California: Tesla Solar "guarantees" NEM2 eligibility for designs finalized before March 15

[ucmndd]

Like many I've been exploring the idea of adding additional solar to my home prior to the NEM3 rules kicking in. I have an existing 7.6kw SunPower microinverter system with 2x Powerwall 2s, both installed by a local third party. I approached them recently looking to add about ~5kw of additional panels to my system. They're happy to do it but the quotes I got back were pretty nuts - about $2.80/watt after tax incentives.

Tesla on the other hand is quoting $1.62/watt. I didn't seriously consider them at first because I had little faith they could be trusted to pull things off prior to the deadline and didn't want to risk it. But their marketing email convinced me to plop down the $250 to see what happens, despite my better judgment.

So... here goes nothing. Ordered tonight, immediately uploaded utility bills as requested. Let's see how this goes.

 

[arnolddeleon]

Wow, that's a surprise. I fully expected them to basically say, we'll get to you when we get to you and can't promise NEM 2.0. On the other hand it appears there is very practical path to it if they just get their act together with the design team, get a design approved and in the hands of the power company.

 

[sunwarriors]

At least you have solar already so the risk is lower missing out and if you cancel (which you'll be forced to if they don't get it under NEM2.0 since your whole system will now be under NEM3.0), I think your $250 is really the only thing guaranteed. A bit of a misnomer that an "order" guarantees you grandfathering when it's really the whole process vs. just placing an order.

Will be interesting to see the percentage of folks who get under the deadline and the folks who don't.

As I mentioned in that other thread, it's almost impossible to price compete with Tesla and installers should be busy enough to not want to compete on price, even though I've seen many quotes closer to Tesla and my own wasn't comparitively much more (~$0.05 - $0.10/W).

 

[ucmndd]

A bit of a misnomer that an "order" guarantees you grandfathering when it's really the whole process vs. just placing an order.

Yeah, I tried to edit the thread title last night but couldn't figure out how to do so. Seems the trigger for them "guaranteeing" they will file the interconnection paperwork on time is accepting your final design by March 15.

As of this morning I had a preliminary design waiting for me. Just requested some changes.

 

[ucmndd]

Accepted the final design today after several back and forth to get them to do what I wanted.

 

[jjrandorin]

Yeah, I tried to edit the thread title last night but couldn't figure out how to do so. Seems the trigger for them "guaranteeing" they will file the interconnection paperwork on time is accepting your final design by March 15.

As of this morning I had a preliminary design waiting for me. Just requested some changes.

The time that TMC (the website administrators) have setup for a thread creator to edit anything themselves is very short. I dont know exactly but its something like 5-10 minutes.

Tell me what you would like the title to say, and I can change it for you.

 

[ucmndd]

Tell me what you would like the title to say, and I can change it for you.

Maybe “… for designs finalized before March 15”?

Today Tesla scheduled an on-site home assessment for the “first available” date of February 28.

 

[jjrandorin]

Maybe “… for designs finalized before March 15”?

Today Tesla scheduled an on-site home assessment for the “first available” date of February 28.

Works for me, I changed it.

 

[tfan2018]

Does this offer apply to everyone? trying to find this offer publicly. asking for a friend!

 

[ucmndd]

Does this offer apply to everyone? trying to find this offer publicly. asking for a friend!

I don’t see why it wouldn’t, although I don’t think there was ever any “public” advertising beyond the marketing email.

 

[ucmndd]

Just a quick project update:

Site visit happened Feb 28
Permit issued March 7
PG&E interconnection application/agreement docusigned March 14
Installation scheduled March 27

Everything progressing smoothly so far, it does seem they're doing everything they can to crank these out and have the interconnection agreements done before April 15.

 

[DP26]

I will likely be nem3. Site visit is Apr 10.

While nem2 would have been good, 3 is not terrible for me. We have a disabled family member so we will get the higher adder, and our import rates are roughly .65 of the published tariff. So as long as we do not over design, the payback period will be fine with me.

Battery is not a concern, unless sgip is guaranteed we will skip it.

We bought a 3 on Feb 17 to get in before the credit changes, and applied for Solar a couple of days later. Tried to get Solar a couple of years ago but after waiting months to get a design, we cancelled. While the first solar try was waiting, we somehow got Starlink in a full area. And now that we have a 3, the new Solar app went though timely…

 

[ucmndd]

Update: they asked a couple days ago if they could move up the install to today instead of Monday. Sure, why not.

Arrived at 8, done by 1pm. They sorta mucked up my previously very clean install with a new solar generation panel, giant blade disconnect, and of course the new inverter, but I knew what I was getting into and it’s on the side of the house so not really visible.

Had a bit of trouble getting things integrated into the existing system, getting all the CTs set and configured the right way, but we got there.

They turned the breaker off when they left of course until I receive PTO, but I’m doing a… uh, extended test at the moment to make sure everything is working properly.

 

[ucmndd]

Inspection passed yesterday, submitted final payment today.

 

[getakey]

Good for you!

 

[jjrandorin]

Inspection passed yesterday, submitted final payment today.

So, 60 days roughly from Order to local inspection passed? That sounds quite good.

 

[Vines]

So, 60 days roughly from Order to local inspection passed? That sounds quite good.

Meanwhile, if you are in a jurisdiction like Oakland, it's 10 weeks before you can get your plans reviewed.

Luckily the voters decided that jurisdictions with more than 30k population will have to adopt some automated permitting systems for simple PV installs. The state has a budget for those cities to get training even so there should be no excuse. The deadline is September this year.

Literally, these cities could adopt Solar APP+ and train their teams on it within a couple of weeks.