Solar Rebates by California Utility (2026): PG&E, SCE, SDG&E, LADWP, SMUD

Statewide Programs (Apply Everywhere in California)

Federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (ITC). 30% of qualified solar + battery cost, through 2032. Applies regardless of utility.
Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP). Statewide battery rebate administered by CPUC. General market tier ~$150–$200/kWh. Equity Resiliency tier can cover the entire battery cost for qualifying households.
California Property Tax Exclusion. Solar and battery systems do not trigger property tax reassessment.
DAC-SASH and SASH. Low-income solar programs administered by GRID Alternatives. Income qualification required.
TECH Clean California. Heat-pump water heater and HVAC rebates for electrification — not solar-specific but stacks well with solar for home decarbonization.

NEM 3.0 Net Billing. Export credit ~5–8¢/kWh (vs ~41¢ retail rate).
SGIP battery rebate. All PG&E customers eligible. Equity Resiliency tier applies to Tier 2/3 HFTD zones (which covers large portions of Sonoma, Napa, Sierra foothills, and rural PG&E territory).
CARE & FERA bill discounts. 30–35% (CARE) or 18% (FERA) off entire bill for income-qualified households.
Medical Baseline allowance. Additional baseline electricity at lowest-tier pricing for medical-equipment households.
PSPS battery incentive bonus. PG&E occasionally runs PSPS-area-specific battery programs, confirm current offerings in the PG&E Marketplace.

NEM 3.0 Net Billing. Export credit ~5–8¢/kWh (vs ~34.5¢ retail rate).
SGIP battery rebate. All SCE customers eligible. Equity Resiliency tier applies to Tier 2/3 HFTD zones (covers parts of Riverside, San Bernardino, LA mountain communities).
CARE & FERA bill discounts. Same structure as PG&E.
Medical Baseline. Same structure as PG&E.
SCE EV TOU rate plans. Time-of-use plans designed around home EV charging — worth pairing with solar + battery.

NEM 3.0 Net Billing. Export credit ~5–8¢/kWh (vs ~45.7¢ retail rate — the highest utility rate in the nation, which makes solar self-consumption particularly valuable).
SGIP battery rebate. All SDG&E customers eligible.
CARE & FERA bill discounts. Same structure.
EV-TOU-5 rate plan. San Diego-specific EV rate worth comparing when pairing with solar.
Equity Resiliency battery incentive. Applies to back-country fire-prone zones (East County, Valley Center).

LADWP is a municipal utility and operates outside NEM 3.0 / CPUC jurisdiction. The economics are different:

LADWP Solar Incentive Program (SIP). Historically $0.15–$0.25/W installed rebate for new solar. Confirm current availability — the program has gone through multiple iterations.
LADWP net metering. Retail-rate-equivalent export credit (much more favorable than NEM 3.0's 5–8¢).
LIRA (Low-Income Rate Assistance). 25% discount for income-qualified households.
Feed-In Tariff (FiT). Commercial / multi-family solar can sell power to LADWP under long-term contracts.
SGIP does not apply in LADWP territory. LADWP runs its own battery program separately.

SMUD Net Energy Metering. Retail-rate-equivalent export credit (again, much more favorable than NEM 3.0).
SMUD Storage Incentive. Rebates for customer-sited batteries; check current funding levels.
Energy Assistance Program Rate (EAPR). Discount for income-qualified SMUD customers.
Medical Equipment Discount Rate (MEDR). Discount for medical-baseline households.
EV Rate (Time-of-Day EV). Discounted overnight charging rate for EV owners.

Roseville Electric Net Metering. Retail-rate-equivalent export credit.
Residential Electric Rate Assistance Program. Bill discount for income-qualified households.
Electric vehicle rate. Lower overnight rate for EV charging.
No SGIP. Roseville Electric runs its own battery incentive landscape separately.

GWP Net Metering. Retail-rate-equivalent export credit.
GWP Smart Home Rebate program. Rebates on EV chargers, heat-pump water heaters, and related electrification.
Low-income assistance programs. Multiple bill-discount options for qualifying households.

Federal 30% ITC, claim on IRS Form 5695 with your tax return. Keep contractor invoice and proof of payment.
SGIP (if applicable). Your installer should file on your behalf. Confirm before signing. Lead time 60–120 days for reimbursement in some tiers.
Utility-specific incentives. Usually handled through utility Marketplace program or manufacturer rebate forms. Ask your installer for a list of all applicable utility programs and which they'll file.
CARE / FERA / LIRA / EAPR — apply directly through utility account online. These are ongoing bill discounts, not one-time rebates.
TECH Clean California (heat pump water heater/HVAC), apply through participating contractor; the rebate is deducted from your install cost.