Understand batteries and backup power — before the next outage forces the decision.
Batteries are no longer a luxury upgrade. Under NEM 3.0 they can transform your solar savings — and during PSPS events, they keep your house running. Here's how to figure out if one is right for you.
Battery sales pitches rarely match your reality.
Most homeowners are pitched the same battery whether they have PG&E or SMUD, a 1,200 sq ft ranch or a 4,000 sq ft home, an EV or no EV. That's how people end up with too little capacity to make it through an outage — or too much capacity that never pays for itself.
NEM 3.0 changed the math. PSPS changed the stakes.
On PG&E, exporting solar to the grid pays a fraction of what it used to. Storing your own solar in a battery — and using it at night — is often where the real savings live. And in fire-season Sacramento, backup power has stopped feeling optional.
Four questions before you buy a battery.
A battery plan built around your house, not a catalog.
Battery Backup Buyer's Guide
A short, plain-English guide to choosing the right home battery in the Sacramento area — sizing, sticker price vs. true cost, NEM 3.0 vs. SMUD economics, and SGIP rebates.
- How to size a battery from your real usage
- Brand-agnostic comparison checklist
- NEM 3.0 vs. SMUD storage economics
- SGIP rebate eligibility cheat-sheet
Get a battery plan made for your house
Share your address, utility, and what you'd want to run during an outage. I'll come back with a clear plan.