Incentives that still apply in 2026
Yes — there's still money on the table.
OBBBA changed the federal credit rules in late 2025. But the 30% credit lives on for TPO leases and battery storage, and California still has some of the strongest state incentives in the country.
Section 25D ended. Section 48E didn't.
The Inflation Reduction Act gave residential solar a 30% federal credit through 2032. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed mid-2025, ended that credit (Section 25D) for cash and loan purchases on December 31, 2025.
But the same 30% credit lives on for third-party-owned systems (TPO leases and PPAs) under Section 48E, which doesn't expire until 2032. The leasing company captures the credit and passes it through your monthly payment.
Net result: for most California homeowners going TPO in 2026, the federal incentive is unchanged — you just get it as a lower monthly rate instead of a tax-return line item.
NEM 3.0 changed the rules. Battery makes it work again.
Net Energy Metering 3.0 dropped the rate the utility pays you for excess solar exports — often by 70% or more. Solar-only systems under NEM 3.0 take 9–12 years to pay back instead of 5–7.
Adding a battery flips this. Instead of selling cheap mid-day power to the utility, your home stores it and uses it during peak evening rates — when grid power costs the most. Battery-attached systems under NEM 3.0 often beat NEM 2.0 economics on solar-only.
$0.05/kWh
NEM 3.0 export rate (average)
$0.45/kWh
Peak evening utility rate
9×
Difference battery captures for you
SGIP rebates can knock $3,000–$9,000 off battery cost.
The Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) pays California homeowners a per-kWh rebate when installing battery storage. The base General Market tier currently pays roughly $0.15/kWh of storage capacity. A 10 kWh battery qualifies for ~$1,500 back at the General Market level.
Higher tiers — Equity, Equity Resiliency — pay $0.85–$1.00/kWh for qualified low-income households or those in High Fire Risk zones. A 10 kWh battery in those tiers can earn $8,500+ back.
Three SGIP tiers
- General Market~$0.15/kWhAll homeowners
- Equity~$0.85/kWhIncome-qualified households (CARE/FERA enrolled)
- Equity Resiliency~$1.00/kWhHigh Fire Risk Zone + medical baseline, income-qualified, or in PSPS de-energization area
CaliVolt helps you qualify and file. Talk to us →
Your utility may still offer rebates.
California's big four investor-owned and municipal utilities all run their own programs on top of SGIP. We'll tell you exactly which ones apply to your address during your consultation.
PG&E
Currently runs the SGIP battery rebate plus EV-A rate plans that pair well with solar+battery TOU shifting.
SCE
SGIP eligible. Also runs ELRP (Emergency Load Reduction) — pays $1–$2/kWh exported during summer grid events. Battery-attached CaliVolt installs typically enroll automatically.
SDG&E
SGIP eligible. Highest electric rates in the state, which means fastest payback on battery-attached systems.
LADWP
Operates its own incentive program separate from SGIP. We're a participating contractor.