In short: Riverside’s city utility now pays $500 per kWh of home battery storage, up to $10,000, with or without solar, and up to $1,500 toward a home EV charger. Its homes paid about 20.2¢ per kWh in 2024 and lost 77 minutes of power. Temecula and most of the region are on Southern California Edison, at about 32.4¢.
The Inland Empire has its own city utilities and rebates, FEMA rates heat waves high here, and wildfire country rings the valleys. This page covers Riverside and Temecula. For statewide rules (NEM 3.0, SGIP, CSLB licensing, plug-in solar), see our California energy guide.
Inland Empire at a glance
- Riverside Public Utilities (RPU): about 20.2¢ per kWh for homes in 2024; 77 minutes without power per customer and 0.61 interruptions in 2024 (EIA-861).
- Southern California Edison (SCE), including Temecula: about 32.4¢ per kWh for full-service homes; 158 minutes without power with major events, 100 without (2024, systemwide).
- Others: EIA also lists the Imperial Irrigation District, several city utilities (Corona, Moreno Valley, Banning) and Anza Electric Cooperative in Riverside County.
- Sun: about 5.4 kWh per square meter per day (NASA POWER, 2001–2020, for a grid cell that also covers the coast), so inland valleys may do better. Our rough estimate: about 1,580 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Top hazards: FEMA’s National Risk Index (December 2025) rates Riverside County “very high” for earthquake, inland flooding and wildfire, and “relatively high” for heat waves.
- Public charging: Riverside had 301 public charging ports and Temecula 268 (AFDC Station Locator data, October 3, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
- Riverside Public Utilities: city-owned and not on the state’s NEM 3.0. New solar customers join RPU’s Self-Generation program: you are placed on a domestic time-of-use rate, and power you send to the grid is credited at RPU’s avoided cost of energy, adjusted for the time of day. Customers with existing net metering agreements keep them. RPU lets you size a system up to 150% of your past year’s use.
- SCE (Temecula and most of the region): new solar goes on the Net Billing Tariff (NEM 3.0), with exports credited at hourly values usually far below retail. SCE’s TOU-D-PRIME rate is for homes with an EV, a home battery or an electric heat pump.
Your bill shows which utility serves you. Neighboring cities such as Corona and Moreno Valley have small city-run systems of their own in parts of town, so check before you compare quotes.
Backup power in the Inland Empire
Riverside’s own grid was steady in 2024, at 77 minutes per customer. The regional risks are heat, wildfire and earthquakes. Summer heat waves push air-conditioning demand to its peak, and in high fire-threat areas, often the hills and canyons around the valleys, SCE can switch off lines during dangerous winds; the CPUC lists SCE Public Safety Power Shutoff reports in every year from 2024 to 2026, most recently August 25, 2026.
SCE lists rebates of up to $200 on qualifying portable power stations and up to $800 on generators for customers in shutoff-affected areas. For heat, remember that central air is a big load: a whole-home battery or a properly sized generator can run it, while a power station handles fans, the fridge and phones. Compare options in our backup power guide, size them with the battery backup calculator or generator sizing calculator, and keep generators outdoors, at least 20 feet from the house (CPSC). See generator installation.
Solar in the Inland Empire
By our rough estimate, a kW of panels makes about 1,580 kWh a year here, likely more in the sunniest inland spots. In Temecula on SCE, each self-used kWh avoids about 32¢, roughly $510 a year per kW; under NEM 3.0, size the system to your use and consider a battery for evenings. In Riverside, self-used solar saves about 20¢ per kWh (about $320 per kW a year), and exports earn RPU’s lower avoided-cost credit, so the same advice applies: cover your daytime use first.
These are estimates, not promises. Check your roof with the solar potential tool and the solar savings calculator, and read how solar installation works.
Batteries
Riverside Public Utilities pays $500 per kWh of storage, up to $10,000, or $850 per kWh up to $17,000 for customers in its SHARE low-income program, for systems bought on or after July 1, 2026. A 13.5 kWh battery would work out to about $6,750 under that formula, never more than the project cost. Solar is not required. You must move to (and stay on) a domestic time-of-use rate, apply within 180 days of purchase, and the program runs only while funds last.
On SCE in Temecula, the state’s SGIP program is the main battery incentive, now mostly for income-qualified and vulnerable households (CPUC). See home battery installation and battery costs.
EV charging
RPU pays up to $1,500 toward a Level 2 home charger, or up to $2,500 for SHARE customers, covering equipment, permit, labor and installation. You need a City of Riverside electrical permit, must apply within 180 days of installation, and can claim one rebate per household every three years. At about 30 kWh per 100 miles, home charging costs roughly $6 per 100 miles at RPU’s 2024 average and about $10 at SCE’s (our estimate). See EV charger installation and the EV charging cost calculator.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Riverside: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
- Riverside: Building & Safety issues solar permits through its public portal with SolarAPP+ automated review for eligible rooftop systems. Projects with a battery or a panel upgrade are not eligible for that fast track and go through regular review. Contractors need a City business license and a state contractor license.
- Temecula: SolarAPP+ has been available since September 30, 2023, with automatic permit issuance through the city’s online portal; every SolarAPP+ job needs a fire inspection before the building inspection (Temecula photovoltaic page).
- Interconnection: RPU or SCE must approve grid-connected solar and batteries. Use a CSLB-licensed C-10 or C-46 contractor, and check HOA rules.
Cities in this guide
- Riverside
- Temecula
Get help
Are you a licensed installer in Riverside? Join SolutionEnergy and get requests from homeowners and businesses →
Tell us about your project and we will connect you with a licensed, independent installer who serves the Inland Empire area. It is free, there is no obligation, and only the installer you choose gets your details. Read how it works.
Inland Empire energy questions
How much is the Riverside battery rebate?
$500 per kWh of storage, up to $10,000, or $850 per kWh up to $17,000 for SHARE low-income customers, for batteries bought on or after July 1, 2026. Solar is not required, but you must stay on a time-of-use rate. Funds are limited and terms can change, so check RPU’s program page first.
Does NEM 3.0 apply in Riverside?
Not for Riverside Public Utilities customers. RPU runs its own Self-Generation program: new solar homes go on a time-of-use rate, and exports are credited at RPU’s avoided cost of energy by time of day. Temecula and other SCE areas follow the state’s NEM 3.0.
Can I get an instant solar permit in Temecula?
For eligible rooftop systems, yes: Temecula uses SolarAPP+ for automated plan review, then issues the permit through its online portal. Expansions of existing systems do not qualify, and every SolarAPP+ job needs a fire inspection before the building inspection.
What does the Riverside EV charger rebate cover?
Up to $1,500 (up to $2,500 for SHARE customers) toward a Level 2 home charger, including the equipment, permit, labor and installation. You need a City of Riverside electrical permit and must apply within 180 days of installation.
Sources
Utility prices, service areas and outage minutes: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 2024 data (prices are 2024 averages; SCE is full-service customers). Riverside Public Utilities energy storage rebate, EV rebate, Self-Generation program and solar FAQ pages; SCE backup power and EV rate pages; City of Riverside SolarAPP+ page; City of Temecula photovoltaic page; CPUC SGIP and PSPS post-event reports. Sun: NASA POWER, 2001–2020. Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Charging ports: AFDC, October 3, 2026. Generator safety: CPSC. Checked October 3, 2026. Estimates are ours and labelled as such.