For a rental home already enrolled in San Diego Community Power's Solar Battery Savings program, a change of tenant needs a program review. Continued ownership of the property does not, by itself, keep every account and payment record current.
For an eligible owner using a solar-plus-battery PPA, coordinating that change can help residents continue benefiting from the installed system. Keep the battery-program handover separate from the private solar contract and the rental agreement.
What happens when a new tenant takes over?
Section 5.6 of the program manual, checked October 29, 2026, makes the homeowner responsible for notifying Community Power about tenant-occupancy changes.
If the original participant ends Community Power service while ownership stays the same, participation can transfer to a new tenant who receives Community Power service at that address, provided the enrolled batteries remain active and continue weekday dispatch. If the new tenant opts out of Community Power, the manual assigns the homeowner responsibility for applicable prorated rebate repayment and says performance incentives stop.
Section 6.2 says that, following transfer to an eligible tenant, performance incentives are paid to that tenant and mailed to the address on their Community Power service account. Ask the program team to confirm the effective date and records for your situation before relying on a future payment.
Prepare a tenant-change checklist
Our suggested coordination checklist is:
- Notify the program through its official contact channel and keep the acknowledgment.
- Confirm whose utility account will serve the home and when the account changes.
- Ask which participant and mailing details need updating.
- Give the incoming resident the equipment instructions and service contacts.
- Ask the PPA provider whether the occupancy change requires any separate action under the contract.
For a hypothetical example, an owner might continue paying the solar provider after a new tenant opens a utility account. Those two facts alone do not show that the battery-program transfer has been processed. Request a separate confirmation instead of assuming one organization's update reaches every other organization.
Our five-year participation guide covers the broader enrollment commitment. For a property sale rather than a tenant change, use the separate ownership-handover guide.
Confirm the actual service and program
Community Power supplies generation; SDG&E continues electricity delivery, billing and grid-outage responsibilities. The bill guide explains how Community Power generation appears on the SDG&E statement. Do not assume every San Diego County address or incoming account uses SDCP.
The current Solar Battery Savings page identifies residential-account, single-family-home and equipment requirements. It also separates the 2024 pilot resources, whose terms may differ. Confirm the applicable enrollment documents and current eligibility with the program; this article does not approve a transfer or reserve funding.
Keep the PPA and backup plan clear
A qualifying no-upfront solar-plus-battery PPA can give eligible homeowners access to equipment without an outright purchase. The CPUC solar guide explains provider ownership and ongoing payments for generated electricity. Review the rate, any escalator, term, battery charges, maintenance and transfer provisions, alongside remaining utility bills. No upfront purchase does not mean free electricity or guaranteed savings.
Clarify who receives each invoice and who remains responsible during a vacancy. Do not assume a program payment determines what a landlord may charge a tenant; rental terms need their own review.
Explain backup operation to the resident too. General battery guidance describes how supported circuits, stored charge and demand limit coverage and runtime. Ordinary grid-tied solar alone generally cannot supply outage power. Compatible backup equipment is required, and solar recharge depends on conditions.
Discuss your solar-and-battery proposal with West Coast Alternatives, with the property owner involved. Bring the PPA and program documents so responsibilities can be discussed clearly. Direct enrollment decisions to Community Power; WCA is not affiliated with or endorsed by SDCP.