In this newsletter:
  • SJCE True-up Starts in April
  • The Delayed NEM 3.0 Decision – What You Need to Know
  • Getting the Most Value from Your Panels under Time-of-Use Rate Plans
  • Battery Storage + Your Solar System Can Help Keep the Power On
  • Important NEM Program Resources 
SJCE True-up Starts in April
SJCE solar customers have two true-up dates – one with SJCE for electric generation, and one with PG&E for electric delivery. You have always paid for generation and delivery; customers are not being double charged.

If you have been enrolled in SJCE’s Net Energy Metering (NEM) program for 10 months or longer, your SJCE charges/credits will be trued-up in April. Please be aware that depending on when you enrolled with SJCE, you may see more than 12 months of SJCE true-up charges. For example, April 2022 will be the first SJCE true-up for customers who were enrolled in our NEM program between July 2020 and June 2021. These customers may see as many as 20 months of charges.

For more on our true-up process, please visit our Rooftop Solar page. In early March, we will mail all customers a letter with true-up reminders and billing options. Please keep an eye out for this. For questions about your account, please contact us at 833-432-2454 or email us at info@sanjosecleanenergy.org. 
The Delayed NEM 3.0 Decision – What You Need to Know 
SJCE and the City of San José see rooftop solar as an important tool that residents and commercial customers can use in the fight against climate change.

In December 2021, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) proposed a new set of rules — known as Net Energy Metering (NEM) 3.0 — for how PG&E and other investor-owned utilities (IOUs) must compensate rooftop solar customers for the energy their panels produce and how much they should pay to access the grid.

Overall, the proposed rules would drastically decrease compensation for energy exported to the grid and add new large IOU charges for rooftop solar customers. San José Clean Energy solar customers would be impacted by new NEM 3.0 IOU charges because they remain PG&E customers for electric delivery.

We are advocating for our current and future rooftop solar customers to the CPUC as an official party to their Net Energy Metering proceeding. We filed comments in January opposing the proposed changes that would reduce rooftop solar adoption in San José. In early February, the CPUC postponed their vote on the proposed NEM 3.0 rules after hearing from customers like you. The CPUC is currently re-evaluating their proposal. We will keep our customers updated on the final vote and adopted rules.

Learn more by reading our blog post. 
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Getting the Most Value from Your Panels under
Time-of-Use Rate Plans
California is in the process of transitioning all electric customers to time-of-use (TOU) rate plans, where the price of electricity differs according to the time of day. Peak periods with higher pricing are typically 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., with all other times being lower-priced off-peak periods. Most rooftop solar customers began to be transitioned to TOU rate plans in April 2021 during their PG&E true-up month and will continue to be transitioned through early 2022.

You can save money on TOU rates by:

  • Maximizing your exports to the grid during peak hours (4 p.m.-9 p.m.) by saving energy or discharging your home energy storage system if you have one
  • Drawing from the grid during off-peak hours by using large appliances or charging your electric vehicle (if you have one)

Time-of-Use (TOU) rate plans help ensure greater grid reliability, fight climate change, and support a cleaner and healthier energy future. Learn more and find energy saving tips on our TOU webpage.
Battery Storage + Your Solar System
Can Help Keep the Power On
During power outages, your solar panels do not power your home for safety reasons. But there is a solution: battery storage. If you are interested in learning more information about installing battery storage, Bay Area SunShares has an array of resources. Their videos and articles will provide you with a clear understanding of how the process works, how it connects to the grid, the available battery options, and how to obtain referrals to vetted contractors.

Solar customers can get the most of out their investment by installing batteries and following time-of-use (TOU) rate price signals.

Visit Bay Area SunShares to learn more and sign up for notifications about future discounts, events, and educational opportunities in 2022. 
Important NEM Program Resources
We understand that Net Energy Metering (NEM) programs can be technical and confusing – we’re here to help simplify and sort it out.

Our Net Energy Metering Program 101 video provides an overview of the NEM program, including how it works, credits, charges, and more. You can also view a recorded webinar that provides an in-depth overview detailing SJCE’s NEM program.

Visit our rooftop solar page to learn about NEM program benefits, how it works, the annual true-up process, billing options, and our terms and conditions. We also have a bill explainer that explains each item line by line. As always, you can reach out to us directly at 833-432-2454 or info@sanjosecleanenergy.org for any questions.
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