Berkeley Solar Rebates & Incentives
Every federal, state, and local incentive available to Berkeley homeowners going solar in 2026.
Last updated: February 2026
Federal Tax Credit (30%) — Expired
The IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit (IRC §25D) provided a 30% tax credit for solar and battery installations. This credit was terminated by Congress effective December 31, 2025 and is no longer available for new installations.
Unused credit can be carried forward to future tax years. The credit applies to both solar panels and battery storage installed as part of a residential clean energy system.
Tax credit depends on your individual tax situation. Consult a tax professional for your specific eligibility.
SGIP Battery Rebate
California's Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) provides rebates for battery storage systems. PG&E states the General Market rebate “covers about 15 percent of the cost.” Income-qualified and resiliency categories can cover significantly higher amounts, potentially up to 100% of the system cost.
General Market
Covers approximately 15% of the cost of a qualifying battery storage system.
Income-Qualified
Significantly higher rebate amounts for eligible low-income households, potentially covering the full cost.
Resiliency
Enhanced rebates for customers in high fire-threat districts or who have experienced PSPS events.
Requirements: Solar customers must be on the Solar Billing Plan to qualify. CPUC requires enrollment in a qualified Demand Response program for eligible residential customers.
ACC Plus Export Adder
Also called the “Energy Export Bonus Credit,” the ACC Plus adder applies to residential PG&E customers who interconnect during the first five years of the Net Billing Tariff (2023–2027). The adder amount varies by interconnection year and steps down each year.
Once locked in at your Permission to Operate (PTO) date, the adder stays constant for 9 years. This provides long-term predictability for your solar export earnings. Code-required solar for new construction is excluded from the adder.
Interconnecting before the end of 2027 locks in a higher adder for 9 years from PTO. The adder steps down each year, so earlier interconnection means a higher locked-in rate.
Property Tax Exclusion
California provides an active solar energy system exclusion from property tax reassessment. This means installing solar panels will not increase your property taxes — the value added by the solar system is excluded from your property's assessed value.
This exclusion is currently set to sunset on January 1, 2027. Systems installed before this date qualify for the exclusion.
Source: CA Board of Equalization – Active Solar Energy System Exclusion
CARE/FERA Programs
CARE
California Alternate Rates for Energy provides a 30–35% discount on monthly electricity rates for qualifying low-income households.
FERA
Family Electric Rate Assistance provides an 18% discount on monthly electricity rates for qualifying households with 3 or more members.
Solar benefits: CARE and FERA customers unlock higher Ava Community Energy export bonuses and receive a larger ACC Plus adder, making solar even more valuable for income-qualified households.
DAC-SASH: No-Cost Solar
The Disadvantaged Communities – Single-family Affordable Solar Homes (DAC-SASH) program provides no-cost rooftop solar installations for income-qualified homeowners living in disadvantaged communities. The program is administered by GRID Alternatives.
If you qualify, GRID Alternatives will install a solar system on your home at no cost to you, helping reduce your electricity bills and providing clean energy access.
BayREN & HEEHRA
These electrification rebate programs are stackable with solar incentives and can help offset the cost of home energy upgrades.
BayREN
The Bay Area Regional Energy Network provides a rebate directory for Bay Area residents, covering a range of home electrification and efficiency upgrades that pair well with solar installations.
Source: BayREN
HEEHRA
The Home Efficiency & Electrification Rebate Act provides income-based rebates focused on heat pump HVAC systems and other electrification upgrades:
- • 80–150% AMI: Up to $4,000
- • Below 80% AMI: Up to $8,000
Source: CA Energy Commission – HEEHRA
Ava Community Energy Bonuses
Ava Community Energy provides additional export bonuses exclusively for Berkeley solar customers, on top of standard Solar Billing Plan credits. These bonuses are available for 5 years (2024–2029).
Non-CARE/FERA Customers
+$0.025/kWh bonus for solar exports during peak hours (3–8 PM). This stacks on top of PG&E export credits and the ACC Plus adder.
CARE/FERA Customers
+$0.01/kWh bonus on all solar exports (not limited to peak hours). Available for qualifying low-income households.
All Berkeley Solar Incentives at a Glance
| Incentive | Type | Value | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal ITC (IRC §25D) | Tax Credit | 30% of system cost | Expired Dec 31, 2025 |
| SGIP Battery Rebate | Rebate | ~15% (up to 100% income-qualified) | While funded |
| ACC Plus Export Adder | Export Credit | Varies by year, locked 9 yrs | Interconnect by 2027 |
| Property Tax Exclusion | Tax Exclusion | No property tax increase | Sunsets Jan 1, 2027 |
| CARE | Rate Discount | 30–35% bill discount | Income-qualified |
| FERA | Rate Discount | 18% bill discount | Income-qualified (3+ members) |
| DAC-SASH | Free Solar | No-cost installation | Income-qualified, DAC areas |
| BayREN | Rebate | Varies by upgrade | Bay Area residents |
| HEEHRA | Rebate | $4k–$8k by income | Income-based |
| Ava Export Bonuses | Export Credit | +$0.01–$0.025/kWh | 2024–2029, Berkeley only |
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