SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – San Diego’s certainly been seeing that sunny summer weather over the last couple of weeks. Many are looking to cool off indoors, but doing that could be mean increasing that monthly energy bill to stay cool. 

“When temperatures rise, and AC is blowing in many people's homes at the max, energy prices are at their highest,” Carmen Balber, Executive Director of Consumer Watchdog, said.

Balber and her organization advocate for consumers and their pocketbooks in Sacramento and with large companies across California. 

“When energy prices are at the peak, and you're drawing from solar rooftop instead, you are saving money because you're not buying energy off the grid,” Balber said.

Now installing those panels on your roof does have an upfront cost before you even think about saving money. 

“It definitely takes a large upfront investment, and so people have to pencil out that cost for themselves,” Balber said.

EnergySage, a company that connects prospective buyers to the solar marketplace, said the average cost in the U.S. for a 12-kilowatt solar panel system is around $31,135.

But the company says the average system size in California is about 9 kilowatts and is $21,405 before any incentives. The net savings over a 25-year span in the Golden State can be more than $155,000.

“What I can tell you is it takes time and the amount of time it'll take you to save is definitely changing with the reduction of federal tax credits and also changes in net metering that the PUC has implemented,” Balber said. “Net metering is when you sell some of your solar back to the grid.” 

Balber told ABC 10News the Public Utility Commission is reducing compensation for net metering. 

She said, particularly if you have battery storage, it’ll save you money, but it’ll just take time.