Utilizing your solar + storage system to save money
The rules have changed—and if you're not using your solar power wisely, you could be leaving money on the table. As utility rate structures continue to shift—especially with the rollout of Net Billing Tariffs (NBT)—many solar homeowners are discovering that old assumptions about savings no longer apply. Simply having solar on your roof isn’t enough to maximize your investment. With reduced compensation for excess energy sent back to the grid, the game has changed. Now, it's all about using your solar power wisely—and that means changing some habits.
When your home is equipped with both solar panels and energy storage, you have three potential sources powering your daily life: your utility provider, the solar energy your system generates, and the electricity stored in your battery. Your system produces the most energy during the day, typically between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. During those hours, your solar energy directly powers your home—running appliances like your fridge, well pump, EV charger, and air conditioning—while also charging your battery for use later in the day.
But here’s the catch: once your battery is full and your home’s energy needs are low, any extra solar energy is exported back to the grid. Under NBT and similar rate structures, the credit you receive for that exported energy is minimal. In many cases, it's worth far less than the value of using that power yourself.
The solution? Shift your energy habits to use more of your solar production when it’s available. By aligning your energy use with your system’s peak generation hours, you keep more clean energy in your home—and more money in your pocket.
Here are some smart ways to make the most of your solar and battery storage system:
Understand How Your System Works
Before you can make the most of your solar and battery system, it’s important to understand how energy flows through your home. You’re pulling electricity from three sources: your solar panels, your battery, and the utility grid. Your system also includes monitoring tools—accessible via desktop or app—that allow you to track your real-time production and usage. These insights are key to identifying patterns and making smarter energy decisions. Want to learn more about how your system works, check out our recent blog “Solar 101”
Watch for 100% Battery Charge
Your battery plays a critical role in maximizing your solar investment. Once it hits 100% state of charge, any extra solar energy your system generates will be exported back to the grid—often for minimal financial return.
By paying attention to your monitoring app, you’ll start to notice when your battery fills up. In winter, this might happen around 3–4 p.m. In the summer, it could be as early as noon. That’s your golden window to shift your energy use and keep more solar energy in your home.
Use Energy When the Sun’s Out
The most affordable energy you can use in your home is the energy you’re producing yourself. If your system is sending excess power back to the utility during the day—only for you to buy it back later at a higher rate—you may be able to shift your habits and keep more of that energy working for you.
Once your battery reaches 100% state of charge, any additional solar energy your system produces will be exported to the grid, often with little financial benefit. That’s your signal to put your solar power to work. This is the ideal time to take advantage of the solar energy you are producing.
It’s a great time to:
Charge your electrical vehicle
Run Laundry and dishwasher
Pre-emptively cool your home down
By adjusting your energy use to align with this midday window—after your battery is full—you reduce your dependence on expensive utility power later in the day and make the most of your clean energy investment.
Avoid Utility Power During Peak Hours
Once the sun goes down, you’re no longer generating energy—and that’s when utility companies often charge their highest rates. This is the time to rely on your stored battery power and conserve where you can.
To stretch your stored energy through the night:
Delay doing laundry or using your dishwasher
Turn off or reduce air conditioner use
Unplug/avoid charging your EV until the next day
Small changes in nighttime behavior can make a big difference in how long your battery lasts—and how much you pay to the utility.
Could a Smart Panel Boost Your Savings?
Alongside your solar panels and battery storage, adding a smart panel to your system may offer significant benefits. This technology helps manage and prioritize your home’s electricity use in real time, directing power to where it’s needed most—whether that’s running key appliances, charging your electric vehicle, or storing energy for later. By intelligently balancing solar production, battery charge, and utility usage, a smart panel can help reduce excess energy sent back to the grid and minimize expensive utility power consumption during peak hours. Integrating a smart panel can make your system more efficient and responsive to changing energy needs and utility rates, potentially increasing your savings. At Cal-Solar, we can assess whether a smart panel is a good fit for your home’s solar and storage setup. Check out our recent blog on “Smart Panels” Interested in learning if a smart panel could enhance your system? Let’s chat about your home’s energy needs and see if a smart panel is right for you!
Real Life Examples
Example #1
At 1 p.m. on a spring day, this system has produced enough solar energy to charge the batteries up to 100%. The solar energy (15.2 kW) is now powering the home loads (2.4 kW) and the excess is being sent back to the utility grid (12.8 kW).
In order to save money and limit export to the utility, this customer might consider taking care of some energy-intensive tasks now, before the sun sets and we move into the utility’s peak (expensive) hours.
Example #2
In the following example, the customer decided to charge their electric vehicle at the end of the day. This depleted their battery bank (bottom green) which left them reliant on the utility grid to supply energy throughout the rest of the night.
As you can see, they exported a whole bunch of free energy to the utility grid (purple below the mid line), then later imported expensive utility power (purple above the mid line) to supplement their evening usage.
After making some adjustments to charge their electric vehicle earlier in the day, they allowed themselves to end the solar production time frame with a full battery, giving them a much better chance to avoid importing power from the utility.
Get More from Your Solar System with Cal-Solar Support
Every home is unique, but one thing is clear—homeowners who actively monitor and adjust their energy habits consistently get more from their solar and storage systems. Simple actions like checking your monitoring app, running high-energy appliances once your battery is full, and staying aware of seasonal production changes can make a big difference. With just a few habit shifts, you can unlock the full value of your solar power, lower your utility bills, and move closer to true energy independence. At Cal-Solar, we don’t just install systems—we empower you with the tools, knowledge, and support to make them work smarter for your home. Ready to get the most from your solar investment? Let’s chat and create a plan tailored to your energy needs.
