Residential Battery Storage Program
Receive up to $3,750 to install a home battery system powered by on-site solar.
Store Your Solar Power
If you’re considering installing a home solar photovoltaic (PV) system, or improving the performance of your current setup, adding a battery energy storage (BES) system can boost your savings and enhance grid resilience. A BES system allows you to store the solar energy you produce and use it when the sun goes down, lowering your electric bill and increasing your home’s self-sufficiency. CleanPowerSF offers incentives starting at $250/kWh to help make battery storage more accessible for residents.
What is a Battery Energy Storage (BES) System?
A battery energy storage (BES) system is a device that stores excess solar energy generated during the day and releases it at night or when you need it most. By using more of your home’s solar power, a BES system can lower your electric bill and support a more reliable grid in your community. Depending on how it’s set up, a BES system can operate automatically to manage your energy use efficiently and can even provide backup power during a power outage.
Why Install a BES System?
Use More of Your Solar Power
A BES system allows you to store solar energy generated during the day and use it at night, increasing the self-sufficiency of your home.
Save on Your Electric Bill
Using the stored solar energy at night reduces your need to purchase electricity during peak hours, helping to lower your electric bill.
Support Grid Resilience
Distributed Energy Resources like BES systems can relieve bottlenecks in the electric grid, helping to reduce both the likelihood and impact of power outages.
Who Can Apply?
To be eligible for the Residential Battery Storage Incentive Program, customers must meet the following requirements:
Be a CleanPowerSF residential rate customer.
Be on PG&E’s Solar Billing Plan (SBP) tariff with an existing behind-the-meter PV system or show enrollment in the SBP tariff for a new behind-the-meter PV system.
Be installing a new BES system with no existing BES systems.
Apply for and receive an incentive reservation from this Program before the BES system receives Permission to Operate (PTO) from PG&E.
For complete eligibility requirements and program terms, review the Residential Battery Storage Incentive Program rules.
BES System Requirements
To be eligible, BES systems must meet the following requirements:
Permanently installed and paired with an onsite PV system
Minimum nameplate capacity of 3 kWh
Incentive will be capped at 15 kWh (larger batteries can still participate)
Receive Permission to Operate (PTO) from PG&E as a Rule 21 Exporting Generating Facility
Set-up to operate in a daily cycling mode (e.g., self-consumption or time-of-use) for the duration of its useful life
For third-party owned systems (such as leased or Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) systems), the customer must have the ability or authority to change the BES system settings to meet the Program requirements of a daily cycling mode and backup reserve state of charge.
For complete eligibility requirements and program terms, review the Residential Battery Storage Incentive Program rules.
Program Process
Submit Incentive Agreement
Submit Incentive Agreement with proposed project scope to reserve incentives before receiving PTO.
Complete BES System Installation
Complete BES System and receive PTO.
Submit Incentive Claim Form
Submit Incentive Claim Form and required documentation.
Program Incentives
Full incentive levels for BES systems set at no more than 20% backup reserve state of charge
| Customer Type | Incentive level per kWh of BES system nameplate capacity | Total $ | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market Rate | $250 | $1,200 | See Section 4.1 |
| CARE/FERA | $600 | $1,200 | See Section 4.2 |
| DAC-SASH | $1,100 | $2,400 | See Section 4.3 |
Any customer type who contracts their BES system installation through a Local Installer may be eligible for a 5% incentive level adder. See the Program Rules for more information.
Adjusted incentive levels for BES systems set at more than 20% backup reserve state of charge:
Incentive level per kWh of BES system nameplate capacity will be adjusted with the following calculation based on the BES system’s set backup reserve state of charge:
[Incentive level per kWh of BES system nameplate capacity] x (100% - [BES system backup reserve state of charge]) = Adjusted incentive level per kWh of BES system nameplate capacity
Examples:
Market Rate Customer installing BES system not contracted through a Local Installer with backup reserve state of charge set at 50%
$250 per kWh x (100% - 50%) = $125 per kWh
CARE/FERA Customer installing BES system contracted through a Local Installer with backup reserve state of charge set at 30%
$630 per kWh x (100% - 30%) = $441 per kWh
Resources
Please visit the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) webpage for solar and storage resources such as the following:
A Guide to Installing Solar and Storage
Before You Get Solar: Things to Do
Financing Your Solar System
Understanding Paperwork and Resources