Tag Archives: NEM 3

net metering california

Is solar still worth it under Net Metering 3?

Over the past few months, our primary goal at EnergySage was to support Californians in locking in higher solar savings before the Golden State’s net metering policy changed on April 15, 2023. A foundational solar policy, net metering is when your utility company compensates you for the excess electricity your system generates and sends to the grid. California’s new policy, Net Metering 3 (NEM 3) or the Net Billing Tariff (NBT), dropped the compensation rate by about 75% for new solar owners, compared to its former net metering policy, NEM 2

We helped thousands of homeowners find the right solar installer and submit their applications to lock in NEM 2 rates for 20 years under the grandfathering clause, but installers received a historic number of requests, and some Californians didn’t meet the deadline. If you’re in this camp, or if you’re just starting the solar shopping process now, you might be wondering if solar is still worth it in California. Our resounding answer is yes, it’s still worth it, and there are two main steps you can take to get the most out of solar under NEM 3: get a battery and go solar this year.

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energysage net metering 3 survey

What do California solar installers think about NEM 3? We asked them!

Since the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved the Net Billing Tariff, also known as Net Metering 3 (NEM 3), in mid-December, the industry has primarily focused on how the new policy will affect solar shoppers in California (and for good reason): it reduces solar savings by more than 60% over 20 years. But plainly absent from existing articles and thought pieces about the consequences of the NEM 3 decision is the perspective of the people whose livelihoods will be impacted day to day: solar installers in California

With that in mind, EnergySage surveyed three dozen solar installers in California to gauge their sentiments around NEM 3, how the policy has already affected the solar industry in California, their forecasts for how the industry will change moving forward, and how they plan to adapt to the new solar climate in California after the mid-April transition to NEM 3. 

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