufacturer | Permits naming it |
|---|---|
| Tesla | 3,393 |
| Enphase Energy | 2,887 |
| SolarEdge | 1,755 |
| Qcells | 750 |
| LONGi | 300 |
| JA Solar | 173 |
| REC Group | 172 |
| LG Energy Solution | 127 |
| Canadian Solar | 122 |
| Silfab Solar | 103 |
| JinkoSolar | 69 |
| Hyundai Energy Solutions | 60 |
Home batteries
| Series | Permits | Licensed installers |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla Powerwall 3 | 2,115 | 81 |
| Enphase IQ Battery 5P | 788 | 30 |
| SolarEdge Home Battery | 677 | 13 |
| Tesla Powerwall 3 Expansion | 495 | 36 |
| Tesla AC Powerwall | 394 | 16 |
| Tesla Powerwall+ | 264 | 6 |
| Enphase Encharge 10 | 197 | 4 |
| LG Energy Solution RESU 10H Prime | 127 | 5 |
Powerwall 3's rise is visible year by year: 8 permits named it in 2023, 353 in 2024, 995 in 2025 and 758 in 2026 through mid-October.
Microinverters and inverters
| Series | Type | Permits | Licensed installers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enphase IQ8 Series | Microinverter | 1,104 | 48 |
| SolarEdge SE…H-US | Hybrid / home-hub inverter | 1,046 | 21 |
| Enphase IQ7 Series | Microinverter | 471 | 7 |
| Tesla solar inverter (1538000) | String inverter | 74 | 10 |
| Qcells Q.MI | Microinverter | 69 | 3 |
Solar panels
| Series | Power classes | Permits | Licensed installers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qcells Q.PEAK DUO BLK ML-G10+ | 380–415 W | 221 | 14 |
| LONGi LR4-60HPB | 335–370 W | 193 | 5 |
| JA Solar JAM54S31 …/MR | 385–405 W | 152 | 4 |
| Qcells Q.PEAK DUO BLK ML-G10.C+ | 395–415 W | 124 | 16 |
| REC Pure (RECxxxAA) | 380–410 W | 66 | 1 |
| LONGi LR5-54HABB | 395–415 W | 64 | 2 |
Reading the numbers
- Batteries are named more than panels. A battery permit usually names the model; panel permits often describe the system by size alone. So panels are undercounted relative to batteries — compare within a category, not across.
- Installer counts show breadth. A product used by dozens of installers is widely available and widely understood; one with many permits from a single installer reflects that company's choice. That's useful when you want an installer experienced with a specific product — see what equipment does my installer actually install?.
- Common isn't the same as best. Popularity reflects price, availability and installer habits as much as quality. For quality signals, look at specs and independent tests — see how to read a solar panel spec sheet and PVEL and RETC results explained.
Pick a brand from these lists and see which local installers put it on roofs.
How these numbers were counted — and their limits
The counts are the SoCal permits and installers figures on Cali-Graf's public equipment lists and brand list on October 15, 2026.
- Only permits that name the product by model count; a large share of solar permits don't.
- Only the permit portals loaded so far — several cities plus San Diego County, with unincorporated Los Angeles County and Santa Monica counted for equipment (their permits don't carry a license number, so they count toward totals but not toward installers).
- Different periods per portal, from the mid-2000s in the City of Los Angeles to the last two years in others.
The full list of sources is on Cali-Graf's data sources page, and the numbers will grow as portals are added.
Frequently asked
What home battery is installed most in Southern California?
Which solar panels do Southern California installers use most?
Are these market shares?
Where can I see who installs a specific product?
Related reading
Sources & methodology
Product facts on this page come from Cali-Graf's own help center and the pages linked below; figures in examples come from the stated inputs. Features, limits and supported utilities change; each was verified October 16, 2026.
- Cali-Graf — Equipment directory (brands and categories)
- Cali-Graf — Solar panels
- Cali-Graf — Inverters
- Cali-Graf — Microinverters
- Cali-Graf — Batteries
- Cali-Graf — Tesla Powerwall 3
- Cali-Graf — Data sources
- California Energy Commission — Solar Equipment Lists
- City of Los Angeles Open Data — Building and Safety: Electrical Permits Issued from 2020 to Present
- City of Los Angeles Open Data — Building and Safety: Building Permits Issued from 2020 to Present
See who installs the brand you're considering
Open any product in Cali-Graf's equipment directory for its specs, tests and the local installers whose permits name it. Want a quote? Cali Energy (CSLB #1032379), which develops Cali-Graf, designs on your roof. Counts here are permits naming a product by model on the portals loaded on October 15, 2026 — not market shares.
Prepared by Cali Energy, October 16, 2026. This article is for general educational purposes only and is not legal, tax, financial, engineering, or utility advice. Rates, incentives, codes, permit requirements, equipment specifications, prices, and program terms may change; figures and timelines are estimates, not guarantees. Confirm current requirements with the applicable utility, AHJ, program administrator, manufacturer, or a licensed professional. See our Content Disclaimer. Cali Energy · 19201 Parthenia St, Unit E, Northridge, CA 91324 · CSLB #1032379 (B, C-10, C-39)