A home battery is how solar pays off under NEM 3.0.
Batteries used to be a backup-power luxury. In California today, they're often the difference between a 15-year payback and a 9-year one.
Store midday sun
Your panels make the most power at noon when you're at work or school. The battery saves it.
Use it at night
From 4–9pm, when rates are highest, your home runs on stored solar instead of the grid.
Ride out outages
When the grid goes down, essential circuits switch to battery power in a fraction of a second.
How much backup does one battery give you?
A typical home battery stores about 10–15 kWh. Here's roughly how long that runs common loads:
| Load | Typical draw | On 13.5 kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | ~150 W avg | 3+ days |
| Wi-Fi, lights, phones | ~200 W | 2+ days |
| Essentials together | ~500 W | ~24 hours |
| Central A/C running | 3,000–4,000 W | 3–4 hours |
With sun, panels recharge the battery each day, extending backup through multi-day outages.
What a battery costs
Installed home batteries generally run about $12,000–$16,000 for one unit, depending on brand, capacity and whether your electrical panel needs an upgrade. Income-qualified households and homes in high fire-threat districts may qualify for SGIP rebates that cover much of the cost. See California incentives.
Can I add a battery to my existing solar?
Yes. Most systems can add an AC-coupled battery. If you're on NEM 1.0 or 2.0, be careful: some changes to your system can affect your grandfathered status. We'll check your interconnection agreement first. Read more in Do I need a solar battery?
See what your roof could produce.
Send us your last electric bill. We'll design a system for your home, show you the real numbers with and without a battery, and give you a written quote you can compare against anyone else's.