Can you estimate cost and payback period for a home solar + battery system?

The estimated cost for a home solar plus battery storage system typically ranges from about $20,000 to $30,000 before incentives in the United States. Federal and local incentives often reduce net costs by ~30%. Typical net totals for a full solar + battery package land around $17,000–$25,000 after the 30% federal tax credit (ITC). Typical cost breakdown: Solar (no battery): ~$11,000–$19,000 after typical incentives (medium homes). Battery (e.g., Tesla Powerwall or similar): +$6,000–$10,000 per unit (1–2 units common). Payback ≈ Net installation cost ÷ Annual electricity savings. Example: $20,000 ÷ $2,000/yr ≈ 10 years. High-rate regions (e.g., parts of CA) can see 4–5 years when usage and incentives align. Batteries may slightly lengthen payback vs. solar-only but increase resilience and can improve savings with time-of-use rates or net metering. Panels: ~25+ year life; batteries: ~10–15 years. For accuracy, review 12 months of bills and consult a local installer.

Which battery types are best for residential solar installations?

Lithium-ion—especially lithium iron phosphate (LFP)—is generally best for residential solar due to high round-trip efficiency (often 90–98%), long cycle life/warranties (10–20 years), high usable depth of discharge (80–95%), and compact size. Examples: Tesla Powerwall, Villara VillaGrid (LTO), FranklinWH aPower 2 (LFP). Lead-acid is cheaper but heavier and shorter life (~50% DoD, more maintenance). Flow batteries are long-life but large/expensive. Nickel-cadmium is uncommon in homes due to cadmium toxicity.

What are the steps to prepare my home for solar and battery installation?

Assess 12 months of energy use; select listed, compatible equipment (UL 9540, UL 1741); confirm roof space/orientation/shading and a cool, ventilated location for inverter/battery. Typical sequence: mount rails → set panels → wire → mount inverter → connect solar & battery → grounding/surge protection → monitoring/meter as required. All electrical work by qualified electricians per local codes (e.g., IRC R328, NFPA 855, manufacturer instructions). After install, verify connections, power up, run diagnostics, and monitor performance. Existing solar can usually be retrofitted with storage (hybrid inverter or AC-coupled). Coordinate with your utility on export policies and metering.

What are the incentives and rebates for solar + storage in my state?

Federal: 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) on installed costs for solar and storage through 2032. Examples: California—SGIP battery rebates (higher for low-income/high-need), DSGS, DAC-SASH; Oregon—state Solar + Storage Rebate (up to $5,000 solar + $2,500 battery), Energy Trust incentives, tax exemptions; Arizona—state tax credit up to $1,000 plus sales/property tax exemptions and some utility rebates. Many other states (IL, TX, MA, MN, OH, VA, etc.) offer programs. Use DSIRE and utility/state energy websites to confirm eligibility and deadlines.

What is a typical installation timeline and required permits?

End-to-end timeline is typically 2–6 months (permitting, utility approvals, inspections are the long poles). On-site installation usually takes 1–3 days. Typical flow: consultation/contract (1–2 wks), survey/design (2–3 wks), permitting (4–8+ wks), scheduling (1–2 wks), install (1–3 days), interconnection & final inspections (2–4 wks). Permits: building (structure/roof), electrical (wiring/inverter/battery safety), and utility interconnection/net metering. Some areas offer SolarAPP+ for simple cases.

How can I size battery capacity for my household energy use?

Size storage by daily energy use, allowable depth of discharge (DoD), and system efficiency, based on whether you want whole-home or essential-loads backup. Formula: Battery capacity (kWh) ≈ Daily Energy (kWh) ÷ (Efficiency × DoD). Example: 10 ÷ (0.9 × 0.8) ≈ 13.9 kWh. Typical sizes: ~8–15 kWh for partial/overnight backup; ~15–30+ kWh for whole-home. Consider seasonal variation and future loads (e.g., EVs). Modular systems let you expand later.

How to Download Your PG&E Green Button Electricity Usage Data (For Solar & Battery Analysis) — Ally Electric And Solar, Your Trusted Bay Area Solar, Battery and EV Charging Expert Electrician

When you have solar, understanding your true energy usage—especially seasonal changes and evening demand—is important for evaluating battery storage, expanding your solar system, or applying for programs like SGIP. One of the most helpful tools is your PG&E Green Button electricity usage download.

This quick guide will show you exactly how to download your energy usage data from PG&E in just a few minutes.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Log in to your PG&E Account

Visit: https://www.pge.com/
Sign in using your username and password.

If you have multiple service accounts, make sure the correct home or property is selected.

PG&E account home page showing billing and usage overview. — PG&E Customer Dashboard Home Screen

2. Go to “Energy Usage”

After logging in, look for the Usage and Rates section on your dashboard.

Click Energy Usage Details or simply Energy Usage.

This will take you to your Energy Usage Summary page, where you can see month-to-month electricity usage graphs.

PG&E Energy Usage Summary showing year-to-date NEM charges and monthly electricity usage graph for a solar customer.

3. Look for the Green Button

In the middle of the page, you’ll see a button labeled:

Green Button – Download My Data

This is the official PG&E data export tool.

Click Green Button.

4. Choose Your Download Format

A pop-up will appear with several download options.

Select the last option (usually called *“Download My Data (CSV)” or “Custom Date Range (CSV)”).

5. Select Your Date Range

For most solar or battery assessments, we need 12 full months of usage history.

Set the Start Date to one year ago from today
Set the End Date to today

Example:
If today is March 1, 2026 → choose March 1, 2025 to March 1, 2026.

6. Download Your File

Click Download and save the .csv file to your computer.

This file contains hourly or daily usage data that allows us to evaluate:

How much power you use during peak (4–9 PM)
How your solar production offsets your consumption
Whether a battery or additional solar is beneficial
Eligibility and sizing for SGIP rebates

Why This Data Matters

Having accurate usage data helps us:

✅ Size your solar + battery systems correctly
✅ Calculate your projected savings
✅ Determine SGIP rebate eligibility
✅ Analyze electric vehicle or heat pump load impacts
✅ Understand your true NEM charges and true-up trends

Need Help? We’re Here.

If you’d like, you can email us the .csv file, and our design team will run a full usage + savings analysis.

Email: info@AllyElectricAndSolar.com
Phone: 510.559.7700
Website: www.AllyElectricAndSolar.com

Ally Electric & Solar Inc.
“Ô, Sunlight! The most precious gold to be found on Earth.” — Roman Payne
CSLB License #806465 | 855 Marina Bay Pkwy Ste. 280, Richmond, CA 94804

How to Download Your PG&E Green Button Electricity Usage Data (For Solar & Battery Analysis)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Log in to your PG&E Account

2. Go to “Energy Usage”

3. Look for the Green Button

4. Choose Your Download Format

5. Select Your Date Range

6. Download Your File

Why This Data Matters

Need Help? We’re Here.

855 Marina Bay Pkwy Ste. 280 - Richmond, Ca 94804 - TEL: 510.559.7700

CSLB LICENCE C10 & C46 #806465 info@allyelectricandsolar.com

PROUDLY SERVING BAY AREA SINCE 2001

How to Download Your PG&E Green Button Electricity Usage Data (For Solar & Battery Analysis)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Log in to your PG&E Account

2. Go to “Energy Usage”

3. Look for the Green Button

4. Choose Your Download Format

5. Select Your Date Range

6. Download Your File

Why This Data Matters

Need Help? We’re Here.

Do I Need to Upgrade My Electrical Panel for Solar, Batteries, or an EV Charger?

855 Marina Bay Pkwy Ste. 280 - Richmond, Ca 94804 - TEL: 510.559.7700

CSLB LICENCE C10 & C46 #806465 info@allyelectricandsolar.com

PROUDLY SERVING BAY AREA SINCE 2001