Are high evening power prices cutting into your coastal lifestyle? If you live in SDG&E‑served San Clemente, you feel the pinch most when the sun is down and rates are up. You also care how a solar and battery system looks on a beautiful tile roof and what it does for long‑term value. In this guide, you’ll learn how batteries change when and how you pay for electricity, how to plan for outages, and how to tailor a clean, high‑performing design to SDG&E’s rules and your home’s unique load shape. Let’s dive in.
Why SDG&E TOU drives your design
TOU basics you should know
San Diego Gas & Electric bills most residential customers on time‑of‑use schedules. Prices are typically highest in late afternoon and evening when solar production drops and demand rises. Batteries can charge when rates are low or from your midday solar, then discharge during peak hours to avoid expensive grid power.
Your savings depend on your specific SDG&E tariff. Different TOU bands and special EV plans change what each battery kilowatt‑hour is worth. Before sizing anything, confirm your current SDG&E rate schedule and its posted TOU periods and prices.
NEM 3.0 favors self‑consumption
California’s successor to net energy metering, often called NEM 3.0, reduced export compensation compared with legacy NEM. Lower export credits make it more valuable to store your midday solar and use it in the evening rather than export it. For SDG&E customers, pairing a battery with PV often improves bill savings because you keep more of your own energy when it is worth the most.
Incentives influence ROI
The Federal Residential Clean Energy Credit is available for qualifying residential solar and for battery storage that is charged by your solar array, subject to current IRS guidance. California’s Self‑Generation Incentive Program can offer rebates for certain storage systems, with availability that changes over time. Always verify current eligibility and program status before you rely on any incentives in your payback math.
How batteries save you money
Time‑shift arbitrage
Batteries let you charge when electricity is cheap or free from your PV and then discharge during on‑peak hours. The dollar value per discharged kilowatt‑hour is roughly the difference between the on‑peak price you avoided and the effective cost of charging. Larger price spreads increase value.
Self‑consumption beats low exports
Under lower export credits, each kilowatt‑hour you avoid exporting by storing and using later is often more valuable than a credit from the grid. In SDG&E territory, this is a primary driver of battery economics.
What shapes savings in San Clemente
- TOU spread: Bigger gaps between midday and evening rates boost battery value.
- Your load shape: Homes with heavy evening use for cooking, HVAC, or EV charging benefit more than homes with daytime loads.
- Solar profile: Coastal San Clemente sees strong midday production, with marine layer often reducing mornings. That midday strength helps charge batteries consistently.
- Tariff details: The residential plan you select will change the marginal value of each stored kilowatt‑hour.
Model your home like a pro
Use a full year of data
Pull 12 months of interval usage from your SDG&E account or Green Button. This captures seasonal changes and weekday versus weekend patterns. Then model solar production for your roof using a reputable tool and overlay SDG&E’s TOU prices. This simulation shows what your bill could look like with different battery sizes and strategies.
Account for real‑world performance
Include round‑trip efficiency and expected battery degradation over the warranty period. If you want backup, set a state‑of‑charge reserve in your model. Energy held in reserve improves outage readiness but reduces what is available for bill savings.
Check interconnection and permits
You will need SDG&E interconnection approval for PV and storage, plus city permits. The utility reviews export controls and safety settings. The City of San Clemente enforces building and electrical codes, and certain battery enclosures require specific clearances and access. Common delays come from incomplete interconnection paperwork, so build time for approvals into your plan.
Plan for outages without overbuying
Whole‑home vs critical‑load backup
- Whole‑home backup powers everything. It feels seamless but usually needs more battery capacity and inverter power. Costs and footprint are higher.
- Critical‑load backup isolates a smaller subpanel with essentials like refrigeration, a few lights, networking, and any medically necessary equipment. It is simpler to size and more likely to cover longer outages at a lower cost.
Many homeowners find a critical‑load approach delivers strong peace of mind at a moderate cost. If you want your entire home to operate as usual or experience frequent long outages, whole‑home backup can be attractive.
Size for realistic runtimes
Battery capacity and your backup load determine how long you can run. Start by listing your critical circuits, estimate their steady power and daily energy, then choose battery capacity to meet your target hours or days of autonomy. Remember that larger systems may trigger different permitting needs and require additional space.
Set a smart reserve
Most systems allow you to reserve a percentage of the battery for outages. A higher reserve improves readiness but reduces savings from TOU shifting. Pick a reserve that reflects your risk tolerance and update it seasonally if needed.
Design around your lifestyle
EV charging and smart loads
EV charging can be the largest evening load in a home. If you can shift charging to midday when your solar is strong, you may reduce the battery size you need. Smart thermostats, water heaters, and load‑shiftable appliances can flatten evening peaks so smaller batteries deliver similar savings.
Sizing rules of thumb
- If evening TOU avoidance is the main goal, consider sizing the battery to cover your average 3 to 5 hours of evening load rather than the entire day’s energy.
- If resilience is central, size to cover your critical circuits for the likely outage duration, then accept that a larger reserve will reduce arbitrage savings.
- For PV, slightly oversizing relative to daytime load can help ensure full battery charge by late afternoon. Pair extra generation with adequate storage to avoid excessive midday exports.
Plan for San Clemente’s sun
Orientation and tilt matter with morning marine layer common along the coast. Strong midday sun is the sweet spot for charging. A layout that maximizes clear midday production can improve both savings and backup readiness.
Aesthetics, HOA, and siting
Keep the roofline clean
San Clemente homes often feature visible rooflines and tile roofs. Low‑profile, black‑on‑black panels with integrated rails help the array read as a single, clean plane. Group panels in tidy rectangles and avoid scattering where possible. On tile, specialized hooks and flashings protect waterproofing and preserve curb appeal.
Coordinate with HOA and city early
California law limits HOA restrictions on solar, but associations can set reasonable aesthetic guidelines. Review your CC&Rs and speak with the City of San Clemente planning department about any design review or historic considerations. Photo simulations help conversations go smoothly and reduce surprises.
Place batteries thoughtfully
Wall‑mounted batteries often live in a garage, on a side elevation, or in a screened enclosure. Choose locations that minimize visible conduit. If allowed by code, match equipment color to your exterior and use landscaping or architectural screens that keep required clearances and access.
Two quick scenarios
EV commuter household
You work standard hours, run HVAC in the evening, and charge an EV at night. Your load spikes during SDG&E’s on‑peak window. A mid‑size battery that discharges through the evening can reduce your highest‑cost kilowatt‑hours. If you shift some EV charging to midday, you may manage with a smaller battery or improve savings with the same size.
Low evening load homeowner
You have modest nighttime use and limited HVAC needs. Most of your consumption is during daylight. A smaller battery that focuses on maximizing self‑consumption may deliver solid returns, since the main benefit is avoiding low‑value exports rather than covering a big evening spike.
Your step‑by‑step plan
- Gather data
- Download 12 months of interval usage from SDG&E.
- Confirm your current tariff, TOU windows, and posted prices.
- Define goals
- Rank what matters most: bill savings, outage backup, or aesthetics.
- Decide whether you want whole‑home or critical‑load backup.
- Model PV and storage
- Use reputable production modeling for your roof.
- Simulate at least three dispatch strategies: savings‑optimized, resilience‑first, and hybrid with a set reserve.
- Compare proposals
- Request at least two PV plus storage bids with modeled bill impacts.
- Ask for a layout mockup, equipment spec sheets, and warranty details including cycle life and capacity retention.
- Plan permitting and interconnection
- Build time for SDG&E interconnection review and city permits.
- Confirm automatic transfer capability and certified islanding for backup systems.
- Optimize after commissioning
- Set a reasonable battery reserve for outages.
- Use smart scheduling for EV charging and appliances.
- Revisit settings seasonally and after any tariff change.
The bottom line for San Clemente
Batteries in SDG&E territory are most valuable when they shift midday solar into the evening and increase self‑consumption under lower export credits. The right design depends on your actual load shape, your specific SDG&E tariff, and how you value outage resilience versus bill savings. With thoughtful modeling and attention to aesthetics and approvals, you can add a clean, modern system that supports your lifestyle and long‑term value.
If you are weighing solar and storage as part of a renovation, a future sale, or a long‑term hold, our local perspective can help you balance ROI, design, and buyer appeal. Ready to talk through options for your San Clemente property? Connect with Unknown Company to get market‑smart guidance and Get Your Instant Home Valuation.
FAQs
How SDG&E’s TOU affects battery savings
- Your savings come from avoiding high‑priced evening kilowatt‑hours and using stored solar instead of exporting at lower credits. The exact value depends on your tariff and load shape.
What NEM 3.0 means for solar exports
- Lower export credits make it more beneficial to store midday solar and use it later. Pairing batteries with PV often improves bill savings in SDG&E territory.
How to choose between whole‑home and critical backup
- If outages are rare and cost is a priority, critical‑load backup usually makes sense. If you want seamless operation for the whole house, plan for larger storage or a generator supplement.
What battery size fits a typical San Clemente home
- There is no single answer. Many homes choose 10 to 20 kWh for several hours of evening coverage for essential loads. Whole‑home backup often requires more capacity.
What permits and approvals are required
- You need SDG&E interconnection approval and City of San Clemente permits. Plan for utility review of safety settings and for any local siting clearances for batteries.
What maintenance to expect over time
- Batteries slowly degrade. Most warranties guarantee a certain capacity over about 10 years or a set number of cycles. Keep software current and test backup functions periodically.
