Solar for San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) Customers: Net Metering and Export Credits
How your utility credits the solar power you send back to the grid has a big effect on what solar is worth to you. Here's what official sources say for San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) customers. Rules change, so confirm current terms with the utility before you sign.
About San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E)
The U.S. Energy Information Administration's Form EIA-861 data for 2024 lists 1,364,361 residential customers for San Diego Gas & Electric Co (California), ranking #23 among U.S. utilities in our tally of bundled plus delivery-only residential customers. Source: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
How San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) credits home solar
- SDG&E's Solar Billing Plan uses time-of-use pricing. You get bill credits for surplus energy you export, valued by the hour it's sent to the grid. If a Community Choice Aggregator buys your electricity, SDG&E says to contact the CCA about import and export pricing. Source: https://www.sdge.com/solar/solar-billing-plan (accessed 2026-10-20)
A note on the federal tax credit
The federal residential clean energy credit (25D) doesn't apply to expenditures made after December 31, 2025. The IRS treats an expenditure as made when installation is completed. Source: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/faqs-for-modification-of-sections-25c-25d-25e-30c-30d-45l-45w-and-179d-under-public-law-119-21-139-stat-72-july-4-2025-commonly-known-as-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-obbb (accessed 2026-10-20). This page isn't tax advice.
What this means for your quote
Savings depend on how much of your solar you use on site versus export, your rate plan, and your system size. We can't give a typical savings figure; it varies, and your quote should show the assumptions behind any estimate.
Questions for your installer
- Which hourly export credit values does your estimate use?
- Am I served by a CCA, and how does that change my credits?
- Will you handle the San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) interconnection application?
Sources
- https://www.sdge.com/solar/solar-billing-plan (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 (2024 data) — https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia861/ (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
- IRS, "FAQs for modification of sections 25C, 25D, 25E, 30C, 30D, 45L, 45W, and 179D under Public Law 119-21 (OBBB)" — https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/faqs-for-modification-of-sections-25c-25d-25e-30c-30d-45l-45w-and-179d-under-public-law-119-21-139-stat-72-july-4-2025-commonly-known-as-the-one-big-beautiful-bill-obbb (accessed Oct 20, 2026)
SolarMatchup is a free service: you submit one request and we match you with one installer. Their proposal is an estimate, not a guarantee — use this guide to read it carefully and ask questions before you sign. Savings, if any, depend on your usage, utility rates, and local rules.
Last reviewed 2026-10-20.
More for California homeowners: state guide with utility rules, prices and city pages.
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