Your solar is missing the most important piece.
You already have the solar. Now keep more of what it makes: store your daytime extra, use it during SMUD’s priciest hours, and keep your home running when the grid goes down.
SMUD incentives cover most of the cost of both batteries.
Where your solar goes today.
You already make the power. The problem is what happens to it.
You make more power than your home needs, so the extra is sold to the grid for pennies.
You get home and turn everything on, but your panels are done. So you buy that power back at peak price.
It’s your own power. You sell it for pennies at midday, then buy that same power back at expensive peak prices by dinner.
How batteries fix it.
Store your extra solar. Use it when it’s worth the most.
Your extra solar charges your batteries instead of going to the grid.
When rates peak, your home runs on the solar you already stored.
You come out ahead.
- Use your own solar
- Avoid peak prices
- Power through outages
$29,000 in Tesla batteries. Basically free.
No catch. The incentives do the work. Here’s the breakdown, line by line.
Retail installed cost Two Tesla Powerwall batteries + backup switch | $29,000 |
Participate Energy discount 30% off the retail price | −$8,700 |
SMUD’s enrollment incentive up to $5,000 per battery | −$10,000 |
Effective system cost the amount you actually finance | ≈ $10,300 |
| Now, as a low monthly payment | |
Financed monthly 6.99% APR, no dealer fees | ≈$80/mo |
SMUD’s quarterly rebate about $220 back every quarter (~$880/yr) | −$73/mo |
Your net cost after every incentive | ≈ $7/mo |
You come out ahead.
Enough stored solar to power your home through the evening peak.
When the grid does go down,
your home stays on.
SMUD’s grid is one of California’s most reliable, but storms, heat waves, and wildfire shutoffs still happen. When they do, your two Powerwalls switch on automatically and keep the essentials running. No generator. No switching. No fuel.
What stays on during an outage
Every system covers these essentials by default. Whole-home backup is available with a larger system.
Lights
Interior and exterior lights stay on after dark.
Refrigerator & freezer
Keeps a full fridge and freezer cold through a multi-day outage.
Internet & Wi-Fi
Modem, router, and home network stay up, so remote work and devices keep running.
Medical equipment
CPAP machines, oxygen concentrators, refrigerated medications, and other must-run devices.
Security systems
Cameras, alarms, and door sensors stay armed and recording through the outage.
…and more
Sump pumps, well pumps, phones, and the specific circuits you choose to keep backed up.
Here’s why SMUD wants you to have these.
It isn’t charity, and there’s no catch. Two batteries in your garage quietly help solve a problem SMUD has, so SMUD helps pay for them.
The grid is busiest from 5-8 PM. Everyone gets home, cranks the AC, and starts dinner at once, just as solar fades. Meeting that spike is the most expensive part of running the grid.
Your battery is cheaper than a power plant. Instead of building plants that run a few hours a day, SMUD taps stored power from thousands of home batteries during the peak. Together, they do the job of a plant SMUD never has to build.
You both come out ahead. You get backup power and a near-zero monthly cost. SMUD gets a cheaper, more reliable grid and progress toward its 2030 zero-carbon goal. The batteries are yours, and you stay in control.
Not a gimmick. A real program that works for both of you.
Good questions. Straight answers.
What happens when the grid goes down?
Your home keeps running. The Powerwalls switch on automatically, usually before you even notice, and two of them (about 27 kWh) carry your essentials, lights, fridge, Wi-Fi, and medical equipment, through the evening and overnight. They recharge from your solar the next day, so you stay covered even in a multi-day outage. Storm Watch can also top them off before severe weather hits.
What if I sell my home or move?
You own the Powerwalls, so they stay with the home like a new roof or HVAC and add to its value and resale appeal. If you still have a loan balance, it’s typically settled at closing from your sale proceeds, the same as any other home improvement.
Do I need new solar panels?
No. You already have the solar. These Powerwalls add onto your existing system, and we handle the SMUD enrollment and rebate paperwork. You just start storing your daytime power for the evening peak.
Who installs the batteries, and who is The Sun Broker?
We’re The Sun Broker, an independent broker, and our job is to do the shopping for you. We pair you with one of California’s top battery installers and handle the SMUD and Tesla incentive paperwork, so you get a vetted, professional install and the full incentive stack without chasing any of it yourself.
Why two batteries, not one?
One battery fills up by early afternoon and runs out mid-evening. Two Powerwalls (about 27 kWh) store a full day of extra solar and keep more of your home running through the 5-8 PM peak. Two units also reach the SMUD incentive cap, so you get the most back.
What’s the warranty, and how long do they last?
Each Powerwall is backed by a 10-year Tesla warranty and built to keep going well beyond it. There’s nothing to maintain. You watch everything from the Tesla app, and the system updates itself over the air.
Lower bills every day. Backup when you need it.
The savings more than cover the cost.
One SMUD program, two payoffs: the savings cover the batteries, and you get backup when the grid goes down.
See if your home qualifies.
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