Tag Archives: Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)

PG&E power outages: what you need to know

If you live in Northern California, you’ve likely been impacted by electric power shut-offs or outages from Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) over the last couple of years. As wildfires and high winds become increasingly prevalent in the state, and as the link between utility infrastructure–like transmission lines–and wildfires becomes increasingly clear, that trend is set to continue for the foreseeable future.

With that in mind, we wanted to take a step back and look at PG&E outages: why are they occurring, what does the past timeline of outages look like, and what can you expect moving forward. 

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California home battery rebate: Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) explained

(Update: California’s Governor Brown signed SB 700. This adds approximately $800 million in additional funding for SGIP and extends the program through 2025.)

California’s SGIP rebate is one of the best incentives in the country for homeowners who want to install a home battery with their solar panels. The Golden State already leads the country in solar energy – it has more solar capacity than any other state in the U.S., and nearly six times more solar than number-two state Arizona. Now, California is becoming a leader in energy storage. Thanks to the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) you can get a rebate for most or all of your solar battery installation in California, and it’s about to become a lot easier for homeowners to access. Here’s everything you need to know about the SGIP rebate.

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California net metering: everything you need to know about NEM 2.0

Net metering in California is part of what makes the Golden State the undisputed leader for solar in the country. In fact, California saw 26,232 megawatts (MW) of solar installed as of the end of Q3 2019, about five times as much as #2 state North Carolina.

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Which PG&E rate schedule is best for solar? Understanding peak hours

PG&E’s new rate schedule affects utility’s entire coverage area in 2020. Whether you have solar panels on your roof, are considering solar, or don’t have any plans to generate your own electricity, the time-of-use (TOU) rates will have an impact on your monthly electricity costs. Currently, all PG&E customers have the option of switching to TOU rates or remaining on their existing rate schedule. However, if you are a new PG&E customer or move to a new address, you’ll have to choose a new TOU plan. The best option for your home depends on your electricity use habits.

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Solar and time-of-use electricity rates: what you need to know

California’s new net metering policy, commonly referred to as net metering (NEM) 2.0, brought some big changes to the Golden State’s solar market in 2017. NEM 2.0 is now active for customers of all three investor-owned utilities in California: Pacific Gas & Electric, San Diego Gas & Electric, and Southern California Edison.

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