Pacific Gas & Electric · CPUC NEM 3.0
PG&E net metering, explained for homeowners.
Net metering under Pacific Gas & Electric runs on the same CPUC NEM 3.0 rules that govern SCE and SDG&E, in effect since April 2023. PG&E's territory reaches into the Central Coast communities Helios serves, such as Pismo Beach, and the export math there is the same: the credit for sending solar back to the grid was cut roughly 75% and now follows an hourly avoided-cost schedule rather than full retail. For PG&E homeowners, that shifts the goal from exporting surplus to using your own production. A solar system paired with storage — banking midday energy for the evening peak — is what makes the economics work today. Helios models your specific PG&E rate plan and the local coastal climate, and the owner signs off on every design.
Pacific Gas & Electric
How net metering works on PG&E.
Pacific Gas & Electric is a CPUC-regulated investor-owned utility, so its residential solar customers fall under NEM 3.0 (the Net Billing Tariff) for systems interconnected after April 2023. As with SCE, the change from NEM 2.0 dropped export compensation from roughly full retail to hourly avoided-cost rates averaging about 75% lower.
PG&E customers are generally on time-of-use plans where the costliest hours land in the late afternoon and evening — after solar production has tapered. On the Central Coast, mild marine-influenced weather keeps panel temperatures efficient, but the export-credit cut still means a midday solar surplus earns very little if you simply push it to the grid.
The winning design under PG&E NEM 3.0 is the same as on the other NEM 3.0 utilities: size for self-consumption and add storage so your evening usage is covered by your own stored solar. We model your exact PG&E rate schedule and production profile so the payback reflects your home and your coastal location, not a statewide average.
Storage on PG&E
Should you add a battery?
Under PG&E NEM 3.0, a battery is essential for a solid payback. With exports paying so little, a solar-only system on PG&E typically takes 10-14 years to pay back, while adding storage to self-consume during the evening peak usually pulls that into the 6-9 year range. Battery storage also adds resilience during the planned and weather-driven outages that affect parts of PG&E's service area. We model both paths so you can see the difference for your specific PG&E rate before deciding.
PG&E cities we serve.
Helios designs and installs solar across 1 PG&E community in Southern California. Pick your city for local sun hours, fire-zone notes, and a market-specific quote.
PG&E net metering questions, answered.
- Is PG&E under NEM 3.0?
- Yes. PG&E is a CPUC-regulated investor-owned utility, so any residential solar system interconnected after April 2023 falls under NEM 3.0 (the Net Billing Tariff), the same regime that governs SCE and SDG&E. Export credits dropped roughly 75% from the prior NEM 2.0 full-retail values.
- How does PG&E credit my exported solar now?
- Exported energy is credited at hourly avoided-cost rates that vary throughout the day, averaging about 75% below the retail rate. The midday surplus, when solar is most abundant, earns very little, which is why self-consumption and a battery matter under PG&E NEM 3.0.
- Do I need a battery for PG&E solar to pay off?
- For most homes, yes. Because PG&E NEM 3.0 pays little for exports, a battery lets you store midday solar and use it during the expensive evening peak — typically bringing payback from the 10-14 year solar-only range down to roughly 6-9 years. We model both scenarios on your actual PG&E rate.
- Can I get a federal credit on a PG&E solar system in 2026?
- Not as a homeowner buying the system — the residential 30% credit ended December 31, 2025. Our prepaid-lease option (Propel) captures the federal commercial clean-energy credit and passes it through as roughly 30% off up front, with you taking title in year 6. We're not tax advisors and recommend confirming the structure with yours.
Get a transparent PG&E quote.
Free home assessment, no pressure. We model net metering on your exact PG&E rate — solar-only and solar+battery — with payback period and every line-item cost.