Interested in money-saving programs? Click here to learn more!
Pioneer is committed to expanding access to solar-plus-storage for all customers who want to power their homes with electricity they generate. In partnership with the State of California, Pioneer’s GridGen CARE program offers income-eligible customers subsidized support to install solar-plus-storage to their homes without taking on the costs of installation and maintenance.
Those who participate in the program will receive a solar-plus-storage system with no up-front cost and no credit underwriting. The GridGen CARE program can reduce a customer’s energy costs by an estimated 50%. Existing CARE/FERA and income-qualified customers can have solar and battery installed on their homes and enjoy savings with the peace of mind that comes with sustainable and reliable energy.
GridGen CARE utilizes state funding through the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) to receive additional incentives that will lower the cost of the system for eligible customers. Customers will work with Pioneer’s program partner, Participate.Energy, and an installation contractor to apply for the additional funding and receive the system at a reduced monthly cost.
Customers will pay for the energy the system produces and a monthly battery payment on their monthly utility bill. They will still have Pioneer Community Energy and receive one bill for their energy and their system. Participants in the program will benefit from predictable energy costs with a low rate escalator and long-term program agreement, providing savings for customers throughout the life of the program.
To enroll in the program, complete the form below, and a representative from Participate.Energy, Pioneer’s program partner, will reach out.
Homes with rooftop solar use energy produced by the solar system during the day when the sun is shining. These homes pull less energy from the electricity grid, which helps save money on energy bills.
Homes with rooftop solar-plus-storage pull even less energy from the grid by using the solar generation to power their home during the day and charge the home’s battery for later use. Later in the evening when the sun is down and solar generation is not available, the home is powered by the energy stored in the battery.
Battery storage also supports a home’s power during power outages. The battery can continue to power essential loads (such as a fridge, lights, medical equipment, etc.) when the grid goes down.
Unlike other solar and storage programs, with Pioneer’s GridGen, Tesla solar-plus-storage system charges are added to the customer’s regular Pioneer/PG&E bill. This reduces the number of separate bills customers need to manage.
Customers pay for the system directly on their electricity bill through a special rate plus a battery charge. The rate for the program starts at $0.145 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), with an additional $115 for the battery. The electricity rate per kWh will increase by 1.90% annually, locking in stable rates.
Pioneer’s GridGen CARE program is a solar-plus-storage offering where customers can receive a tesla system with no upfront cost. Income qualified customers can take advantage of state funding called the Self Generation Incentive Program that will help reduce the cost of the systems, giving eligible customers a solar-plus-storage system at a reduced monthly cost. Customers will work with Pioneer’s program partner, Participate.Energy and a participating contractor to design and have their solar system and battery installed. Once installed customers will pay for the system on their Pioneer bill with a special rate and annual escalator.
Those interested must be Pioneer customers, own their home, and be income qualified for SGIP funding. Customers on CARE/FERA programs are eligible, additional income qualifiers can be reviewed by Pioneer’s program partner, Participate.Energy.
Yes. When a customer enrolls in the GridGen program, they agree to buy the power produced and energy services provided by the system on a fixed long-term basis, locking in increasing energy savings over time.
Yes, but it customers opt out of the program after the solar+battery has been installed, they will need to purchase the system at “fair market value.”
The installation time (construction crew at your house) takes about one week, but the total timeline from order to installation is about 3-4 months. This includes time to recieve all the relevant customer information, design and permit the system, submit for interconnection from the utility and prepare for construction. After the system is installed, it can take up to 30 days to receive permission-to-operate, meaning the system can freely operate and export extra electricity (not consumed or stored on site) back to the utility.
When a customer sells their home, the contract transfers to the new home buyer without any additional credit score (FICO) review and customer underwriting of any kind. Additionally, if the future owner wants to own the system themselves, they may purchase the system at “fair market value”.
For customers who rent, they can have their landlord reach out to support@participate.energy for Pioneer’s Renters Program.
All systems under the GridGen Program are serviced by the program partners.
Customers can buy out the system at any time at “fair-market-value.”
To sign up for updates or to access your subscriber preferences, please enter your contact information.
To sign up for updates or to access your subscriber preferences, please enter your contact information.
