What is a time-of-use rate?
A time-of-use rate charges different prices at different hours. In the modeled rates on this page, electricity is cheaper in low-demand periods and more expensive during the evening peak window.
Do solar batteries save money?
Solar batteries can save money when your evening import price is higher than the value of exporting solar earlier in the day. They store low-value midday solar and use it later to avoid buying peak electricity. On flat or full-retail-credit rates, a battery is usually more about backup and control.
What happens under NEM 3.0?
Under California net billing, exported solar is often credited below the retail import price. That makes self-consuming stored solar in the evening more valuable than exporting excess solar cheaply at midday. The exact result depends on utility rate, export credits, usage shape, system size, and battery settings.
Can I add a battery to existing solar?
Often, yes. The right design depends on your inverter, electrical panel, available wall space, utility approval, and whether you want backup for selected circuits or a broader home backup design.
How long do solar batteries last?
A home battery is designed for daily cycling over a long service life, but the practical answer is in the warranty: term, energy throughput, retained capacity, chemistry, and installation conditions all matter.
When is electricity cheapest?
In this rate bundle, the cheapest import periods are overnight, midday, or both depending on the utility and season. The page model uses the selected rate periods directly, so the figures change when the utility or season changes.
What are peak electricity hours?
Peak electricity hours are the expensive windows when demand is high and solar production is falling. In the modeled California rates, that peak window is 4 PM to 9 PM. APS uses a shorter summer peak and a different winter peak in this bundle.