Solar Battery Savings

Install a new solar and battery system or add battery storage to your existing solar system and maximize your investment.

Power Your Home. Lower Your Bill.

Get an upfront rebate to help lower the initial cost of installing a new home solar and battery system or adding a battery to an existing solar setup.  

Receive performance incentive payments when your battery supports the grid on weekdays between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m., when electricity is in high demand and most expensive. Enrolled customers are required to discharge 50% of their battery during the weekday dispatch window to power their home and support the local grid. That means more savings for you and a stronger, cleaner grid for everyone. 

Why Participate?

Whether you are installing a new solar and battery system or adding storage to an existing solar setup, you will get:

  • Lower upfront costs: Substantial installation rebates with enrollment 
  • Ongoing savings: Use stored solar energy during expensive evening hours 
  • Energy resilience: Use backup power during outages 
  • Stronger local grid: Reduce demand when energy is needed most. 
  • Cleaner future: Decrease dependence on fossil fuels 

Rebates & Incentives

Upfront rebate amounts: The amount you receive depends on the size of your battery and system type; whether you’re installing a new system or adding a battery to an existing one. Rebate amounts also vary based on customer type; whether you are a market rate customer or if you are enrolled in CARE or FERA or live in a Community of Concern.

Customer Type New Solar & Battery Existing Solar & New Battery
Market Rate $350 per kWh $250 per kWh
Nonmarket Rate $500 per kWh $350 per kWh

Performance incentives: All participants earn $0.10 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) when they discharge 50% of their battery during the required weekday dispatch window. This window varies but will always occur between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.

*For payment methods, timelines and details, please review our program manual. 

Eligibility

To participate, you must:

  • Be a San Diego Community Power residential customer
  • Install the battery at a single-family home with the same address where you receive service
  • Fully charge the battery at your home with solar panels (it cannot charge from the grid)
  • Not be enrolled in other energy programs like the Emergency Load Relief Program (ELRP) or Demand Side Grid Support (DSGS)

 

* If you joined during the 2024 pilot, your program details and eligibility requirements may differ. View 2024 pilot resources here.

Getting Started

Evaluate

Review your solar system and approved battery options with your contractor.

  • View the list of approved batteries and manufacturers here.

Apply

Your contractor will submit your application to Community Power for approval before installation and reserve your rebate.

Install

Once approved, your contractor will install your battery. After installation, your battery will be turned on by the manufacturer and begin sending performance data to Community Power.

Save

Earn participation incentives when your battery discharges 50% of its stored energy during the required weekday dispatch window and provides power to your home during more expensive evening hours.

Please note that weather, battery age and technical issues can impact how much energy your battery discharges.

How It Works

  • Use stored energy at home: Your battery will automatically dispatch at least 50% of its usable capacity to provide power to your home between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m., helping you use less electricity from the grid when prices are highest. This is known as self-consumption and can help reduce your bill. Bill savings with solar and storage systems may vary depending on your consumption habits, system size, battery capacity, location and more. For more information, please review our program manual. 
  • Send energy to the grid:
    After your battery dispatches 50% during the required weekday dispatch window, you can also share extra stored energy from your battery with the grid and receive your standard Net Energy Metering (NEM) generation payments or Solar Billing Plan (SBP) export credits.
  • Get paid by participating in the weekday dispatch:
    You earn an extra $0.10 for every kWh discharged (separate from any NEM or SBP credits) when your battery automatically discharges 50% during the required weekday dispatch window. For more details on how performance incentive payments are calculated and processed, please review our program manual.

Solar Battery Savings Program Scenario 1:
Customer with 8kWh battery discharges 50% of the battery during the discharge window to the site and/or grid.

 

Solar power generation window will vary based on seasonality and weather.

Are You a 2024 Pilot Participant?

The information on this page reflects updates for the 2025 Solar Battery Savings program. If you joined during the 2024 pilot, your program details and eligibility requirements may differ. Please reference the resources below:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Answers to some of our most frequently asked questions can be found below. You can view all questions here.

How do I apply for Solar Battery Savings?

Program enrollment opened on September 30, 2025. To get started, choose a San Diego Community Power approved contractor and review your solar system and approved battery options. Your contractor will guide you through the process and submit your application for you.

How much of my battery is enrolled in the program?

Your battery is required to dispatch 50% of its usable capacity between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays. The battery dispatches first to power your home and any remaining energy will automatically be exported to the grid. The performance incentive applies to all energy discharged during this window, whether it’s powering your home or exported to the grid.

Outside of the weekday dispatch window, your battery will operate based on the settings you and your contractor have selected. Please note that some battery manufacturers recommend maintaining a backup reserve (typically 0–20%), which may further limit the amount of battery capacity available to you for everyday use.

Can I lower my energy bill by installing a solar and storage system?

A solar and storage system may help you offset or lower the generation portion of your energy bill, but whether it does is dependent on several factors, including your consumption habits, system sizing, location and more.

Will my battery still be available for my own use or during a power outage?

Yes. 50% of your battery is reserved for the program, and the other half is yours to use as you choose. In the case of an outage, you can override the dispatch window so your battery powers your home when needed.

Can I participate if I already have a solar system installed?

Yes. If you’re a Net Energy Metering (NEM) or Solar Billing Plan (SBP) customer, you can add a new battery and qualify for both the upfront rebate and performance incentives.

Can I participate and earn performance incentives if I already have a battery installed?

Not at this time. Currently, performance incentives are only available for new batteries. Continue to check the webpage as this may change in the future.

What happens to the upfront rebate and performance incentive if I leave the program or San Diego Community Power service?

You must stay enrolled with San Diego Community Power for at least five years to keep your upfront rebate.

If you leave before five years, you will need to repay a prorated portion of your rebate and you will forfeit all future performance incentives.

If you leave after five years, you can keep the full rebate but will no longer receive performance incentives.

Year of Unenrollment Rebate Repayment Required
Year 1 100%
Year 2 80%
Year 3 60%
Year 4 40%
Year 5 20%

Who do I contact if my battery isn’t working properly?

Please reach out to your contractor or your battery manufacturer’s support team:

If you don’t hear back within two weeks, please contact Community Power at SolarBatterySavings@SDCommunityPower.org. 

Terms & Conditions

Want to learn more? For more information and terms, see the program manual.