SDG&E Gave You a $49 Climate Credit Here's How San Diego Homeowners Save Far More Every Month
SDG&E Gave You a $49 Climate Credit
Here's How San Diego Homeowners Save Far More Every Month
San Diego Gas & Electric residential customers received California Climate Credits of $49.36 on their August bill and another $49.36 on their September bill this year. Natural gas customers also received a separate $32.58 credit in April 2026. The credit comes from California's Cap-and-Invest program, which requires large greenhouse gas emitters to pay for carbon pollution. The money is returned to eligible households automatically, with no action required, and the amount is not related to how much energy you use. Starting in 2026, electric credits were moved from spring and fall to August and September so they arrive when summer bills are typically highest.
Why the credit only goes so far in San Diego
San Diego households pay some of the highest electricity rates in the country. According to the CPUC's Public Advocates Office, SDG&E's average residential rate was about 45.5 cents per kilowatt-hour in June 2026, the highest of California's three large investor-owned utilities. That rate is up 97 percent over the past 10 years and 42 percent over the last five. At those prices, two credits totaling about $99 can disappear quickly. A home running air conditioning through a warm San Diego summer can spend that much in a matter of days during peak hours. And because the credit is a fixed amount, it does not grow with your bill.
Ongoing savings instead of one-time relief
A rooftop solar and battery system works differently. San Diego's abundant sunshine makes it one of the best places in the state to produce your own power. Solar panels generate electricity throughout the day, and a battery stores it for the evening hours when SDG&E's time-of-use prices are highest. That reduces how much expensive grid power you buy every month, not just twice a year. The value grows as rates rise, because every kilowatt-hour your system produces is one you do not have to buy at SDG&E's prices. A battery also keeps essential loads running during outages, including public safety power shutoffs during high fire-risk conditions.
No purchase required
Through third-party ownership programs, qualifying homeowners can get solar and battery storage installed without buying or financing equipment. The provider owns and maintains the system, and the homeowner pays for the energy or service, often at a rate designed to come in below current utility rates. The climate credit is a nice surprise on your bill. Lower bills every month are better. If you are an SDG&E customer, find out whether your home qualifies.
To find out if your home qualifies for a TPO solar and battery program, visit myhomesolution.org/california_public_utility_commissions
