NEM 3.0 (Net Billing) changed the math for SCE solar customers in Los Angeles and Orange County — lower export rates make self-consumption via battery storage a common planning strategy. We pair Tesla Powerwall and Enphase IQ Battery with new and existing solar systems, planned around your utility, load profile, and backup goals. Tesla Certified Premium Installer.
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This is the most important thing to understand before planning solar + battery in Los Angeles. Your utility determines which rules apply.
Under prior NEM 2.0, SCE solar customers generally received more favorable export treatment than new Solar Billing Plan customers. Under current SCE Solar Billing Plan rules, Energy Export Credits vary by hour. SCE states that customers who enroll before January 1, 2028 receive fixed export-credit prices for their first nine years of operation, so the project’s enrollment year and hourly usage profile matter when modeling solar plus battery economics.
No specific savings outcome is implied. Rate plans, usage, and future utility rate changes affect actual system performance. We are not a financial advisor.
Panels generate power. The home draws from solar first; excess begins charging the battery.
Peak solar fills the battery. Surplus beyond battery capacity exports at NEM 3.0 rates.
Solar output drops. Battery powers the home during the SCE peak rate window.
After battery depletes, the home draws from the grid. A backup reserve can be held for outage protection.
Tesla Powerwall installation guide → · Enphase battery installation →
Current SGIP status guide → · SCE solar + battery → · LADWP vs SCE guide →
NEM 3.0-aware planning for SCE customers. LADWP program review for LADWP customers. Tesla Powerwall and Enphase IQ Battery. current SGIP status review. Tesla Certified Premium Installer. CSLB #1055444.
No. NEM 3.0 (Net Billing) applies to investor-owned utilities — SCE, PG&E, and SDG&E — regulated by the California PUC. LADWP is a municipal utility and runs its own net-metering program, separate from NEM 3.0 rules. LADWP customers should review LADWP's current net-metering program specifically for their property.
Under NEM 3.0, export credit rates for solar power sent to the SCE grid are significantly lower than under prior NEM 2.0. The financial value of exporting excess solar has decreased, making self-consumption via battery storage a common planning strategy. Storing daytime solar for evening use can reduce evening grid purchases and may be more valuable than exporting excess production, depending on the customer’s rate plan, load profile and battery settings.
Yes. Battery storage can be added to most existing grid-tied solar systems via AC coupling — the battery connects to the home's AC circuits alongside the existing solar inverter. Some systems may support DC coupling where the battery integrates with a compatible inverter. We assess your existing solar system, inverter type, and electrical panel during the estimate to confirm the right approach.
SCE requires an interconnection application when energy storage is added to an existing solar system. An existing NEM 1.0 or 2.0 customer may remain on the existing NEM tariff if the storage and any expansion meet current tariff requirements and capacity limits. The application type and configuration matter, so the project should be reviewed before equipment is added or operated.
For SCE customers, ratepayer residential SGIP budgets are closed and the state-funded RSSE allocation is exhausted and waitlisted. A battery paired with SCE Solar Billing Plan service should be priced without SGIP unless SCE has formally approved and reserved an incentive.
Tesla Certified Premium Installer. CSLB #1055444. We are not a tax advisor — consult a qualified professional for tax questions.
