Understanding your solar electric bill
For customers whose solar panels produce more electricity in a year than your home uses, you are net energy producers. If you use more electricity than your solar generates, see the net energy consumers page.
Congratulations on powering your home with solar! If you applied for solar before April 15, 2023, your electricity use is measured through Net Energy Metering (NEM). That means your meter only counts the electricity you use that exceeds the amount of energy you produce:
During the day when the sun is shining, your solar panels generate electricity. At night you consume electricity from the grid. Buying that electricity from Peninsula Clean Energy has three benefits, when compared with PG&E:
- it costs you less than the same service from PG&E. Note that our electric generation charges on your bill are instead of PG&E’s.
- for customers with Net Energy Metering (NEM), we pay more for your solar energy generation than PG&E does.
- any energy you use from us is 100% clean.
While PG&E does not charge Peninsula Clean Energy customers for electric generation, they continue to charge for electric delivery, which includes the use and maintenance of their poles, wires, and other equipment.
Below, we explain important components of your bill and where to find them.
- This is your PG&E account number. It is helpful to have this number when you are discussing your bill with either PG&E or Peninsula Clean Energy.
- PG&E delivery charges include maintenance of the poles, wires, and other infrastructure. These charges also include customer service and billing. NEM customers pay only the minimum monthly charge. Yearly, at the time of your true up, you pay PG&E for delivery charges for energy consumed that is more than the amount produced by your solar panels. Rates for delivery charges are the same whether you receive your electricity generation from PG&E or Peninsula Clean Energy.
- This is Peninsula Clean Energy’s charge for generation of power. It is instead of PG&E’s charge, and costs less and is cleaner than PG&E’s power generation.
- PG&E’s year-to-date estimated NEM charge or credit is a running total of the amount you owe or are credited for PG&E’s electricity delivery. Once per year PG&E settles the balance with either a charge (for net consumers) or a payment (for net producers).
(Note: this information not provided for customers with a paired battery)
- PG&E’s monthly charge for electric delivery for net energy consumed, if any, and the time-of-use delivery charges. Note that electric delivery and electric generation charges are separate.
- NEM customers pay a minimum delivery charge. This is credited back during the yearly true-up if the total NEM charges (in E, above) are greater than the cumulative minimum charge.
- Here is your year-to-date PG&E net charge for electricity delivery. Net consumers of energy will have a net charge, while net producers of energy will have a net credit.
(Note: this information presented differently for customers with a paired battery)
- This is your fixed minimum delivery charge.
(Note: this information not provided for customers with a paired battery
- This is your net electricity usage during this period. You are charged higher rates during peak hours (4-9 pm every day), and lower rates during all other hours. These are “bundled” rates, meaning they include PG&E’s rates for both electricity generation and delivery.
- You receive a baseline credit each month, which allows a certain amount of energy to be used at the lowest cost. When you receive a total credit as a net producer, it includes PG&E’s “bundled” credit for both generation and delivery. But since you will receive a higher credit from Peninsula Clean Energy for your generation, PG&E adds the generation credit back to your bill.
- The Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA)
is a fee to pay for PG&E’s above-market costs for electric generation resources.
Note that we include this in our rates and cost comparisons and ensure that you save
money with Peninsula Clean Energy generation when compared to PG&E generation. - This Franchise Fee (FF) surcharge pays for PG&E’s right to use public streets to deliver
electricity to your home. - Your total electricity consumed in the billing period.
- The solar energy you produced during the period.
- The net consumption or production.
- Detail of Peninsula Clean Energy electric generation charges or credits for net usage or production during the on-peak hours (4 p.m. – 9 p.m. every day) and the less expensive off-peak hours.
- Peninsula Clean Energy compensates net producers with an additional $0.01 per kWh bonus for net generation.
- This is your NEM solar credit balance.