Solar customers

Solar photovoltaics produce clean energy and can eliminate your need to buy energy from the electric grid. Which solar program you are on depends on when you installed your system. Which one are you?

Net Energy Metering (NEM)

Net Energy Metering (NEM) is a special billing arrangement that allows customers with solar PV systems to get the full retail value of the electricity their system generates. Your meter tracks the difference between the amount of electricity your solar panels produce and the amount of electricity you use during each billing cycle. When your panels produce more electricity than you use, you receive a credit on your bill.

Net Energy Metering (NEM) 1.0 / 2.0

If you installed solar prior to 2016 you are likely on the NEM 1.0 program. If you applied between June 29, 2016 and April 14, 2023, you are on NEM 2.0 You can confirm with PG&E Solar Customer Service at 877-743-4112, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Contract periods for NEM rates are 20 years. 

Net Energy Metering Services

Solar Billing Plan

If you applied for solar after April 14, 2023 (even if it is not yet installed), you are (or will be) enrolled in the Solar Billing Plan. Contract periods for the NEM  program are 20 years. So, if you installed solar in 2004 or earlier, you will soon reach the end of your contract and will be notified by PG&E about a transition to the Solar Billing Plan.

Solar Billing Plan

Key features

  • Premium credits: surplus electricity produced is credited at $0.01/kWh above the retail value
  • Monthly credit roll-over each month to help offset any generation charges throughout the year
  • Annual cash-out: We send you a check every April for unused credits over $100 (if less than $100, credits roll over)

Learn about Net Energy Metering (3-minute video)

How does NEM work for our solar customers?
Net Energy is the energy you produce minus the energy you consume. Net Energy Metering (NEM) is the process of measuring and valuing the balance between the energy you produce and consume over time.

Customers will remain on the NEM 2.0 tariff for 20 years from the year of the original approval from PG&E to interconnect and operate their system. After this period, they will transition to the current solar plan.

Additional information

For more information about the NEM program, see CPUC Customer-sited Renewable Energy Generation or PG&E's Net Energy Metering.

 

Sample Billing

Net Energy Metering customers may have months where they are net consumers (using more electricity than their solar panels generate) or others where they are net producers (using less electricity than their panels generate).

Billing Example for a Residential NEM Customer, Net Consumer (E-1 Tariff*):

RATE COMPONENTPG&E**ECOplusECO100
PG&E Delivery Costs*$25.58$25.58$25.58
Net Generation Costs$29.05$20.45$23.45
PG&E Fees$0.00$7.16$7.16
Total Electric Charges$54.64$53.18$56.18

The ECOplus customer would pay $53.18 for the month.
*300 kWh monthly usage; summer season.
**For PG&E NEM customers, billed charges are commonly settled on an annual basis with such customers subject to certain minimum monthly charges prior to the annual true-up process; in this example, the PG&E NEM customer would be sent a bill for approximately $10 (minimum monthly charge) with the balance of charges and credits tracked until the annual true-up period.