PG&E Solar Savings Guide: How Plug-In Solar Cuts Your Electric Bill

In short: PG&E NEM customers can add a plug-in solar expansion kit and earn $360-$660/year in net metering credits at NEM rates of ~$0.30/kWh. A 2-panel kit ($1,649 with tax) pays for itself in 4.6 years. A 4-panel kit ($2,583) pays back in 3.9 years.

Your rooftop solar was sized for your energy needs when you installed it. But things change. You got an EV. You added a heat pump. Your family grew. Now your true-up bill is creeping back up.

The traditional fix — calling your installer back out — means permits, scheduling, and $3,000 to $5,000 for a small add-on. Some installers won't even take the job.

Bright Saver's NEM Expansion Kit gives you another option. Add 2 or 4 panels in your backyard, do a little Ikea-style assembly, plug into a standard outlet, and start earning more NEM credits the same day.

How NEM Expansion Works with PG&E

If you're on NEM 1.0 or NEM 2.0, PG&E's published tariff allows you to expand your solar generating capacity by up to 1 kW or 10% of your original system size (whichever is greater) without losing your existing net metering rate.

Your plug-in panels generate electricity that flows into your home. When your home is using less than the panels produce, the excess flows back through your existing bi-directional meter to the grid — earning you NEM credits at your existing NEM rate, just like your rooftop panels.

Savings for PG&E Customers

At Northern California NEM rates (~$0.30/kWh), each panel earns approximately $180/year in net metering credits.

*Includes 10% estimated sales tax.

The 4-panel system has a shorter payback because the third and fourth panels add production at a lower incremental cost, even though the 900W inverter clips peak output for a few hours on the sunniest days. Annual energy lost to clipping is only about 10%.

Why the Math Gets Better Over Time

California electricity rates have been rising 5 to 8% per year consistently. Your NEM credits grow as rates increase, but your kit cost is locked in at day one.

Over 20 years, a 2-panel kit generates over $11,000 in cumulative NEM credits on a $1,649 investment. A 4-panel kit generates over $21,000 on a $2,583 investment.

PG&E's New Base Services Charge

Starting March 2026, PG&E is introducing a ~$24/month Base Services Charge for all residential customers, including solar customers. You can't offset this charge with solar generation. But it doesn't change the value of NEM credits — every kWh your expansion kit produces still earns you credits at your NEM rate.

What About Self-Consumption?

When your home is using more electricity than your panels are producing (which is common during high-use periods), the solar energy gets consumed directly. In that case, you're saving at your full retail rate (~$0.42/kWh), which is even higher than the NEM credit rate. Either way — credits or self-consumption — you save.

PG&E Interconnection

PG&E references the expansion allowance in their NEM2 Sunset FAQ and does not require a new interconnection application for expansions within the 1 kW / 10% limit. You're working within your existing agreement.

FAQ

Yes. The microinverter converts DC solar power to standard 120V AC. UL 1741 SB certified with anti-islanding protection — the same safety standard used in grid-connected rooftop systems.

No. PG&E's published tariff allows capacity expansion of up to 1 kW or 10% of your original system size without losing your existing NEM rate.

Excess flows back through your meter and earns NEM credits, just like your rooftop panels. That's the whole point of the NEM Expansion Kit.

A traditional 1-2 panel add-on costs $3,000 to $5,000, takes weeks to months, and requires permits and inspections. A plug-in kit costs $1,649, installs in an afternoon, and starts producing immediately.

• NEM 2-Panel Kit: $1,499 (+ tax)
• NEM 4-Panel Kit: $2,348 (+ tax)

Free pickup from our Oakland or Los Angeles warehouses. Delivery + installation support available within 50 miles of Oakland for $349.