Southern California Edison (SCE) NEM 3.0 & TOU-D-PRIME Battery Arbitrage Guide
How Southern California Edison (SCE) homeowners maximize ROI under the Solar Billing Plan (NEM 3.0) using the TOU-D-PRIME rate schedule, 4 PM–9 PM LFP battery self-consumption, and September ACC export arbitrage.
1. 24-Hour Import Cost vs. Export Credit Visualizer
Schedule: SCE Solar Billing Plan (SBP) / TOU-D-PRIMECompare what Southern California Edison (SCE) charges you to import 1 kWh vs. what they pay you when you export 1 kWh during each time window—and how your battery inverter should be programmed:
2. Forensic Tariff & Battery Arbitrage Math
- 1TOU-D-PRIME Rate Advantage: SCE allows homeowners with a behind-the-meter battery, EV, or heat pump to enroll in TOU-D-PRIME, which offers a lower ~25¢/kWh base rate outside 4 PM–9 PM while penalizing 4 PM–9 PM usage at up to 63¢/kWh.
- 2Eliminating the 4 PM–9 PM Air Conditioning Bill in Inland Empire / Riverside / OC: Running a 4-ton central air conditioner from 4 PM to 9 PM draws ~17 kWh. Shifting that 17 kWh onto a 28.6 kWh LFP battery saves $10.03 per summer day ($900+ over 3 summer months alone).
- 39-Year Legacy Lock-In for Early Adopters: SCE customers who interconnected before the ACC step-down lock in their Avoided Cost Calculator export table for 9 years from interconnection.
EG4 18kPV Hybrid + 14.3kWh–28.6kWh LFP Battery Bank
Estimated Payback under SCE Solar Billing Plan (SBP) / TOU-D-PRIME: 4.8 – 5.6 Years
Southern California Edison (SCE) Solar Tariff FAQ
Can SCE NEM 3.0 export credits pay off my monthly delivery charges?
No. Under SCE’s Solar Billing Plan, generation export credits can only offset generation charges unless exported during specific periods, while delivery and fixed daily basic charges (~$16/mo) must be paid or offset via self-consumption.
How many batteries do I need for SCE TOU-D-PRIME if I have a pool pump and central A/C?
Program your variable-speed pool pump to run 9 AM–2 PM directly off rooftop solar, and install 20 kWh to 28.6 kWh of LFP battery storage to cover 4 PM–9 PM central air conditioning and evening cooking.