SAN FRANCISCO · CALIFORNIA

SF RENTERS: HERE'S WHERE CALIFORNIA'S SOLAR BILL ACTUALLY STANDS.

ADVANCING - APPROPRIATIONS

$0.314Approx. CA average rate - verify your PG&E or CleanPowerSF bill1,200WProposed max if passedAugust 2026Next hearing

YOUR LOCAL UTILITY

PG&E + CLEANPOWERSF.

San Francisco is served by PG&E (Pacific Gas & Electric) for most residential customers, plus CleanPowerSF as a community choice aggregation option for the electricity generation portion of your bill. PG&E still handles transmission, distribution, and billing.

Confirm before you commitBalcony solar is not legal in California today. SB 868 is still in Assembly Appropriations, with a hearing expected in August 2026. Treat the kit recommendation below as planning information, not a current option.

IF SB 868 PASSES

SOL COUNTRY'S SF KIT RECOMMENDATION.

San Francisco's housing stock includes many older buildings with limited or no balcony access - community solar and CleanPowerSF's existing programs may be the more realistic near-term option for many SF renters regardless of SB 868's outcome.

IF SB 868 PASSES, WE'D RECOMMEND

A 395W kit is the realistic starting point for most SF balconies - fog, foggy mornings, and partial shading from neighboring buildings reduce output meaningfully. Confirm this isn't legal yet - this is planning information, not a current option.

395W

~$54/yr · IF passed

800W

~$110/yr · IF passed

1,200W

~$165/yr · bill's max · IF passed

Savings are projected, not current. They assume SB 868 passes as currently written and apply California's average residential rate; your specific utility may run higher or lower.

AVAILABLE NOW, REGARDLESS

YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE LEGISLATURE.

CleanPowerSF already gives most SF residents a greener generation mix without any equipment. PG&E community solar programs are also available. Both work today, no legislation required.

COMMUNITY SOLAR

California has multiple established community solar and Community Solar Green Tariff programs. At $0.314/kWh average, even a modest discount is real money.

Explore →

CARE / FERA

California's CARE and FERA programs provide automatic bill discounts for qualifying households - independent of SB 868.

Learn more →

BATTERY (SGIP)

California's Self-Generation Incentive Program pays $200+/kWh for qualifying battery installations.

Explore →

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