{"id":12436,"date":"2026-01-02T19:42:43","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T19:42:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/?p=12436"},"modified":"2026-01-14T16:47:41","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T16:47:41","slug":"what-california-homeowners-need-to-know-about-the-rsse-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/what-california-homeowners-need-to-know-about-the-rsse-program\/","title":{"rendered":"What California Homeowners Need to Know about the RSSE Program in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>With the 30% federal solar tax credit officially expired for customer-owned systems, many Californians are interested in other rebates and programs to help lower the cost of going solar. For those who qualify, the Residential Solar and Storage Equity (RSSE) program offers rebates that can cover up to 100% of the cost to install solar and battery storage.<\/p>\n<p>If you don&#8217;t qualify, solar.com recommends looking into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/prepaid-solar-leases-ppas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u201cprepaid\u201d third-party owned systems<\/a>, which are still eligible for a federal tax credit through 2027 and provide flexibility similar to owning the system outright.<\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s explore the RSSE program to see if this is a good fit for your home.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Jump ahead:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#what\">What is the RSSE rebate program?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#who\">Who is eligible?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#rebate\">RSSE rebate amounts<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#watch\">Things to watch out for<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<gs-injectable background = 'true' border='true' primary_color = '#8b72d3' secondary_color='#f98d7e' utm_campaign = 'get_started_injectable' utm_medium='SGIP RSSE' content_texts = 'true' upper_text='Explore your options for' upper_text_span = 'solar &amp; battery storage' lower_text='Find your best path to' lower_text_span = 'energy cost savings' get_started_text='Get started' only_community_solar='false'><\/gs-injectable>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong><a id=\"what\"><\/a>What is RSSE rebate program?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col text-sm pb-25\">\n<article class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [&amp;:has([data-writing-block])&gt;*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]\" dir=\"auto\" tabindex=\"-1\" data-turn-id=\"request-WEB:83feeb45-08e3-4139-bd01-c832f6cf8409-5\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-12\" data-scroll-anchor=\"true\" data-turn=\"assistant\">\n<div class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-10 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @w-sm\/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)\">\n<div class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group\/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\" tabindex=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col grow\">\n<div class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&amp;]:mt-1\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"b499a86b-546c-4071-be7c-f67346e32b9c\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-2\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[1px]\">\n<div class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full break-words light markdown-new-styling\">\n<p data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"634\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">The RSSE Rebate Program is a California incentive that helps make home battery systems more affordable for income-qualified households. The program offers higher rebates to reduce or eliminate the upfront cost of installing solar and battery storage, which can provide backup power during outages and help lower electricity bills.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"634\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">RSSE is part of California\u2019s Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) and focuses on improving access to clean energy for underserved communities. In many cases, homeowners do not need to own the system themselves, making it easier for families to benefit from reliable power without large upfront expenses.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"634\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<h2><strong><a id=\"who\"><\/a>Who is eligible for the RSSE program?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The RSSE program is available to California residential customers who meet income requirements or live in disadvantaged communities. Eligible households must be installing a home battery system at their primary residence and qualify under California\u2019s low-income or equity guidelines, such as CARE, FERA, or approved community-based criteria.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2245\" data-end=\"2285\">To qualify under RSSE, the project must:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"2288\" data-end=\"2344\">Include battery storage (solar may also be included)<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2347\" data-end=\"2405\">Meet SGIP equipment, sizing, and performance standards<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2408\" data-end=\"2470\">Be permanently installed and operate for at least 10 years<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2473\" data-end=\"2533\">Comply with SGIP rules on cycling, monitoring, and emissions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Importantly, customer ownership is not required for RSSE eligibility, which means <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/solar-lease\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">leases<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/power-purchase-agreement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Power Purchase Agreements<\/a>, and prepaid systems can qualify. However, the <em>system owner<\/em> is the one who receives the benefit.<\/p>\n<h3 data-start=\"905\" data-end=\"933\"><strong data-start=\"910\" data-end=\"933\">Single-family home RSSE eligibility<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"934\" data-end=\"995\">A household qualifies if <strong data-start=\"959\" data-end=\"969\">either<\/strong> of the following is true:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"998\" data-end=\"1111\">Household income is at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI), verified using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.huduser.gov\/portal\/datasets\/il.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HUD income guidelines<\/a>; <strong data-start=\"1105\" data-end=\"1111\">or<\/strong><\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1114\" data-end=\"1189\">The household already qualifies for an approved low-income program, such as:\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"1194\" data-end=\"1200\">CARE<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1205\" data-end=\"1211\">FERA<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1216\" data-end=\"1234\">SASH or DAC-SASH<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1239\" data-end=\"1270\">ESA (Energy Savings Assistance)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For example, a household of four in Riverside County could qualify by verifying an income at or below $72,000, <strong>or<\/strong> if they have already done so by enrolling in one of the programs listed above.<\/p>\n<h3>Multifamily home RSSE eligibility<\/h3>\n<p>A multifamily residential building can qualify for RSSE through the following pathways:<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 96px;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"height: 24px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%; height: 24px;\">Pathways<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%; height: 24px;\">Criteria 1<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%; height: 24px;\">Criteria 2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 24px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%; height: 24px;\">Pathway 1<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%; height: 24px;\">The building has at least 5 rental units operated to provide deed-restricted low-income housing, <strong>and<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%; height: 24px;\">Is located in a disadvantaged community specified by <a href=\"https:\/\/oehha.ca.gov\/calenviroscreen\/sb535\">CalEnviroScreen<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 24px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%; height: 24px;\">Pathway 2<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%; height: 24px;\">The building has at least 5 rental units operated to provide deed-restricted low-income housing, <strong>and<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%; height: 24px;\">Is a building where 80% of households have incomes at or below 60% of AMI via HUD income guidelines.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 24px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%; height: 24px;\">Pathway 3<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%; height: 24px;\">Have reserved funds in the MASH, or<br \/>\nSOMAH programs; or are enrolled in MASH<br \/>\nsuccessor tariffs<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 33.3333%; height: 24px;\">No second criteria required<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><strong><a id=\"rebate\"><\/a>RSSE rebate amounts<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The RSSE program can save homeowners $3.10 per Watt off solar and $1.10 per Watt-hour off batteries. In many instances, these rebates can fully pay for the system.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, an average-sized residential system with 7 kW solar and 10 kWh of battery storage would qualify for $21,700 for solar and $11,000 toward battery storage.<\/p>\n<p>There are some system requirements that can affect your rebate amount:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The system must be sized to the home&#8217;s actual electricity usage (no oversizing without justification).<\/li>\n<li>Batteries larger than 15 kWh for single-family homes must be justified by the home&#8217;s energy usage.<\/li>\n<li>The battery rebate can only be used in conjunction with solar; however, battery retrofits for existing solar may be eligible, provided they are sized to average evening electricity usage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong><a id=\"watch\"><\/a>Protect Yourself from Bad Actors <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Given the generous rebates available through the RSSE program, it\u2019s disappointing, but not surprising, that companies try and exploit the RSSE incentives through misleading marketing and advertising. Homeowners have reached out to solar.com Energy Advisors with pamphlets and mailers from other companies that <em>appear<\/em> to be coming directly from the utility, promoting RSSE.<\/p>\n<p>These homeowners are smart for checking with a third-party authority to gauge the validity of marketing. While the RSSE program is very real, its restrictions and rules are complex. Working with a trustworthy company\u2014and not one that lies about who they are\u2014is key to a successful project.<\/p>\n<p>Have questions about RSSE or want to check your eligibility? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/dashboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Schedule a time to meet with a solar.com Energy Advisor for a hassle-free consultation.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With the 30% federal solar tax credit officially expired for customer-owned systems, many Californians are interested in other rebates and programs to help lower the cost of going solar. For&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":51,"featured_media":12437,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[90,6],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v19.5 (Yoast SEO v19.10) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What California Homeowners Need to Know about the RSSE Program in 2026 | Solar.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn what the California RSSE program is, who qualifies, how rebates work, and how homeowners can lower the cost of solar and battery storage through SGIP equity incentives.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/what-california-homeowners-need-to-know-about-the-rsse-program\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What California Homeowners Need to Know about the RSSE Program in 2026\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn what the California RSSE program is, who qualifies, how rebates work, and how homeowners can lower the cost of solar and battery storage through SGIP equity incentives.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/what-california-homeowners-need-to-know-about-the-rsse-program\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Solar.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Solar.comOfficial\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-02T19:42:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-14T16:47:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/assets.solar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/California-RSSE-program.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sam Wigness\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@SamuelWigness\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sam Wigness\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/what-california-homeowners-need-to-know-about-the-rsse-program\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/what-california-homeowners-need-to-know-about-the-rsse-program\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Sam Wigness\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/#\/schema\/person\/b594f06d4c2b5e6a0e85af02b90fb883\"},\"headline\":\"What California Homeowners Need to Know about the RSSE Program in 2026\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-02T19:42:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-14T16:47:41+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/what-california-homeowners-need-to-know-about-the-rsse-program\/\"},\"wordCount\":851,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solar.com\/learn\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Solar Incentives by State\",\"Solar Rebates &amp; 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