Solar for Master Metered Manufactured and Mobile Home Parks
Solar works in master metered parks. Most solar companies just won't do it. If you've heard 'we can't help you because of how your park is metered,' that's a sign you were talking to a company that doesn't work in this space.
What master metering means for your home
Every mobile home park in California is set up one of two ways. In a directly metered park, your home has its own utility account, the same as a single family house. In a master metered park, the park owner holds one utility meter for the entire property and bills residents individually through internal submeters.
If your park was built before January 1, 1997, there's a good chance it's master metered. Parks built after that date are required to be individually metered under Public Utilities Code section 2791. That's why master metering is still so common in the older manufactured home communities across Riverside County and San Bernardino County — see where Solnr serves in California for the full list of counties.
You likely already know which one applies to you. If your power bill comes from the park office instead of the utility company directly, you're in a master metered park. If you're not sure, our mobile home solar overview walks through both setups side by side.
Why most solar companies say no
A standard residential solar installation assumes you have your own utility account, which is what lets a solar company set up net metering. In a master metered park, the park owner holds that account, not you. Most companies decide the extra coordination isn't worth the work. We built our process around it.
Why California protects this arrangement
Under Public Utilities Code section 739.5, a park owner who master meters the property receives a discount from the utility in exchange for owning, operating, and maintaining the internal distribution and submeter system. That's why master metering exists as a legal structure, and why park cooperation matters for solar work inside the park.
How Solnr works with your park
Solar in a master metered park isn't something a resident can do alone, and it isn't something a park owner needs to fund alone either. Solnr coordinates directly with park management to make the installation work within the existing submeter system. That's the part most companies skip, and the part we specialize in.
You don't pay anything up front. Solnr owns the system and covers the full cost of installation. You pay for the power the system produces, at a rate locked in below your current cost, and if the system isn't producing, you don't pay. There's no credit check at any point. This is a power purchase agreement, not a loan or a lease — see how the agreement works for the full structure.
The conversion program: a second path worth knowing about
The California Public Utilities Commission approved a voluntary program that lets master metered parks transfer their electric and gas distribution to direct utility service. Under this program, the utility covers construction from the master meter out to each resident's meter, and the park owner selects contractors for the remaining work.
If your park goes through this conversion, you gain your own utility account, full net metering, and the protections of California's direct-metering solar rights law. It's a longer path, but it's real, active in California now, and worth asking your park about.
What happens at the end of your agreement
Buy the system for a small amount, renew the agreement, or have it removed with your roof restored at no cost to you. You are never left holding a system with no path forward.
If you sell your home
The agreement transfers to the new owner without a credit check. Solnr handles the paperwork and coordinates with the park directly, so a sale doesn't get held up.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get solar if my park is master metered?
Yes. This is exactly the situation Solnr specializes in. We coordinate directly with your park's management to install solar within your park's existing submeter system, something most solar companies are not set up to do.
Why did another solar company tell me they couldn't help?
Standard residential solar assumes you have your own utility account for net metering. In a master metered park, the park owner holds that account, not you. Most solar companies aren't equipped to work around that, so they decline the job rather than build a process for it.
Do I need my park's permission?
Yes, park cooperation is part of how solar works in a master metered setup, since the park owner holds the utility account and the submeter system your home runs on. Solnr handles that coordination directly rather than asking you to do it.
Will this affect my power bill?
Your rate is locked into the agreement and set below what you currently pay, from day one. If the system isn't producing power, you don't pay for it.
Do I need good credit?
No. There is no credit requirement at any point in this process.
What if my park later converts to direct metering?
California has an active program letting master metered parks convert to individual utility accounts for each home. If your park goes through that process, your solar situation would shift to the direct metered path, with its own set of protections. Ask your park about their plans, and talk to us about what that would mean for your agreement.
What happens if I sell my home?
The agreement transfers to the new owner with no credit check required. Solnr manages the paperwork and any park coordination the transfer requires.
What am I responsible for once the system is installed?
Very little. Solnr covers maintenance, monitoring, repairs, parts, and insurance for the full term. Roofing work related to the install is warranted, and if your roof needs replacing, panel removal and reinstallation is a flat fee already written into the agreement.
Find out if your park qualifies
Every master metered park has its own submeter setup and its own park management. The fastest way to know where you stand is to talk to us directly.