Solar Battery Rebates for California PG&E Customers

Did you know you can store the excess energy generated by your home solar panels? All you need to do is install a solar battery, either before or after installing solar panels. If you are a California PG&E customer, you could qualify for a solar battery rebate that enables you to install this technology at little to no cost to you.

California, the Golden State, leads the country in solar power with more solar capacity than any other state in the U.S. Today we’ll help you take advantage of advances in clean energy efficiency and optimize your solar costs by showing you if you’re eligible for PG&E’s solar battery rebates.

What is the PG&E Solar Battery Rebate?

PG&E’s solar battery rebate, otherwise known as the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) was enacted in 2001 to encourage the use of technologies that offset all or part of consumers’ energy needs. Since then, it has evolved to give customers greater access to energy storage methods by offering a solar battery rebate to offset installation costs.

On July 16, 2020, PG&E announced a financial assistance program through the SGIP. The program allows eligible California customers to install home solar battery storage technology at no cost to them.

A customer who applies for an SGIP rebate typically receives the rebate once the project is complete, requiring the customer to pay the project costs upfront. PG&E’s solar battery rebate program ensures that eligible customers do not pay any costs for buying and installing their home solar battery storage system.

What Solar Battery Rebates Are Available?

Customers must meet specific criteria to be eligible for SGIP rebates. There are two rebate categories available for qualifying residential and non-residential customers, “Equity” and “Equity Resiliency.” Both types are designed to ensure that medically vulnerable, lower-income, and fire risk communities are prioritized to receive solar battery storage rebates.

Equity Resiliency Program for Residential PG&E Customers

Rebate rate: Covers $1,000 per kilowatt hour

To be eligible for the Equity Resiliency incentive, you must meet the following requirements:

• You must either live in a Tier 2 or Tier 3 High Fire Threat District (HFTD) based on the map here, OR live in a home that has had Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) twice.

You must also meet one of these criteria:

• Are eligible for or currently enrolled in a Medical Baseline Program
• Have a potentially life-threatening illness or condition
• You rely on electric pump wells for your water supply
• Have solar-related incentives reserved in the SASH, DAC-SASH, MASH or SOMAH programs
• Meet low-income homeowner requirements as defined in Section 2852(a)(3)(c)
• Are a low-income renter living in a single-family home subject to resale restrictions or multifamily deed-restricted housing

Equity Incentive for Residential PG&E Customers

Rebate rate: Covers $850 per kilowatt hour

To be eligible for the Equity Incentive incentive, you must meet one of these criteria:

• You live in a single-family home and have solar incentives reserved in the SASH or DAC-SASH programs for disadvantaged or low-income households OR live in a single-family home that’s subject to resale restrictions.
• You live in an apartment, and your property has already participated in the Solar on Multifamily Affordable Housing (SOMAH) Program or the Multifamily Affordable Solar Housing (MASH) Program.
• You live in an apartment that is considered low-income housing and includes at least five rental units, and you must either be located in a Disadvantaged Community (DAC) or at least 80% of the apartment building residents must have incomes at or below 60% of Area Median Income.
• You live in any part of California Indian Country.

Equity Resiliency for Non-Residential PG&E Customers

Rebate rate: Covers $1,000 per kilowatt hour

To be eligible for the Equity Incentive incentive, you must meet these criteria:

• Be located in a Tier 2 or 3 High Fire Threat District (HFTD) OR have experienced two or more Public Safety Power Shut-offs (PSPS) AND serve customers that are DACs or low-income communities.

You must also be one of the following:

• Police station
• Fire station
• 911 call center
• Emergency operations center
• Emergency response provider
• Medical facility
• Private and public natural gas, electric, water, wastewater, or flood facility
• Jail or prison
• Utility designated PSPS assistance center
• Cooling center
• Homeless shelter
• Corner store, supermarket, or grocery store earning less than $15 million in annual gross receipts
• Food bank or independent living center

Equity Incentive for Non-Residential PG&E Customers

Rebate rate: Covers $850 per kilowatt hour

You must be one of the following:

• Government agency
• Educational institution
• Non-profit organization
• Small business

You must also be:

• Located in a DAC or a census tract with Median Household Income below 80% of Statewide Median Income.

Partner With GoGreenSolar to Save Big

Why get a solar battery? Solar batteries can be lifesavers during power outages. If paired with solar, you could add several days to your backup power supply.

The experts at GoGreenSolar are here to help you navigate the PG&E rebate logistics and help you set up and install your solar system. GoGreenSolar is a California-based industry leader, packaging solar kits and assisting with DIY solar installations since 2006.

For more information on how to take advantage of PG&E’s special incentives, contact us here so you can start saving money today.