The 3 Main Benefits of Battery Storage in California (With NEM 3.0 Tips)
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
- Sam explores the three main benefits of battery storage in California and the incentives available to make battery storage more affordable.
Visit www.solar.com to learn more about battery storage and compare multiple quotes for local solar and battery installers.
Video chapters:
0:00
0:50 Why California needs residential battery storage
2:00 Battery storage in NEM 3.0
2:30 Load shifting to save money
3:50 Gaming NEM 3.0 with battery storage
5:05 Federal battery tax credit
5:30 SGIP battery rebates
7:45 Battery storage for backup power
9:28 Battery storage for energy independence
Best explanation i ever heard. Thanks
biggest win should be on electric delivery, as its more expensive than the electric itself.. i wonder why he didnt mention it , or i missed it maybe
Hey ...
Briefly, my solar panel system received PTO late last fall, so I'm (fortunately) grandfathered into NEM 2.0. Which appear to be working great ao far.
Gone from formally pulling around 2200 KWH from the grid bimonthly from LADWP on a tiered rate plan costing me about $700 bimonthly. To now around a total net of only +400 KWH. All of which fall into LADWP's Baseline hours of 8 pm to 10 am the next day, M-F and all day on weekends and holidays. Costing me just over $100 bimonthly for electricity nowadays!
But now Sunnova which built the solar system wants to sell me a two Tesla battery system for about $175/mo. promising me I'll save even more after all the discounts, incentives, and from only selling electricity back to the grid and never having to pull from it.
Is this really possible though, since as I said the electric bill now at only about +$100 bimonthly now?
Already paying $154/mo. for leasing on the panels. So how can the batteries offset an additional $175/mo. bill on top of this even if it reduces the bimonthly electric bill to near zero? ...
Great question and congrats on the bill reduction! Generally, the primary benefit of battery storage for NEM 2.0 solar systems is backup power and any additional bill reduction is a secondary perk.
Based on the figures you presented, it doesn't seem like there's room to break even on this battery deal -- so it really comes down to your goals. If backup power, energy independence, and grid resiliency are important to you, then you might consider adding battery storage, even if you don't break even. If you are strictly looking for cost savings, then this doesn't seem worthwhile.
Also, if you are leasing the battery, make sure you know *ahead of time* who is collecting the 30% tax credit and SGIP rebate. Typically in a lease, it's the installer.
Hello.. I have a question to ask. I just got solar under NEM 2.0 and I am trying to get back up batteries for my home. I have been reading that "If you currently have a solar system in California, you won't be transitioned into NEM 3.0 if you add battery storage after April 14, 2023." is this true????
Yes, that is absolutely true!
In fact, we advised many homeowners to get a solar-only system first to more easily lock in NEM 2.0, and then circle back later to get battery storage.
Congrats on NEM 2.0, by the way!
With Nem 3.0, PG&E pays back ~$2.50 per kWh during peak hour in September. Can I set the battery to only sell back to the grid at that time? While I only use from the grid at a lower rate they are charging? I hope this makes
sense.
In theory, yes, should be able to set your battery to discharge during these high-value windows. In fact, we crunched some numbers and found that battery owners could make around $200 per week by doing this.
Of course, it's best to consult a solar/battery technician to better understand the schematics and capabilities of your system!
So, if I buy a truck with bidirectional charging and can use the battery to power the house, will it qualify for the battery rebate?
That's a great question and, frankly, I don't know if policymakers have really considered bidirectional charging for battery incentives.
I wouldn't count on SGIP covering an EV battery -- but it's worth looking further into!
Battery only system for outages and peak of peak charge discharge. How sound is it ? Maybe it could be solar ready for the future. Or batteries only for existing solar or along with solar only ?
When and if you're allowed to charge a battery from the grid is typically up to your utility. Some don't allow it, others only allow it during "Storm Watch" events (so you can prepare for outages). As for avoiding Peak pricing, theoretically, you could reduce your electricity bill a bit with a battery-only system. However, if you're charging with expensive CA grid electricity (even during off-peak hours) the savings may not be that substantial.
Overall, batteries provide more cost savings and longer backup power when paired with solar panels!
How do we apply for the new SGIP funds for PGE that come available for 7/2023? I was looking at Tesla Powerwalls and just started a estimate with them last week. I have solar from my home builder. The house is less than 3 yrs old. If I add more Solar with battery would I now be NEM 3.0 or grandfathered?
Great questions! We're still waiting on details for the new SGIP funding. All we know so far is that the approval of NEM 3 triggered new funds to be available on July 1, 2023. Whether or not that happens exactly according to plan is another question -- but stay tuned!
It's typically recommended to have your battery intaller apply for SGIP funding on your behalf. So, when you're gathering battery quotes, be sure to ask the installers if they are familiar and comfortable with the process.
Finally, you can add battery storage and retain your current net metering policy (I'm assuming NEM 2). However, adding more solar capacity will push your system into NEM 3 solar billing.
Hope this helps!
Sgip has a max benefit?
Is an EG4 Life Power Battery compliant in California?
There are a few layers of compliance in California (SGIP, general electrical code, etc) and it's typically best to check with a battery installer or program administrator with questions about specific products.
Where can we find those charts?
The NEM 3 rate charts are courtesy of The California Solar & Storage Association (CALSSA)
So in other words.. It's now let's worth it investing in solar than it was before..