PG&E NEM 3.0 Export Rates in 2026
What PG&E actually pays you for solar exports under the Solar Billing Plan, how the ACC Plus adder works, and why the time of day you export matters more than total kWh.
“NEM 3.0” is the common name. The official program is the Solar Billing Plan (SBP), also called the Net Billing Tariff (NBT).
Last updated: April 2026
How PG&E Calculates Your Export Credit
Under the Solar Billing Plan, every kWh you export to the grid is credited at PG&E's Avoided Cost Calculator (ACC) value for the specific hour you export it. The ACC reflects what PG&E would otherwise pay on the wholesale market for that energy — including generation, transmission, capacity, and a small environmental adder.
Eligible customers also receive an ACC Plus bonus on top of the base ACC value. ACC Plus is paid for 9 years from your Permission to Operate (PTO) date. The adder amount steps down each program year, so interconnecting earlier locks in a better rate for the full 9-year window.
2026 ACC Plus Adder (per kWh exported)
| Customer category | Adder rate | Lock-in period |
|---|---|---|
| Standard residential | $0.0088/kWh | 9 years from PTO |
| CARE / FERA | $0.036/kWh | 9 years from PTO |
Source: PG&E Solar Billing Plan tariff schedules. ACC Plus is closed to new code-required solar (new construction). The program ends to all new interconnections at the end of 2027.
Time-of-Export Matters More Than Total kWh
Spring midday: $0.02–$0.05/kWh
California has surplus solar generation in March, April, and May. Export prices during these months at midday can drop near zero — sometimes called the “solar duck curve.” A kWh you export at noon in April is worth roughly 1/10 of a kWh you export at 6 PM in August.
Summer evening peak: $0.50–$2.00+/kWh
The 4–9 PM window in June–September is when grid demand is highest and wholesale prices spike. A battery that discharges into the grid during these hours can earn 10–40× the value of a midday-only solar export.
Winter mornings: $0.10–$0.15/kWh
Cold winter mornings (December–February, 6–9 AM) when heat pumps and water heaters ramp up offer modest export value — though most solar systems produce little during these hours.
Annual blended average: $0.05–$0.07/kWh
For a typical solar-only system that exports across all hours, the annual blended export credit lands around $0.05–$0.07/kWh including the ACC Plus adder. With a battery used for time-shifting, the effective value can rise to $0.15–$0.30/kWh by exporting more during peak hours.
NEM 2.0 vs Solar Billing Plan: Side by Side
| Feature | NEM 2.0 (closed) | Solar Billing Plan (current) |
|---|---|---|
| Export credit basis | Retail rate (~$0.40/kWh) | Avoided Cost Calculator (~$0.04–$0.09/kWh) |
| Time-varying? | No (volumetric only) | Yes (hourly) |
| Bonus adder | None | ACC Plus, locked 9 years |
| Best system design | Maximize total kWh | Maximize self-consumption + battery |
| Typical payback | 5–7 years | 6–10 years (without battery), 7–11 years (with battery) |
Source: CPUC Decision 22-12-056 (Net Billing Tariff). NEM 2.0 closed to new applicants April 14, 2023. Existing NEM 2.0 customers retain their original tariff for 20 years from their PTO date.
What This Means for System Design
Right-size the solar array, not oversize it
Under NEM 2.0, oversizing solar to bank credits at retail rates was a sound strategy. Under the Solar Billing Plan, exports earn pennies on the dollar — so installing 12 kW when you actually use 6 kW is mostly a gift to PG&E's wholesale market. Match system size to your real consumption (after any planned electrification), then add a battery if you want to capture more value.
Battery storage is the leverage point
A battery lets you store cheap midday solar and either consume it during 4–9 PM peak hours (avoiding $0.50+/kWh import rates) or export it during peak (earning $0.50–$2.00/kWh credit). Batteries are no longer optional for maximum savings under the Solar Billing Plan — for many homes they shift payback from break-even to genuinely profitable.
Interconnect before end of 2027 to lock ACC Plus
The ACC Plus adder is the only piece of the export credit that's guaranteed for 9 years. The base ACC values can change year to year as wholesale market conditions shift. If you're considering solar, getting your Permission to Operate before end of 2027 locks in the highest available adder for nearly a decade.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average PG&E NEM 3.0 export rate in 2026?
Under the Solar Billing Plan (the official name for "NEM 3.0"), export credits are time-varying and average about $0.04–$0.09/kWh during midday solar production, with brief evening peaks (4–9 PM) that can exceed $1.00/kWh on extreme summer days. The blended annual export value for a typical residential solar system without a battery is roughly $0.05–$0.07/kWh — far below the $0.35–$0.55/kWh retail rate you pay for grid electricity.
What is the ACC Plus adder and how much does it pay?
The Avoided Cost Calculator Plus (ACC Plus) adder, also called the "Energy Export Bonus Credit," is an additional per-kWh credit on top of the standard Avoided Cost Calculator export rate. For 2026 interconnections, the standard adder is $0.0088/kWh; CARE/FERA customers receive $0.036/kWh. The adder is locked in for 9 years from your Permission to Operate date, but only if you interconnect before the program closes at the end of 2027.
How are PG&E export rates different from NEM 2.0?
Under the old NEM 2.0 program (which closed to new applicants on April 14, 2023), exported solar was credited at near-retail rates, so a kWh sent to the grid offset a kWh imported. Under the Solar Billing Plan, export credits are time-varying and roughly 75% lower than NEM 2.0 in most hours. This means self-consumption — using your solar directly or storing it in a battery — is now the most valuable use of your solar production.
When are PG&E export rates highest?
The highest export credit values occur during summer evening peak hours (4–9 PM, June–September) when grid demand is highest and wholesale prices spike. On extreme heat days, hourly export values can exceed $2.00/kWh. The lowest export values are during spring midday (March–May) when there is abundant solar generation across California and grid demand is low — sometimes below $0.02/kWh.
How does the Solar Billing Plan true-up work?
PG&E sends a monthly bill that nets your imports against your export credits. Excess credits roll over month to month at their dollar value (not kWh). After 12 months, PG&E performs an annual true-up: any remaining credit balance under $100 stays as a future bill credit, and amounts of $100 or more are paid out by check at the Net Surplus Compensation rate, typically 60–90 days after the true-up date.
Do CCAs like Ava Community Energy offer better export rates?
For most of California, no — but Berkeley and other Ava Community Energy service areas (Alameda County) get a meaningful bonus. Ava pays an additional $0.025/kWh on peak-hour exports (3–8 PM) for standard customers, or $0.01/kWh on all exports for CARE/FERA customers, on top of PG&E's ACC Plus credit. This bonus runs through 2029.
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Sources: PG&E Solar Billing Plan; CPUC Net Billing Tariff (Decision 22-12-056); Ava Community Energy SBP.