Solar Batteries & Energy Storage

As batteries paired with PV systems become more common in homes and businesses, California has made changes to how generation credits are determined for energy exported to the electrical grid for customers using batteries under the NEM program.

Because a battery operates like a generator when it's discharging, energy can be exported to the electrical grid when your usage is less than what the battery is discharging.  In order to ensure that NEM customers do not receive generation credits for exports from a battery, the level of actual energy exported to the electrical grid is compared with the estimated amount electricity your PV system is capable of producing.  This electricity production estimate is based on the particular size of your PV system and your climate zone.

We encourage you to program your battery with these limits in mind, so you won’t be surprised by your generation credits. Together, we can create a more sustainable balance of grid and renewable energy and maintain the integrity of the Net Energy Metering (NEM) program.

System Capacity

Batteries Up To 10 Kilowatts
If your system exports more energy than we estimate it can generate based on its size and other factors such as climate zone (coastal, inland, mountain, and desert), we assume the energy over that predetermined production estimate is non-renewable and will not qualify for generation credits under the NEM program.

Batteries Greater Than 10 Kilowatts
Systems of this size require the use of two meters: one that records the export and one for monitoring the output of the PV system. If your system exports energy to the grid when it isn’t generating, or the export exceeds the generation, this is not considered renewable generation and that energy is not eligible for generation credits under the NEM program.

Not sure what your system size is? We recommend contacting your solar contractor to confirm the CEC-AC KW rating of your system.

Recently Upgraded? If you’ve upgraded or downsized your PV system, let us know. We’ll update our records to ensure you’re credited appropriately for any exported energy. Call our Customer Generation helpline at 858-636-5585 or 1-800-411-7343, or email [email protected]