Run AC with Solar Battery: Beat Bay Area Heat and High PG&E Rates
Let’s be real—Bay Area summers are getting hotter. And when those heat waves hit, blasting the air conditioning is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity. But if you’ve already invested in solar panels, you might be asking yourself:
“Is running my air conditioning wasting energy? Is this going to cost me a fortune? Am I giving power right back to PG&E?”
Here’s the great news: if you’ve got solar panels with battery storage, it’s not just okay to run your air conditioning—it’s actually smart.
Let’s break it down.
Starting June 1, PG&E enters summer pricing. That means electricity during peak hours (4–9pm) gets seriously expensive. Solar panels alone usually don’t produce enough late in the day—this is where batteries shine.
By storing your own daytime solar power and using it during those peak hours, you avoid buying a single expensive kilowatt hour. It’s called energy arbitrage—storing low-cost or free energy and using it when prices spike. (Source: U.S. Department of Energy).
With long sunny days, state and local incentives, and more frequent wildfire-related shutoffs, Bay Area homeowners are in the perfect position to take control of their energy.
For four key months—June, July, August, and September—the price difference between peak and off-peak power is huge. Batteries help you avoid those peak charges altogether.
And yes, you can still enjoy your air conditioning—guilt-free.
Solar Batteries Flip the Script
Your solar panels produce electricity during the day—usually more than you need. Without batteries, that extra energy gets sent back to the grid, and later in the evening, you have to buy it back (often at higher rates). That’s money lost, and energy possibly coming from less-clean sources.
But when you have a battery? You store that sunshine and use it later.
So when your air conditioning is running in the evening, you’re using your own clean, stored power—not pulling from PG&E during their most expensive hours. It’s cheaper, greener, and puts you in control.
Keep It Smart & Chill: A Few Easy Tips
- Start cooling earlier in the day—run the air conditioning while the sun is still strong and your panels are producing. That way, you’re using solar power directly.
- Pre-cool your home while it’s still cooler outside—running your A/C earlier in the day, before the floors and walls heat up, lets you cool your space more efficiently. Once the structure heats up, it takes a lot more energy to bring the temperature down.
- Use a smart thermostat, like Google Nest, to bump your indoor temp up by 2 degrees after 4pm. It helps stretch your stored battery power during expensive peak hours—and you only have to set it once.
- Keep windows and doors sealed and use ceiling fans to move that cool air around without overworking your system.
Take Control. Keep Cool. Ditch PG&E.
Stop stressing about rates or outages. With solar and a properly programmed battery, you can run your air conditioning, save money, and reduce your carbon footprint—all while keeping your power away from PG&E.
Call Solar Bill Review today at 925-833-2641 to talk about which solar battery setup makes sense for your home. We’ll walk you through your options and program your battery system at no cost if you’re a customer. You will not be left guessing how to set it up right.
Summer’s here. It’s your power—use it your way.