Solar Battery Backup in San Diego
A home solar battery stores the extra power your panels make during the day so you can use it after sunset, when SDG&E’s rates are highest, and keep your lights on when the grid goes down.
In business since 1998, Stellar Solar has installed more than 5,000 solar batteries across San Diego and Orange counties. We are a Tesla Certified Premier Powerwall installer, an approved contractor for San Diego Community Power’s battery rebate program, and we can add a battery to a new solar system or to the panels you already have.
What does a solar battery do?
A solar battery does two jobs: it lowers your evening electric bill and it powers your home during outages. During the day your panels charge the battery instead of sending surplus power to SDG&E for a small credit. In the evening the battery runs your home, so you buy less power at peak prices. If the grid fails, the battery takes over automatically and your panels keep recharging it.
Why do San Diego homes need a battery now?
SDG&E’s most expensive hours, 4 to 9 p.m., begin just as solar production fades. Since April 2023, new solar customers have been on SDG&E’s Solar Billing Plan (the Net Billing Tariff), which credits exported power at far less than what you pay to buy it back in the evening. A battery lets you use your own solar during those peak hours instead.
Still on NEM 2.0? A battery can still cut your peak-hour costs, but adding equipment can affect your plan. See what adding a battery or more panels does to your SDG&E plan.
Will a battery keep my power on during an SDG&E shutoff?
Yes. When the grid goes down, a battery takes over in a fraction of a second and keeps your chosen circuits running, and your solar panels recharge it each day. Solar panels without a battery shut off during an outage for safety, even when the sun is shining.
SDG&E uses Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) to reduce wildfire risk during Santa Ana winds and extreme heat. In October 2026 it warned nearly 35,000 customers in North, East and South County that their power could be shut off. Homes in high fire threat districts, including parts of Poway, Rancho Bernardo, Scripps Ranch, Rancho Santa Fe and the county’s mountain and backcountry communities, face these shutoffs most often.
How long will a battery power my home?
That depends on the battery’s capacity and which circuits you back up. A single Tesla Powerwall 3 stores 13.5 kWh, typically enough to run essentials such as the refrigerator, lights, Wi-Fi, outlets and medical devices through the night, and solar recharges it the next day. Backing up a whole home, including air conditioning, usually takes more than one battery. We size every system around the circuits that matter most to you.
Which batteries does Stellar Solar install?
We install the Tesla Powerwall 3, Enphase IQ Batteries and SolarEdge Home Battery, and recommend the one that fits your home, your goals and any equipment you already have rather than pushing a single brand. Stellar Solar has earned Tesla’s Performance Excellence award and Certified Premier Powerwall installer status for the volume and quality of our battery installations.
What battery incentives are available in San Diego?
The largest is San Diego Community Power’s Solar Battery Savings program. If Community Power is your electricity provider, it pays an upfront rebate of $350 per kWh of usable battery capacity on a new solar and battery system, or $250 per kWh when you add a battery to existing solar, with higher amounts for CARE and FERA customers. You also earn $0.10 per kWh when your battery discharges on weekdays between 4 and 9 p.m. You must stay enrolled for at least five years to keep the full rebate.
Two things changed in 2026. The 30% federal tax credit for homeowner-owned systems (Section 25D) ended on December 31, 2025, and California’s standard SGIP battery rebate is closed in SDG&E territory. A federal credit can still lower your cost through a lease, power purchase agreement or prepaid energy services agreement, where the financing company claims the credit and passes the savings to you. Your free quote shows exactly which programs you qualify for. Learn more in Tesla Powerwall 3 rebates in 2026.
Can I add a battery to my existing solar system?
Yes. Most existing solar systems can add a battery, including systems another company installed. We review your inverter, panel output and electrical service, then recommend a battery that works with what you have. Existing solar owners who are Community Power customers also qualify for the Solar Battery Savings rebate.
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