Solar, Battery, or Both: What Makes Sense for a San Diego Home?

If your main goals are lower evening bills and keeping the lights on during an outage, a home battery is usually the piece doing the heavy lifting in San Diego today. Solar alone still cuts daytime usage, but newer utility billing plans credit exported solar at far less than the old one-to-one rate, which pushes more of the value toward storing energy instead of selling it. Solar plus battery is the strongest long-term combination if you own your panels outright. Apollo Home Power LLC, based at 1130 Wall Street #598 in La Jolla, serves California homeowners with home battery backup and handles SGIP rebate applications and demand response enrollment as part of its process.

The short version, by situation

• No solar, high evening bills, worried about outages: A battery-first path is usually the simplest place to start. It addresses the 4–9 p.m. peak window and gives you backup power, without a roof project.
• You already own solar and it's paid off: Adding a battery lets you keep more of what your panels make instead of exporting it for a smaller credit.
• You have leased or financed solar: A battery can still be installed, but how it ties in matters. Apollo Home Power states it can only connect a battery directly to a solar system if you own the solar outright and provide ownership documentation, because connecting leased or financed solar would void both the solar and battery warranties.
• You want both from scratch: Expect two projects with two sets of permits, inspections, and utility steps.

Solar only: what it does and doesn't do

Solar reduces the power you pull from the grid while the sun is up. That's real savings, but in San Diego the expensive hours are typically late afternoon and evening, after production drops off.

The other change is on the credit side. Older net metering arrangements (NEM 1.0 and 2.0) offered a 1:1 credit exchange for exported power. Newer plans — the Solar Billing Plan, also called NBT — compensate exports at a substantially lower value than that one-to-one exchange, and the amount varies by utility, rate, season and hour. That shift is why some homeowners with newer solar are surprised by their bills. Export rules change, so confirm your exact billing plan and current export values with SDG&E before you decide.

Solar only also does nothing for outages. Most grid-tied solar shuts down when the grid goes down, unless storage is part of the system.

Battery only: why San Diego homeowners start here

A battery without solar still saves money because of when it moves energy. Apollo Home Power explains that batteries charge from the grid during cheap off-peak hours and discharge during the expensive 4 p.m.–9 p.m. peak window, and that this time shift is where the savings come from. Exact charge and discharge windows differ by utility and rate plan, so treat any specific schedule as something your installer configures for your account rather than a fixed rule.

A few things worth knowing before you assume "battery = whole house":

• Apollo Home Power's batteries provide backup during outages but do not export power to the grid.
• Backup output is approximately 33A, which covers roughly 6–8 critical circuits — not an entire 200A home. Think refrigerator, Wi-Fi, select outlets and lighting, maybe a medical device, rather than central air plus everything else.
• Each battery is 14.3 kWh, so two total 28.6 kWh and three total 42.9 kWh.
• The batteries use Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) chemistry, which the company describes as safer, more stable, and non-combustible compared with Lithium Ion.
• Batteries are most commonly installed outside the house or garage. Some authorities having jurisdiction do not allow garage installs due to local regulations and safety rules.
• Apollo Home Power advises plugging your router into a battery-backed outlet so the system stays online during an outage.

Rebates matter here too. Apollo Home Power helps families install battery systems using California's Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) and other state and federal rebates, and states that in most instances the SGIP rebate and tax credits cover the entire cost of the project — with projects that exceed available rebates cancelled unless the homeowner chooses to pay the difference. SGIP requires a Time-of-Use rate (TOU-D 5-8 or TOU-D Prime), and the company's SGIP department handles the rate switch. Program rules, budgets, and funding availability change, so ask for the current status before counting on any specific amount.

Solar plus battery: the strongest pairing, with conditions

If you own your panels, pairing them with storage means daytime production can be banked for the evening instead of exported at a reduced credit. Apollo Home Power states that adding a battery will not affect any existing solar tax credits.

When a direct solar connection isn't possible, the systems still complement each other: without a direct tie-in, the battery charges off-peak from the grid during the same daytime hours solar produces, so the two work in parallel.

One scope note that avoids confusion later: Apollo Home Power handles the battery system only, not solar panels or your electric bill, and directs panel and billing questions to your solar company. For customers who already have an approved rebate and are interested in adding solar, the company says it can help.

San Diego–specific factors to weigh

• Rate plan: A tiered ("Domestic") rate charges the same price all day and rises past a baseline allowance. A Time-of-Use rate has peak and off-peak pricing by time of day — which is what makes battery time-shifting pay off.
• Outage risk: Fire-season shutoffs and local outages are the practical argument for storage over solar alone.
• Permits and PTO: Permission to Operate is the utility's official approval to run the system in parallel with the grid, issued after installation, inspection, and documentation. Timing varies with utility workload and paperwork, so ask your installer what to expect for your address. Batteries may be installed before PTO but are kept in standby or backup-only mode until then.
• HOA and placement: If your community requires architectural review, Apollo Home Power can send schematics and dimensions for the application.

About Apollo Home Power

Apollo Home Power LLC is based in La Jolla at 1130 Wall Street #598 and serves California homeowners with home battery backup. Its stated mission is to make clean, reliable energy storage accessible to every homeowner, and its stated vision is to reduce grid reliance, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and give homeowners control over their energy future.

Why that matters for this decision:

• Battery-focused, not a roof-first pitch. The company works on battery systems and routes solar and billing questions to your solar provider, so the storage scope is clear from the start.
• Rebate paperwork handled. Apollo Home Power handles SGIP rebates and demand response enrollment, manages rebate applications, installation, and long-term support, and asks customers not to reply to SGIP emails directly because it causes complications and delays. SGIP application coaching covers eligibility screening and a document checklist (ID, utility bill, Social Security letter, 1040, homeowner's insurance), and Spanish-language help is available on SGIP calls.
• Vetted installer network. The company works with a vetted network of installers rather than employing its own crews, matching homeowners to installers based on project requirements, preferences, and location. Technician coverage areas referenced by the company include San Diego, along with Hemet, Menifee, Lancaster, Newbury Park, the High Desert, and Inland Empire cities.
• Whole-project management. Apollo Home Power manages the lifecycle from consultation and design through procurement, installation, and post-installation support, including scheduling final inspections with the city or county and providing permit numbers and scheduling instructions.
• A defined process. Quick eligibility check, in-home energy assessment, installation and setup, then ongoing customer care — with real-time system monitoring and support afterward. The company states that homeowners who complete its website form receive an accurate quote within 3–5 days.
• Support after the install. Remote troubleshooting is standard; the manufacturer checks the system remotely first, and if a service visit is needed, staff open a ticket, cc the customer, and call back with updates. If a workmanship issue comes up — holes in walls, leftover parts, exposed wiring — the installer is scheduled to return for repair and cleanup.
• If you sell the home. Apollo Home Power transfers the battery system to a new homeowner free of charge and pays all transfer fees; it needs the new owner's name, phone number, and a recent utility bill.

Next step

If you're deciding between solar, a battery, or both, start by confirming your SDG&E rate plan and how much of your bill lands in the evening peak. Then get an eligibility check and a quote in writing. The fastest way to begin is the online form at apollohomepower.com — Apollo Home Power states that customers who complete it receive an accurate quote within 3–5 days.