SCE Annual True Up Questions

[KHYE]

I will be reaching my 1st annual SCE true up in May 2023. The SCE bill is currently showing:

If I've been reading correctly, I won't get the $1K+ credit at true up, instead I will be paid only ~ $0.03 per kwh. Thus, I think I need to use up as much credits as possible before May. My system is oversize (10kw and 1 PW+) and I don't have EV yet, thus about 150% energy offset. Also, I've been running my 1 PW+ to 5% reserve daily. In order to use up credits, I plan to do the following:

1) Raise the PW reserve to 50% or more
2) Gas price has been crazily high in last 2 months, I plan to run more room space heaters so I don't use more from the gas furnace.

Is this correct approach? Still learning about the system.....

 

[power.saver]

I will be reaching my 1st annual SCE true up in May 2023. The SCE bill is currently showing:

View attachment 901688

If I've been reading correctly, I won't get the $1K+ credit at true up, instead I will be paid only ~ $0.03 per kwh. Thus, I think I need to use up as much credits as possible before May. My system is oversize (10kw and 1 PW+) and I don't have EV yet, thus about 150% energy offset. Also, I've been running my 1 PW+ to 5% reserve daily. In order to use up credits, I plan to do the following:

1) Raise the PW reserve to 50% or more
2) Gas price has been crazily high in last 2 months, I plan to run more room space heaters so I don't use more from the gas furnace.

Is this correct approach? Still learning about the system.....

Changing the PW reserve isn't going to do much. They actually use more due to round-trip efficiency at lower percentages. Changing to electric heat will help and reduce your gas bill, but probably not enough to offset that credit. We are headed into the highest productions months (March to May) so your credit is only going to increase. I would say you'll be well over $2000 by May. Until you get an EV, you'll keep accumulating credits.

 

[KHYE]

Changing the PW reserve isn't going to do much. They actually use more due to round-trip efficiency at lower percentages. Changing to electric heat will help and reduce your gas bill, but probably not enough to offset that credit. We are headed into the highest productions months (March to May) so your credit is only going to increase. I would say you'll be well over $2000 by May. Until you get an EV, you'll keep accumulating credits.

Thanks power.saver. Questions about the following:

They actually use more due to round-trip efficiency at lower percentages.

Not sure I understand this. Does this mean that if I have higher reserve for PW, it's better?

We are headed into the highest productions months (March to May) so your credit is only going to increase. I would say you'll be well over $2000 by May. Until you get an EV, you'll keep accumulating credits.

Yea, for sure I will accumulate more credits in next 2 months. At true up, I thought they zero out the credits or it can be rolled over to next year?

 

[power.saver]

Thanks power.saver. Questions about the following:


Not sure I understand this. Does this mean that if I have higher reserve for PW, it's better?


Yea, for sure I will accumulate more credits in next 2 months. At true up, I thought they zero out the credits or it can be rolled over to next year?

The PW is only 90% efficient, sometimes less. If you have it at 100% reserve, you don't lose this since it never charges or discharges. If you have it at 5% then you will only get about 90% out of it for what you put into it.

Credits are zeroed out at true-up. So you will lose anything you have. But if you are a net producer (which I'm sure you are) you will get $0.03/kWh for the excess kWh you generated. What is your year to date kWh?

 

[getakey]

Changing the PW reserve isn't going to do much. They actually use more due to round-trip efficiency at lower percentages. Changing to electric heat will help and reduce your gas bill, but probably not enough to offset that credit. We are headed into the highest productions months (March to May) so your credit is only going to increase. I would say you'll be well over $2000 by May. Until you get an EV, you'll keep accumulating credits.

I actually disagree. Changing the PW reserve can make a big difference. I was aggressive (set reserve to 20 to 30%) in my rate arbitrage the first year I had PWs and came up negative $800 NEM. Next year (which is this year) changed reserve to 80% and I will be close to zero NEM

 

[RichardCullip]

One way to use up that credit is to use grid power, especially at peak rates rather than using your Powerwall(s). Set that reserve to a high level unless you are worried about long power outages

 

[KHYE]

The PW is only 90% efficient, sometimes less. If you have it at 100% reserve, you don't lose this since it never charges or discharges. If you have it at 5% then you will only get about 90% out of it for what you put into it.

Credits are zeroed out at true-up. So you will lose anything you have. But if you are a net producer (which I'm sure you are) you will get $0.03/kWh for the excess kWh you generated. What is your year to date kWh?

I checked the latest SCE bill, it's showing -3,649 kWh.

 

[KHYE]

I actually disagree. Changing the PW reserve can make a big difference. I was aggressive (set reserve to 20 to 30%) in my rate arbitrage the first year I had PWs and came up negative $800 NEM. Next year (which is this year) changed reserve to 80% and I will be close to zero NEM

Good to know, thanks for sharing. I have increased the PW reserve to 50% and might increase more.

 

[KHYE]

One way to use up that credit is to use grid power, especially at peak rates rather than using your Powerwall(s). Set that reserve to a high level unless you are worried about long power outages

Good idea, thanks.

 

[Redhill_qik]

Good to know, thanks for sharing. I have increased the PW reserve to 50% and might increase more.

I am a net generator/producer as well and I have my PW set to 95% in the winter as it makes no sense to add additional stress with a low differential. You should be getting around $0.05/kWh for your net exports as the Net Surplus Compensation rates have been increasing a lot lately. For this February it is $0.07276 for SCE and $0.08169 for PG&E and for the annual true-up it is computed as the average over the year. SCE NSC monthly rates and PGE NSC monthly rates

If you are with a CCA they usually pay more than the NSC, but some are stingy and only pay the same as the IOU.

 

[KHYE]

I just got my first annual true up bill, I got $300 credit. Sould I let it rollover or request a check? I'm a net producer and my credit will get bigger and bigger until I buy an EV.

 

[taphil]

I let it roll over and keep the house cooler in the summer.

 

[KHYE]

I let it roll over and keep the house cooler in the summer.

I'm assuming that there's no max amt for rollover credit?

 

[power.saver]

I just got my first annual true up bill, I got $300 credit. Sould I let it rollover or request a check? I'm a net producer and my credit will get bigger and bigger until I buy an EV.

Request a check if you want the cash now. Otherwise, it will slowly be used against any minimum charges over the next year.

 

[yblaser]

How much did you over produce? At the $0.07/kWh I got compensated at that would be over 4000 kWh. Wow!

I would get the check as it's over what you would be paying over the next year.

 

[h2ofun]

How much did you over produce? At the $0.07/kWh I got compensated at that would be over 4000 kWh. Wow!

I would get the check as it's over what you would be paying over the next year.

Last year I got a 800 dollar credit, was like 5000. Trying to use some of it with an EV charging this time.

 

[skepticcyclist]

I actually disagree. Changing the PW reserve can make a big difference. I was aggressive (set reserve to 20 to 30%) in my rate arbitrage the first year I had PWs and came up negative $800 NEM. Next year (which is this year) changed reserve to 80% and I will be close to zero NEM

That could have more to do with other variables from one year to another, such as the difference in the amount of energy you used and the difference in the amount of solar production. For example, this past winter was much more cloudy and rainy than the last, resulting in much less solar production. And heat use was much greater, resulting in more energy use (even if you have gas you still use more electricity running the blower.)

 

[KHYE]

How much did you over produce? At the $0.07/kWh I got compensated at that would be over 4000 kWh. Wow!

I would get the check as it's over what you would be paying over the next year.

According to SCE. it's -4,358 kWh. I called them about the check option, they said I can't cash out for this year but next settlement bill and I have to make official request within 6 months before next settlement date.

 

[Jedi2155]

I would roll it over, and let it apply towards minimal charges.