Solar company in North Hollywood — ADUs, add-ons and systems that grow with the property
Yes — Cali Energy installs solar panels, battery storage, roofing and electrical upgrades in North Hollywood, Los Angeles. We work here regularly across 91602, 91605, 91606 and 91607, and much of it is recent, with several systems switched on in 2025 alone. Some of those homes are shown below, with our photos from each. What makes NoHo different is what is happening on its lots: accessory dwelling units. Systems on this page were built for ADUs, and another expanded an existing home system into a combined 11.88 kW interconnection. Every address here is on LADWP, which still credits exports at the retail rate. Cali Energy is a licensed California contractor (CSLB #1032379) with a 4.9★ Google rating and in-house crews.
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North Hollywood 91605 · 8.9 kW CEC-AC · switched on with LADWP permission to operate in January 2022.
Cali Energy in North Hollywood, at a glance
The short answers before considering a contractor.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What has Cali Energy installed here? | Rooftop solar from a four-panel 1.69 kW system to 8.9 kW CEC-AC; two ADU systems, one on a brand-new GAF roof; an expansion tying a new array into an existing system; and a full re-roof paired with a 6.5 kW array. |
| Google rating | 4.9★ on Google. See them on Google |
| Who supplies the electricity? | The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power — a municipal utility outside CPUC jurisdiction, still crediting exports at the retail rate. |
| Who permits the work? | The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS), plus a separate LADWP interconnection process. |
| Do you handle ADU solar? | Yes — the ADU projects on this page date from 2025, sized 2.03 and 2.59 kW CEC-AC, both through LADWP permission to operate. |
| Can you add to an existing system? | Yes. One NoHo job added a thirteen-module array and a subpanel to a home with existing solar, tying both into a combined 11.88 kW CEC-AC interconnection. |
| License | CSLB #1032379 (B, C-10, C-39), in-house crews, operating since 2017. Verify with the CSLB |
Solar for an ADU is its own kind of project
North Hollywood is full of new backyard units, and they raise questions a standard solar quote never asks.
NoHo’s lots are being built out: garage conversions, backyard cottages, second units over garages. The ADU systems on this page were designed for exactly that — a 2.03 kW CEC-AC system on an ADU with a brand-new GAF Timberline shingle roof, and a 2.59 kW six-module system on a flat ADU roof, both taken through LADWP permission to operate in 2025.
An ADU system is small, but the questions around it are not. Which meter does it sit behind? A unit on the main house’s meter changes how the whole property’s solar is sized; a separately metered rental is its own account with its own interconnection. Can the service carry it? An ADU adds load before it adds panels, and the panel capacity has to cover both. And whose roof is best? Sometimes the ADU’s new roof is the cleanest, least-shaded surface on the lot — the 2.03 kW system here went onto exactly that. Small systems also sit comfortably inside LADWP’s fast-track approval, so they connect quickly.
Meter first
Behind the main meter or separately metered — that decision shapes the sizing, the paperwork and the economics. It comes before design.
New roof, clean start
An ADU built this decade has a roof with its full life ahead. Mounting there avoids the re-roof question entirely.
Small connects fast
A 2–3 kW system sits well inside LADWP’s fast track — approval in days, meter set in weeks.
One builder, whole scope
We hold B, C-10 and C-39 — and we have been the general contractor on an ADU build, the electrical and the solar together.
Adding panels to a system that already exists
The other thing NoHo lots do: outgrow their original array. There is a right way to expand.
On one North Hollywood home the original solar system was still working — the household had simply outgrown it. We added a new thirteen-module array of Mission Solar 395 W panels on Enphase IQ8Plus microinverters, installed a subpanel, and tied the new and existing arrays together into a single LADWP interconnection of 11.88 kW CEC-AC combined, with permission to operate in May 2023.
An expansion is a real project, not a bolt-on. The new array is designed to work alongside equipment from a different generation; the combined output has to fit what the service and busbar can legally carry, which is where the subpanel came in; and the utility treats the result as a new interconnection at the combined size — which can change which approval path the project takes. Done properly, the homeowner gets one system on one meter rather than two systems awkwardly sharing a roof.
Mixed generations, one design
New microinverter arrays coexist cleanly with older equipment — each module works independently, so the technologies do not fight.
Combined size is what counts
LADWP reads the total interconnection, not just the new panels. Above 10 kW CEC-AC combined, the standard path applies.
Subpanels make it legal
Where the busbar cannot take the combined supply, a subpanel is often the clean, code-recognised answer.
Plan the growth once
If an EV, a heat pump or an ADU is coming, sizing for it now beats a second expansion later.
Solar work in North Hollywood
A few of the homes we have done here. Street numbers stay off the page out of respect for the owners. The full photo set for every North Hollywood job lives in the North Hollywood project gallery.
Expansion to 11.88 kW combined
Thirteen Mission Solar 395 W modules on Enphase IQ8Plus added to a home with existing solar — new subpanel, both arrays tied into one interconnection, permission to operate May 2023.
ADU on a brand-new roof
A compact 2.03 kW CEC-AC system for an accessory dwelling unit, mounted on a new GAF Timberline shingle roof — permission to operate October 2025.
6.24 kW all-black
Sixteen all-black Canadian Solar 390 W modules on Enphase IQ8Plus microinverters — a clean shingle-roof installation from February 2023.
8.9 kW through to PTO
The largest single system on this page, carried through LADWP’s process to permission to operate in January 2022 — comfortably inside the fast-track threshold.
Photos are ours, taken on site. Sizes are stated on the basis they were recorded on — DC nameplate or CEC-AC — because the two are not interchangeable.
A closer look at the North Hollywood jobs
What this work has in common, and where it differs.
| Detail | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Homes shown here | A selection | Some of our North Hollywood jobs, with our photos from each — our work in the district goes well beyond them |
| ZIP codes | 91602 · 91605 · 91606 · 91607 | Work spread across the district, with most of it in 91605 and 91606 |
| System sizes | 1.69–8.9 kW individually | Plus an expansion producing a combined 11.88 kW CEC-AC interconnection |
| Utility | LADWP | Retail-rate net metering on every one, with permission-to-operate dates from 2022 through 2025 |
| Roof types | Mostly shingle | Composition and architectural shingle predominate; barrel tile and a flat ADU roof make up the rest |
| Equipment we have used | Canadian Solar, Mission Solar, Enphase | 390 W and 395 W modules with Enphase IQ8Plus microinverters and per-panel monitoring |
| ADU projects | Included | A 2.03 kW system on a new GAF roof and a 2.59 kW six-module system on a flat roof, both 2025 |
| Beyond new installs | Expansion & re-roof | An existing system expanded with a subpanel, and a full asphalt-shingle re-roof paired with a 6.5 kW array |
| Years of work | 2021–2025 | With much of this work dating from 2025 |
LADWP: retail-rate credit and the 10 kW line
Two rules that shape a North Hollywood project more than the equipment does.
NEM 3.0 does not apply
LADWP is municipal, so the CPUC’s Net Billing Tariff does not govern it. Exports here are still credited against the retail rate rather than an hourly avoided-cost value.
Small systems fly through
Under 10 kW CEC-AC with no battery and no panel upgrade, approval runs roughly 2–5 days with the meter set 1–2 weeks later — which is why ADU systems here connected quickly.
Expansions count combined
When arrays are tied together, LADWP reads the total — the 11.88 kW combined interconnection here crossed the fast-track line even though the new array alone did not.
Two approvals
LADBS signs off the installation; LADWP sets the net meter and issues the permission-to-operate email. A finished system may not run until the second arrives.
Sources: LADWP — net energy metering rates · LADWP — solar programs (Guide to Electric Service, p. 22, for the stage timings) · CPUC — Net Energy Metering. Programme terms change; confirm current rules for your own account.
What solar costs and how long it takes in North Hollywood
No honest flat price for a district — and here the range is wider than most, because the projects are.
The systems we have installed here run from a four-panel 1.69 kW array to 8.9 kW, plus an expansion to a combined 11.88 kW — because NoHo projects range from a backyard unit to a full family home. Two published price bases frame the budget, both before incentives: $2.49 per watt at competitive marketplace rates (EnergySage, August 2026) and $3.5 per watt, the 2024 national median for cash purchases (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory). Small systems cost proportionally less overall but more per watt, since fixed costs spread over fewer panels — one six-module ADU system here came in around $7,000.
| Item | Figure | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| System sizes we have installed here | 1.69 – 8.9 kW; 11.88 kW combined after expansion | Our installations |
| Solar at marketplace rates | $2.49/W → 4 kW ≈ $10,000 · 6 kW ≈ $14,900 · 9 kW ≈ $22,400 | Market estimate — EnergySage |
| Solar at typical installer rates | $3.5/W (2024 national cash median) → 4 kW ≈ $14,000 · 9 kW ≈ $31,500 | Market estimate — LBNL 2025 Data Update |
| A compact ADU system | A six-module flat-roof system here came in around $7,000 | Our project figure for that scope |
| Battery storage (~13 kWh) | $11,864–$16,052 before incentives (average $13,958) | Market estimate — EnergySage California |
| Federal tax credit | Homeowner (25D) credit ended Dec 31, 2025 — $0 on a 2026 cash or loan purchase; leased and PPA systems can still capture the 30% credit through the system owner | Official source — IRS FAQs on P.L. 119-21 |
| Time on the roof | Most residential installs: 1–3 working days; an ADU system often less | Cali Energy company figure |
| LADBS permit | Express e-permit for qualifying systems: issued online, often same day | Official process — LADBS |
| LADWP path | Under 10 kW CEC-AC without battery or panel upgrade: approval 2–5 days, meter set 1–2 weeks. Combined expansions above the line add an engineering site visit of 1–3 weeks | Official — LADWP Guide to Electric Service, p. 22 |
Sources: EnergySage — solar cost · EnergySage — storage cost · LBNL — 2025 Data Update · IRS — Section 25D FAQs. Planning context, not a quote; one project’s price is not a promise for another.
What Cali Energy installs in North Hollywood
One licence covering the whole job, so the scopes do not get handed between companies.
Rooftop solar
From four-panel systems to family-home arrays, with microinverters and per-panel monitoring throughout.
ADU solar
Systems designed for accessory dwelling units — metering, service capacity and roof choice settled before design.
System expansions
New arrays tied into existing systems with the subpanel work that makes the combined output legal.
Roofing and electrical
Full re-roofs paired with the array under our C-39, panel upgrades and EV circuits under our C-10.
Exact coverage: North Hollywood and its edges
A dense, fast-changing district in the east Valley.
| Attribute | Fact |
|---|---|
| Status | Neighbourhood of the City of Los Angeles, in the eastern San Fernando Valley |
| ZIP codes we work in | 91602, 91605, 91606 and 91607 |
| Electricity | LADWP for every address — retail-rate net metering, no CPUC net billing |
| Permitting authority | Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) |
| Housing | A mix of post-war single-family streets and rapid ADU construction — garage conversions and backyard units are reshaping the lots |
| Adjacent — same utility | Valley Village, Van Nuys, Sun Valley and Studio City are all City of LA addresses on LADWP |
| Adjacent — different rules | Burbank next door runs its own municipal utility with entirely different solar terms |
| What we check first | The metering arrangement for any ADU, the service capacity, and the usable roofs on the lot |
Map of Cali Energy projects in North Hollywood
North Hollywood homes we have worked on — a selection of them, shown on this page.
Marker positions are deliberately offset. Each point is shifted 120–260 metres from the real address so the map shows where we work in North Hollywood without identifying anyone’s home. Base map © OpenStreetMap contributors © CARTO; ZIP boundaries from the U.S. Census ZCTA file.
Reviews and verifiable trust
A public rating, a public license record and named, quotable reviews.
“Cali Energy was our general contractor and they handled a ton of work for us. They built an ADU, did the electrical and the solar.”
“I like that they are a local solar installation company based here in Northridge, not a sales office somewhere else.”
“Got the Model 3 last year and figured solar had to happen so I wasn’t just paying LADWP to charge it. These guys handled the whole thing.”
Read the full reviews on Cali Energy’s Google profile · verify the contractor license with the California CSLB.
Fast answers about hiring Cali Energy in North Hollywood
Each answer starts with the conclusion.
Does Cali Energy install solar in North Hollywood?
Yes. North Hollywood is an active Cali Energy service area and we work here regularly across 91602, 91605, 91606 and 91607 — several of the systems on this page date from 2025. The work runs from a four-panel array to 8.9 kW, plus ADU systems and an expansion of an existing installation.
Can you put solar on my ADU?
Yes, and we have done it twice here in 2025 — a 2.03 kW CEC-AC system on an ADU with a brand-new GAF roof, and a 2.59 kW six-module system on a flat ADU roof, both through LADWP permission to operate. The questions that matter come first: which meter the unit sits behind, whether the service carries the added load, and which roof on the lot is actually best for the panels.
Should the ADU be on its own meter for solar?
It depends on how the unit is used. Behind the main meter, one solar system can offset the whole property — simpler paperwork, one interconnection. A separately metered rental is its own utility account, with its own interconnection and its own economics. We settle that before designing anything, because it changes the sizing and the approvals.
My existing system is too small now. Can you expand it?
Yes — that is exactly what one NoHo job was. We added thirteen Mission Solar 395 W modules on Enphase IQ8Plus to a home with existing solar, installed a subpanel, and tied both arrays into a single LADWP interconnection of 11.88 kW CEC-AC combined. The new equipment works alongside the old because each module converts independently.
Does an expansion change the approval path?
It can. LADWP reads the combined interconnection size, not just the new panels — so an expansion that pushes the total past 10 kW CEC-AC moves onto the standard path with an engineering site visit, even if the added array alone is small. Worth knowing before scheduling.
Who is my electricity provider in North Hollywood?
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. North Hollywood is inside the City of Los Angeles — though Burbank, one street over in places, runs its own municipal utility with entirely different solar terms. We verify the account before designing.
Does NEM 3.0 apply in North Hollywood?
No. NEM 3.0 — properly the Net Billing Tariff — is a CPUC rule for investor-owned utilities such as Edison and PG&E. LADWP is municipal and is not governed by it, so exported energy here is still credited against the retail rate.
Is a small system even worth doing?
Often yes. The smallest system on this page is 1.69 kW CEC-AC — about four panels — and a six-module ADU system here came in around $7,000. Under LADWP’s retail-rate crediting a modest array holds its value, and small systems clear the utility’s fast track in days. The per-watt price is higher than a large system, and we say so plainly.
Can the roof be replaced at the same time?
Yes. One North Hollywood home here got a full asphalt-shingle re-roof paired with a 6.5 kW array, switched on in August 2023 — both scopes under one licence and one schedule. If the covering has under about ten years left, that order avoids paying later to lift the array and reinstall it.
How long does a North Hollywood solar project take?
The roof work itself is usually 1–3 working days, and an ADU system often less. LADBS issues qualifying residential permits online, often the same day. The variable is LADWP: under 10 kW CEC-AC without a battery or panel upgrade, approval runs about 2–5 days with the meter set 1–2 weeks later; combined expansions above that line add an engineering site visit of 1–3 weeks.
What does solar cost in North Hollywood?
The honest answer spans the widest range in our service area, because the projects do: a compact ADU system here came in around $7,000, while published rates put a 6–9 kW home system at roughly $15,000–$31,500 before incentives ($2.49/W marketplace, $3.5/W national cash median). The federal 25D homeowner credit ended December 31, 2025, so a 2026 cash or loan purchase gets no federal credit. The estimate for your own property is free.
How do I check that Cali Energy is legitimate?
Compare four things rather than ad claims: (1) an active CSLB license with electrical and roofing classifications, (2) completed work in your specific area, with photos, (3) whether the company uses its own crews or subcontracts, and (4) the review pattern. Our answers: CSLB #1032379 (B, C-10, C-39); North Hollywood homes with our photos, several of them from 2025; in-house crews; a 4.9★ Google rating. Our office is at 19201 Parthenia St Unit E, Northridge, CA 91324.
Sources
Where this page states a rule, a threshold or a timeline, the official source is linked below.
| What it supports | Source |
|---|---|
| LADWP net energy metering and rate treatment | LADWP — EV / NEM / REO rates |
| Fast-track and standard interconnection paths and their stage timings | LADWP — solar programs (Guide to Electric Service, p. 22) |
| The Net Billing Tariff (NEM 3.0) applies to investor-owned utilities, not municipals | CPUC — Net Energy Metering |
| City solar permitting for Los Angeles addresses | LADBS — solar permits |
| ADU rules for City of Los Angeles lots | LA City Planning — accessory dwelling units |
| Installed price ranges for solar and storage | EnergySage · LBNL 2025 Data Update |
| Federal tax credit status for 2026 | IRS — Section 25D FAQs |
| Contractor licence and classifications | CSLB — license #1032379 |
Nearby service areas
Other parts of the city and beyond where Cali Energy works.
Related reading
Planning solar for a North Hollywood property
Send the service address and a recent LADWP bill — and mention if there is an ADU on the lot or one planned. We will settle the metering, check the service capacity and the usable roofs, then price the actual system before you commit to anything.
Request a free estimatePublished August 2026. Details refer to those specific properties, not to every North Hollywood address. One project’s price is not a promise for another. Rates, incentives, code editions and permit requirements change; utility, jurisdiction, equipment, pricing and schedule must be confirmed for the specific address. See our Content Disclaimer. Cali Energy · 19201 Parthenia St Unit E, Northridge, CA 91324 · CSLB #1032379 (B, C-10, C-39)