Solar Access

Get 20% Off Your Electricity Bill!

Our Solar Access program offers  20%  off your electricity bill, which can be stacked on top of SJ Cares, CARE and FERA discounts for more than 55% savings. No solar panel installation or equipment is needed.

We encourage anyone who is eligible to apply. This program is currently full, but there is a waitlist available. Applications on the waitlist will be enrolled as spots become available. Customers typically spend one month on the waitlist.

See if you qualify and learn how to apply below.

How to Know if You Are Eligible

Step 1
You must:
- Be a SJCE customer.
- Not be enrolled in Net Energy Metering (NEM) or Solar Billing Plan with solar panels or battery storage.
- Be enrolled in either the California Alternate Rates for Energy program (CARE) or Family Electric Rates Assistance program (FERA).
Check your PG&E account to confirm your enrollment in one of these programs.
Step 2
And live in one of the program’s qualifying neighborhoods.
- Use this online look-up tool to confirm that your neighborhood qualifies.
- Enter the address associated with your PG&E account in the top right corner of the map.
- If your address is in the red shaded area, then your neighborhood qualifies.
Step 3
If you meet the requirements above, then you are eligible for the program.
Step 4
Qualified customers who apply will be put on a waitlist and enrolled as spots become available. Customers typically spend one month on the waitlist.

How to Apply

Applying for Solar Access is easy and can be done in two ways:

Online: Fill out the online application.

By phone: Call 833-432-2454

BENEFITS

The 20% discount can be stacked on top of CARE/FERA and SJ Cares discounts for more than 55% off your bill!
How you are billed and the way you pay your bill will not change – you will continue to receive a single monthly bill from PG&E.
In addition to receiving a discount on your bill, we’ll source 100% solar energy for you – no solar panel installation or equipment is necessary.
By receiving 100% solar energy, you are helping fight climate change and improve air quality for current and future generations.

You can read more about the program in the terms and conditions, which fully explain the program’s eligibility requirements and that if a customer is no longer eligible for the program, another customer will be enrolled in their place.

Terms & Conditions

Solar Access FAQ

What is Solar Access?

Solar Access is a San José Clean Energy program that offers eligible customers 100% solar energy at a 20% discount. This program is funded by the California Public Utilities Commission.

Solar Access enables customers who rent their home, cannot afford solar, or whose home is unsuitable for solar to benefit from utility scale solar energy at a 20% discount on electric generation and delivery charges.

Through Solar Access, SJCE sources the energy for customers. There is no solar panel installation or equipment required.

Who can participate in Solar Access?

Solar Access is available to residential customers who are:

Enrolled in either the California Alternate Rates for Energy program (CARE) or Family Electric Rates Assistance program (FERA)
And live in one of the program’s qualifying neighborhoods
Are not existing solar customers enrolled in Net Energy Metering (NEM).

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) authorized SJCE to implement this program for customers living in disadvantaged communities (DACs), which are defined as the top 25% scoring areas from the latest version of CalEnviroScreen. Customers in DACs are disproportionately impacted by environmental and socioeconomic burdens such as air pollution, poverty, or high incidence of asthma.

How are customers selected for Solar Access?

Space in the Solar Access program is limited to the solar capacity allocation from the California Public Utilities Commission, which is 1.736 megawatts (MW). SJCE estimates this capacity can serve ~850-950 customers. This estimate is based on the average energy usage of all CARE/FERA customers in PG&E territory.

Customers interested in enrolling in the program should apply online, by mail (business reply card), or by phone. Eligible customers that meet the program’s requirements will be added on a first come, first served basis, as space opens in the program.

All customers will be notified of their application status via email or mail.

How will I hear about my application status?

SJCE will review applications monthly. Customers will receive an email or letter indicating their enrollment status (i.e., enrolled, placed on the waitlist, or not eligible). Indication of a customer’s enrollment on their bill will take 1-2 billing cycles, depending on how close to the meter read date a customer applied for the program.

Customers will also be notified by email or letter if they become ineligible for the program and will receive a two-month grace period to re-demonstrate their eligibility. SJCE will save a customer’s spot in the program during this two-month grace period, but they will not receive the 20% discount.

Do I need solar panels or equipment to be in Solar Access?

No. SJCE will source 100% solar energy for you from solar facility. No solar panels or equipment is needed from you.

Can the Solar Access discount be combined with other discounts?

Yes. The 20% discount from Solar Access will be stacked on top of your CARE or FERA and SJ Cares discounts for more than 55% off your bill.

Are there still spots available and how does the waitlist work?

This program is currently full, but there is a waitlist available. Customers who join the waitlist will be enrolled as spots become available, and most stay on the waitlist for a month before enrollment.

Will my bill change when enrolled in Solar Access?

No. How you are billed and the way you pay your bill will not change. You will continue to receive one monthly bill from PG&E and will see the Solar Access discount as a line item on the San José Clean Energy page of your bill (usually page 4).

What happens if I move from my neighborhood?

If you move from one qualifying neighborhood to another and continue to be a CARE or FERA customers, then you are still eligible for the program.

If you move to a neighborhood that does not qualify for the program, then you will be removed from the program. Similarly, if you move outside of SJCE’s service territory or opt out of SJCE service, you will no longer be our customer and will be removed from the program.

What happens if I’m no longer eligible?

Customers may become ineligible for the program for one or more of the following reasons:

• You no longer live in one of the program’s qualifying neighborhoods.
• You are no longer enrolled in the CARE or FERA program.
• You moved out of SJCE’s service area.
• You opted out of SJCE generation service, recently installed solar, or were transitioned to a solar billing rate.

We give a grace period of two months before removing you from the Solar Access program. We’ll save your spot in the program during this two-month grace period, but you will not receive the 20% discount.

Can I opt out of Solar Access?

Yes. You may call 833-432-2454 to opt out of the program. There is no fee to opt out. Your spot will be given to the next eligible customer on the program waitlist.

How do I get 100% solar energy even when the sun isn’t shining?

SJCE will purchase enough energy from a solar facility to meet each enrolled customer’s total demand over a year.

Energy for the Solar Access program will be purchased from a solar facility located in a State-defined disadvantaged community within PG&E’s territory. From there, the energy is fed onto the statewide electric grid and then travels to customers’ homes. Electricity accounting is performed on an annual basis, meaning utilities (like SJCE) purchase enough clean energy to meet each customer’s annual demand. SJCE reports all power purchases to the California Energy Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission so you can be sure that we are putting cleaner electricity onto the grid for you.

Solar Access

Get 20% Off Your Electricity Bill!

How to Know if You Are Eligible

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

How to Apply

Applying for Solar Access is easy and can be done in two ways:

BENEFITS

Solar Access FAQ