San Diego Community Power's Solar Battery Savings contractor criteria include a minimum 10-year workmanship warranty in customer contracts, with exceptions considered case by case. Before choosing a solar-plus-battery proposal, ask the contractor to point to the actual coverage and explain how it fits the PPA's longer-term service arrangements.
Locate the workmanship coverage
Section 2.3 of SDCP's currently linked Fall 2025 program manual, checked November 13, 2026, lists this warranty among contractor eligibility requirements. It does not provide your project's complete warranty wording. If the proposed coverage differs, ask SDCP to confirm whether an applicable exception exists before relying on the proposal's program eligibility.
Our contractor-approval guide explains the separate check of current program approval. Here, the useful next step is finding the workmanship document itself and reading its scope.
Ask the provider to identify:
- The company responsible for the workmanship warranty.
- Its start date, end date and covered installation work.
- Any exclusions, service charges and claim instructions.
- How installation-related repairs connect with battery product coverage.
- Which service obligations continue if the PPA lasts longer than that warranty.
These are practical proposal questions, not additional SDCP application requirements.
Compare dates without assuming a coverage gap
Consider a hypothetical proposal with a 25-year PPA and a separate 10-year workmanship warranty. Those two numbers alone do not tell you who would handle an installation-related service issue in year 12. The PPA may contain separate maintenance obligations. Ask the provider to identify the relevant provisions and explain which agreement governs that situation.
Similarly, a battery product warranty may address different conditions from installation workmanship. Obtain both documents rather than treating one expiration date as the end of every kind of support. The CPUC solar guide recommends asking whether repairs and maintenance are included and whom to contact.
Confirm the SDCP account and project
SDCP provides electricity generation; SDG&E continues delivery, billing and grid outage response. Check the generation provider on your SDG&E bill. A San Diego County address alone does not establish SDCP enrollment.
The Solar Battery Savings page requires an eligible residential account and a qualifying single-family installation at the service address. Have the approved contractor confirm current equipment eligibility, funding and application approval. Warranty wording alone does not reserve an incentive. For third-party-owned batteries, also confirm the required system-owner authorization and program compatibility.
Keep the PPA benefit and backup scope clear
A qualifying no-upfront PPA can help an eligible household access solar and storage while preserving cash for other needs. The CPUC guide explains that the provider owns the solar system and sells its electricity to the homeowner. Review the ongoing rate, any escalator, term, battery fees, replacement and maintenance responsibilities, transfer terms and remaining utility charges. No upfront purchase does not mean free electricity or guaranteed savings.
Service coverage also does not guarantee uninterrupted backup. General battery guidance explains that supported loads and stored energy affect duration. Ordinary grid-tied solar alone generally cannot supply outage power. Backup needs compatible equipment; runtime depends on available charge and loads, and solar recharging needs suitable sunlight.
Bring your proposal and warranty documents to a West Coast Alternatives consultation to organize a clear comparison. WCA is independent of SDCP and does not grant program approval.