Net Metering: PG&E vs MCE in California

[scrambler]

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone here has any experience in comparing PG&E and MCE for Net metering in California.

From what I understand, PG&E does a once a year true up, which means that all the excess generation (sent to grid) is credited one to one against the excess consumption (used from grid).
If you have a credit at the end of the year, they pay you that excess production a small 3cent per kwh

With MCE, they do a balance every month, using the actual rate (plus 1cent for credits) during the time the excess generation is produced or the excess consumption is used.
In my case I have two electric cars so I am on the EV rate which has Off Peak, Part Peak and Peak periods. I also will have a battery, which means the time of day where I will be pulling from the grid will be later than when solar stops producing.

In the morning solar will be used for my consumption and recharge the battery, so I will probably be sending electricity back to the grid a little during part peak, but mostly during Peak hours, which means I would get paid highest $ for these kWh, while I will be pulling excess consumption from the grid may be a little in the evening, but mostly at night (EV charging) during Off Peak period when I will pay the cheapest price.

So in theory it seems I should be better off with MCE Net Metering.

That said, there are many side fees I am sure that will also be involved, and so I was wondering if anyone has experience that confirms or contradicts my assumption.

Thank you for your input

[Ampster]

I am in neighboring Sonoma County with Sonoma Clean Power and both MCE and SCP are committed to keeping the rates lower that PG&E. The easiest way to tell is to look at the bill and compare what MCE charges and what PG&E deducts from the bill for the generation credit. The only thing to add to that is the PCIA which is a charge PG&E gets to compensate them for the power that they supposedly purchased for you and which is being provided by MCE.

I am very happy with SCP and my sister is served by MCE and she is also happy. I don't know the programs that MCE has but I got an $600 EVSE to charge my EVs at no cost other than a shipping and handling fee of $100.

[scrambler]

So It seems PG&E rep on the phone was confused, or their Website contains false information, as on their website page that explains Net Metering it does show the credit being calculated on a monthly basis using the TOU rate during over production, which would be the same as MCE.

If so the difference between the two would only be:
If there is a surplus of production at the end of the year, PG&E does not pay the amount based on the TOU rate, but only a market rate around 2 to 4 cent per kWh. MCE on the other hand pays/credit that TOU based amount (on a monthly basis).
If you use more than you generate, MCE rates would still be more interesting.

In any case, I decided to make an Excel sheet that uses the PG&E hourly consumption data and the PVWATT hourly production data to actually computes on an hourly basis the Energy used (from Solar or battery or grid), as well as Extra energy generated (to battery or grid), and computes the MCE credit.

This allows me to see how the battery would be used and also see the impact of allocating more or less battery to the daily usage.
For people without a battery, there is a variable you can set to zero to ignore the battery in the calculation.
It also allows to see the amount credited by MCE versus what I will pay.

In case it could be of any use for someone, you can download the Excel sheet from the OneDrive link below
https://1drv.ms/x/s!At3vMAQjaOZLkRp6...jb4jK?e=2ujIqE [/URL]

if you do play with it and find errors, let me know

[scrambler]

A few updates on the Calculation Excel sheet mentioned above:

Given I am using the Excel sheet as a simulation tool, I added a multiplying factor for the production so I can see what happen if I generate more than I need or if I lose production capacity over time.
For example, because I end up selling at a higher rate than I use, Even if my production drops to 75% of my usage, I still breakeven on cost (that is not accounting for the fixed cost I will still have to pay to PG&E).
But that also means that the differential rate between buying from the grid and selling to the grid can pay for some or all of the fixed costs.

I also added a pivot table sheet in the file to visualize what is sent to the grid and used from the grid on a monthly basis and in each TOU rate segment, as well as a graph.
Unsurprisingly, the more you use the battery, the better the differential rate between selling and buying. But that depends on when you use your electricity of course. For me it is beneficial because I use a good chunk at night to charge 2 EVs

For example.
If using 10kWh of the battery I get
Usage from grid: 38%
Production to grid: 39%

Sent during Peak: 29%
Sent during Part Peak: 71%
Sent during Off Peak: 0%

From Grid in Peak: 13%
From Grid in Part Peak: 7%
From Grid in Off Peak: 80%

Average Buy Rate $0.049
Average Sell Rate $0.107

If I use none of the battery I get
Usage from grid: 73%
Production to grid: 74%

Average Buy Rate: $0.060
Average Sell Rate: $0.087

[Ampster]

Yes, it is all about the differentials.