For many fire victims, the decision to install solar panels on their rebuilt homes is more economical than environmental.

San Diego Gas & Electric Co. has added more than $7,000 in rebates per fire victim to its energy efficiency incentive programs to encourage them to go green as they rebuild, and many appear to be taking advantage by purchasing solar panels.

"I'm not an environment guy; basically it's for a selfish reason," said Stephen Stout, a Rancho Bernardo resident who lost his home to the fires and plans to install a solar power system. "It's because the government is going to pay for almost half of the job and it will save us money in the long run."

Stout said he is in the planning stages but expects to buy a solar panel system for $35,000, paying less than half the full cost of $75,000, mostly because of state and SDG&E incentives.

Assuming electricity rates continue to increase, Stout and others expect to recoup their investments within five years.

Solar panels provide a more significant economic benefit to larger homes that use more energy because SDG&E charges a higher rate for homes that use more. The least expensive rate is applied to roughly the first 11 kilowatt-hours used by a home.

For Bruce Coy of Carmel Valley, his pool already uses about 10 kilowatt-hours a day, but with a 5.4 kilowatt solar system he has not paid for electricity for six out of the last eight months after his panels produced more energy than he used. One kilowatt-hour is a measurement of the rate of electricity as one kilowatt used over an hour. Read More