Is The SGIP Still Available?

For years sunny California has led the nation in solar installations and home battery adoption. A part of the state’s success with solar energy has been the popularity of the Self Generation Incentive Program. The SGIP provides incentives for California homeowners to install energy storage systems. But with its popularity, is the SGIP still available, and if so, for how long? 

The SGIP Today

Since so much solar is installed in California, there is a ton of energy being generated by homeowners with solar. Of course, that’s only when the sun is out; once the sun goes down and all those homes stop making power, they need to pull energy from the grid, and the demand for power spikes. For this reason, utility providers have implemented Time Of Use (TOU) rates which charge customers more for electricity during peak demand. The best part of installing a home battery is you get to store your excess solar power for later use instead of sending it back into the grid, therefore bypassing the TOU rates.

The SGIP is one of the best incentives for homeowners who want to install home batteries with their home solar system. Be aware that this program is a tiered-block program, meaning as more homeowners have batteries installed, the incentive amount decreases, so the sooner you apply, the better. 

The rebate is based on the amount of stored energy in the battery installed. As of the writing of this article, the SGIP is currently at a rebate of $200 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of stored energy. 

This means a qualifying homeowner installing a 10 kWh home battery gets a $2,000 rebate! If you were to combine your SGIP savings with the 22% Federal Solar Tax Credit, you could potentially cut your home battery costs in half. 

The Future of The SGIP

In 2018, the California Senate authorized the California Public Utilities Commission to extend and inject another $675 million into the SGIP over the next five years beyond the original expiration date of January 1, 2021. This decision, along with the carryover funds from the previous round of funding, means there’s now over $1 billion in SGIP incentives available in California. 

Nearly 60% of the current SGIP budget is reserved for “Equity Resiliency” projects. 

These projects are for homeowners meeting a few specific qualifications. Low-income customers, those living in high fire risk areas, and customers who experienced Public Safety Power Shutoff events on two or more specific occasions qualify. The Equity Resilience incentive of the SGIP is currently at a level of $1,000 per kWh, meaning it should cover the entire installed cost of any home battery system available today. 

If you believe you may qualify for this incentive and are interested in the home battery options available to you, contact the Energy Experts at SunPro Solar. We’ve been helping qualifying homeowners navigate the SGIP application process since the program first became available. Call or text us today at 951-678-7733 or click here to learn more.