How much a plug-in solar kit saves on PG&E
Last updated
On PG&E's standard tiered plan (E-1), each kWh above your baseline allowance costs 40.7¢/kWh.[source] At that rate, the example kit (800 W, $1,000) saves about $322 a year and pays for itself in about 3.1 years, assuming typical placement and that you use most of its power at home.
| Plan | Rate used | Savings per year | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard rate, no discount | 40.7¢/kWh | $322 | 3.1 years |
| Standard rate, CARE | 25.44¢/kWh | $201 | 5.0 years |
| Standard rate, FERA | 33.38¢/kWh | $264 | 3.8 years |
| E-TOU-C time-of-use (off-peak) | 37.8¢/kWh | $299 | 3.3 years |
Click a row to open it in the savings calculator and change the kit, placement or rate.
Standard tiered plan (E-1)
PG&E's E-1 tariff charges 32.56¢/kWh to 40.7¢/kWh.[source] Rates from PG&E's E-1 tiered tariff, effective June 1, 2026: Tier 1 for usage within your baseline allowance, Tier 2 above it. Your kit's output cuts your highest-priced usage first, so we use the Tier 2 rate. If your usage stays within your baseline allowance, your savings will be lower. For comparison, PG&E's average residential rate across all customers, including CARE households, is 33.7¢/kWh.[source]
Time-of-use (E-TOU-C)
On PG&E's E-TOU-C plan, peak hours are 4-9 pm daily.[source] A balcony kit makes most of its power around midday, outside the peak, so we value it at the off-peak rate. PG&E's tariff sets off-peak at 36.76¢/kWh to 39.94¢/kWh.[source] Winter (October to May) to summer (June to September) off-peak rates from PG&E's E-TOU-C tariff, effective June 1, 2026, before the $0.0814/kWh baseline credit, which applies only to usage within your baseline allowance. The calculator uses the month-weighted average.
More in time-of-use rates and plug-in solar.
CARE and FERA
PG&E's CARE tariff (D-CARE) takes 35% off your per-kWh charges after removing charges CARE customers don't pay (wildfire, recovery bond and the CARE surcharge). That comes to about 37.5% to 38% off each kWh. CARE's lower fixed monthly charge isn't counted because a kit can't change it.[source] FERA takes 18% off your per-kWh charges.[source] Because each kWh costs you less, each kWh your kit makes saves you less, so payback takes longer. Our estimates use 37.5% for CARE.
More in CARE and FERA discounts and plug-in solar.
What a kit can't change
Standard customers pay a fixed charge of about $24.15/month (CARE about $6, FERA about $12) that solar cannot remove.[source] A plug-in kit only reduces the per-kWh part of your bill.
How we estimate
- Production: watts × a yield for your placement (typical: 1.1 kWh per watt per year, our financial model's Base case).[source]
- Only power you use at home saves money. Power sent back to the grid is valued at $0.
- Rates checked Oct 18, 2026. Savings estimates ignore future rate changes.
Not financial advice. Join the waitlist to hear when certified kits ship.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a plug-in kit worth it on PG&E time-of-use?
- Usually about the same as on the standard rate. Most plug-in output comes at midday, outside the evening peak, so it offsets power at the off-peak price.
- Do CARE and FERA customers save less?
- Yes. The discount lowers what you pay for each kWh, so each kWh the kit makes saves a little less. A smaller, cheaper kit can still pay back.
Next steps
Sources
- PG&E: Schedule E-1 residential tiered tariff (opens in a new tab) · checked Oct 22, 2026
- CPUC Public Advocates Office: Q2 2026 Electric Rates Report (opens in a new tab) · checked Oct 22, 2026
- PG&E: Schedule E-TOU-C tariff (opens in a new tab) · checked Oct 22, 2026
- PG&E: Schedule D-CARE line-item CARE discount (opens in a new tab) · checked Oct 22, 2026
- PG&E: Schedule E-FERA (18% FERA discount) (opens in a new tab) · checked Oct 22, 2026
- NRG Clean Power: the new California fixed charge (opens in a new tab) · checked Oct 20, 2026
- Voltflow: California solar production factors (opens in a new tab)