In recent years, with the increasing awareness of environmental protection and the rapid development of energy technology, California residents are undergoing significant changes in the use of renewable energy. According to the latest statistics from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, this trend is particularly evident, and more and more California residents are beginning to use battery storage systems in conjunction with solar installations to achieve more efficient and environmentally friendly energy use. 

Specifically, as of April 2024, more than half of residential solar PV installations are already equipped with a battery storage system that connects to and powers the grid. This is an impressive doubling of the number in just a few months, compared to just over 20% in October 2023. This change not only reflects the widespread acceptance and active application of renewable energy by California residents, but also reflects California's policy guidance and technological innovation in the field of renewable energy.

So what's behind this trend? In fact, this is closely related to an important revision of California's net metering policy in April 2023. The Net Metering policy is a policy developed by the California government to encourage residents to install and use rooftop solar power, allowing residents to sell excess electricity to the grid and receive compensation. However, with the continuous development of renewable energy technologies and changes in the electricity market, traditional net metering policies have been difficult to meet the current demand. As a result, the California government decided to revise its net metering policy, introducing a new net billed tariff (NBT) structure. 

This new tariff structure provides residents with a more flexible way to compensate, encouraging them to combine solar power with battery storage systems. Specifically, residents can store electricity in batteries during the day, when there is more solar power, and then release it into the grid to supply electricity at night, when demand is relatively high or when there is less solar power. This can not only improve the efficiency of energy use, reduce the dependence on traditional energy, but also bring additional economic benefits to residents. 

It is worth mentioning that the application of solar energy and battery combination in California has achieved remarkable results. According to statistics, about 9% of all installed residential net metered capacity in California today is a combination of solar and battery devices. These devices not only provide residents with a stable and reliable power supply, but also reduce the dependence on the power grid, helping to alleviate power shortages. In addition, as the California government's support for renewable energy continues to increase, more and more residents are beginning to pay attention to and invest in solar power generation and battery storage systems. According to statistics, California residential solar capacity meeting net metering requirements in the third quarter of 2023 increased by 22% compared to the same period in 2022.