Solar Billing Program and Rate Info
Start here to understand what this program is, who it's for, and what it offers at a high level.
Net-billing is the ability for you as a solar customer to receive credit for any solar energy that your system sends to grid. The credit is given a different value per kilo-watt hour, depending on the time of day and season it is sent to the grid. It is worth more during peak hours during the summer, and less during off-peak hours. This credit is applied to your monthly bill, and can be carried over to offset future bills, if there is any extra credit.
For all new systems that have permit applications after January 1, 2026, your solar system's annual energy output cannot exceed 150% of your previous 12-month energy usage. Systems 10kW CEC-AC and under will be exempt from sizing review. With new construction, an estimate may be provided for annual energy use that will be provided by BWP staff. Otherwise for new construction, the maximum solar system size may be calculated at 4 Watts DC per square foot of conditioned floor area of the building. Systems larger than 5,000 kW CEC-AC require special terms for interconnection
When your solar system has been tested and successfully connected to BWP's electric grid by our field crews, your energy production will begin to be tracked by BWP and will appear on your next bill.
This program will allow customers to size systems up to 150% of their historical energy use, so customers should be able to generate enough electricity to cover their energy needs, and more, which could include future electric upgrades. In some cases, customer roof space may limit their ability to install a system large enough to cover annual energy use.
Yes, even if your solar system produces enough energy to cover all of your consumption, there are fixed charges on your bill that are necessary to pay for utility costs such as poles, conductors, and administration. These charges will always exist as long as you are connected to BWP's electric grid. Please click here for a detailed explanation.
Yes, as an existing solar customer, you will be grandfathered into your existing NEM 1.0 rate structure. This does not exclude you from rate increases, but it will exclude you from moving to the solar net billing rate and program. Your grandfathering period will be 20 years from the launch day of the new Solar Net Billing program on January 1, 2026.
As long as a customer has applied for a permit before January 1, 2026, when the new program goes live, then the customer will be grandfathered into the NEM 1.0 rate.
Changes in property ownership to someone outside of the immediate family or upgrades to the system end grandfathering eligibility. Upgrades to the system means adding solar panels that would increase the system size, not routine maintenance. Replacing an existing panel with a panel of the same wattage, or replacing any broken parts like an inverter would not end grandfathering. Adding a battery storage system to an existing solar system does not end the grandfathering period. All systems’ grandfathering period will end on January 1st, 2046.
Installation and Inspections
What happens during and after installation, including permits, inspections, and approvals.
Yes. The BWP grid will continue to provide electricity to your home at night time or when your solar panels are not producing enough power because of inclement weather or higher energy demand.
Solar panels generally have a warranty of 20 years.
Aside from periodic washing and visual inspection of parts, a typical rooftop solar system does not require a lot of maintenance. Make sure to ask your contractor about the recommended maintenance procedures for the equipment installed at your house.
We often get questions about where to find reputable solar installers. BWP does not endorse any companies, however, below are some resources for informational purposes.
The Switch is On.
Yes, please click here for information on BWP's Battery Storage Rebate. While solar system adoption has increased, battery storage installations have not increased at the same pace. BWP would like to encourage battery storage installation as it can lead to more efficient use of solar energy, allowing customers to use solar energy during peak periods when the sun is setting and electricity is generally more expensive for BWP to purchase.
The CSRA is part of the California Civil Code (CA Civil Code 714) and was originally enacted in 1978 to bar restrictions by homeowner associations (HOAs) on the installation of solar systems. It protects you as a homeowner from being restricted from installing a solar system, and it restricts votes from the HOA from barring solar systems from being installed in common areas.
- In 2008, AB 2180 added that any HOA that is not a public entity that willfully violates the CSRA must pay the solar system owner a civil penalty not to exceed $1000 and that the approval or denial of the solar system must be made in writing within 60 days or the solar system will be deemed approved.
- In 2014, AB 2188 defined that HOAs are allowed to impose restrictions on solar systems as long as they are aesthetic restrictions don't add more than $1,000 to the cost to install or limit the system's efficiency by 10% or more.
- In 2017, AB 634 extended protection to solar system installations in common areas and limits HOAs from establishing a general policy prohibiting the installation or use of a rooftop solar system for household purposes on the roof of the building where the owner resides. It also prohibits the association from requiring a vote of homeowners to install a solar energy system, including systems installed for common areas. However, an association may impose reasonable provisions that restrict the installation of solar energy systems in common areas as those systems approved by the association.
The cost of a typical rooftop solar installation will vary depending on the roof, orientation, and technology installed. Residential solar systems installed in southern California in 2015-16 generally ranged from $4 to $7 per watt, before any tax credits or rebates. Systems installed since 2024 in the US generally ranged between $3 and $4 per watt, before any tax credits or rebates. This means an average solar system sized at 8 kilowatts would cost between $24,000 and $32,000.
Some big considerations that will impact your decision to install solar is roof orientation and cost of your average monthly bill. Generally, a gradually sloped shade-free roof facing south will be the most efficient at producing electricity. Lastly, it is generally most cost-effective to first improve a home's energy efficiency before installing a solar system. The more energy-efficient home will require a lower-cost solar system to meet its energy needs. Please visit our Home Improvement Program to review BWP's free energy efficiency services.
General Solar Questions
Answers covering how shade affects solar output, neighbor solar disputes, tax credit eligibility, and how BWP measures your system's generation.
BWP meters are highly accurate equipment designed specifically to track the flow of energy. These devices are more accurate than a typical monitoring system.
The escalation rate reflects the expected annual increase in average energy cost. BWP's projected escalation rate through 2023 is less than 1% per year.
Even small amounts of shade can cause a major interruption in a solar array. If only one cell in a module is shaded, you will likely see a 33% power reduction from that module. If a row of cells in one module is shaded, you could see a 99% power reduction. Additionally, every module wired in series in that string will see the same power reduction. For instance, if a chimney casts a shadow over one row of cells on the last module in a string of 13, you lose about 90% of the power to all 13 modules. Most experienced solar site assessors use the Solmetric SunEye or Solar Pathfinder tool to determine shading problems before designing a system or determining how large an array can be installed in a desired location. This assessment is required before an installer can properly and accurately determine the rebate, since the rebate is based on expected solar performance. Micro-Inverters (like Enphase and the SolarMagic Power Optimizer) can help minimize the power loss due to shading, but add extra expense to a system. Solar pros agree that every effort should be made to ensure all modules are shade-free between the hours of 9AM and 3PM. Remember that even shadows from power lines and bird droppings can cause a noticeable power reduction.
At this time there is no City of Burbank Ordinance to regulate shading of solar panels due to the actions of a neighbor. However, Senate Bill 1399, known as the Solar Shade Control Act was signed into California law on July 22, 2008. In order to protect a solar PV investment from being shaded in the future, the Solar Shade Control Act says that you must provide written notice by certified mail to owners of the affected property PRIOR to the solar PV installation. Trees and shrubs that are planted prior to the installation of the solar PV system, or trees and shrubs that are subject to a local ordinance, or the replacement of trees or shrubs that had to be removed for the protection of public health, safety, or the environment are exempt from this law.
Because tax situations vary among different customers and tax laws are subject to change, BWP does not give tax advice. The federal tax credit is no longer available for residential customers. However, leased systems may still be eligible for the federal tax credit. Please check with your tax advisor.
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