FOR EXISTING ROOFTOP SOLAR OWNERS
Net Metering Expansion Kit: Get more from the solar you already have
From $1,499
California net metering rules let you expand your existing solar array by up to 1 kW. Our plug-in kit makes it as easy as assembling furniture and starts paying for itself in less than 5 years.
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Easy Installation: Just plug in and start saving.
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Cost-Effective: Less than $2 per watt.
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Flexible Placement: Install anywhere around your home with enough sun.
Pickup: Oakland, CA or Los Angeles, C
Local Delivery within 50 miles of our Oakland storefront. Sorry, no shipping outside this area.
FEATURED IN
FINANCIAL SENSE
Pays for itself in 4-5 years. Then it's free money.
At Northern California NEM rates (~$0.30/kWh), each panel earns you $180/year in net metering credits. The math works — and the larger the kit, the better the return.
System Size | Price + Tax | Annual Value | Payback Period |
|---|---|---|---|
2 panels | $1,649 | $360 | 4.6 years |
3 panels** | $2,143 | $540 | 4.0 years |
4 panels | $2,583 | $660 | 3.9 years |
* Includes 10% estimated sales tax.
** Want 3 panels? Contact us to purchase.
***The fourth panel will add less output than the first three since the 900 W inverter will “clip” peak production on very sunny days.
GET MORE FROM THE SUN
Four Reasons Rooftop Solar Owners Love This
Lower energy bills, immediately
Extra panels mean more power sold back to the grid, lowering your energy bill.
Shrink Your Carbon Footprint Even Further
More panels, less pollution. Each kilowatt added means fewer emissions and more clean energy for everyone.
Keep Up With Your Energy Use
New EV, heat pump, or AC? A few more panels can help cover new energy use and keep your bills flat as your energy grows.
Support Clean Energy Access
Every purchase helps Bright Saver expand affordable solar to more households across the U.S.
PRODUCT
What You'll Get
Solar Panels
Two to four 400 W solar panels, complete with wiring and aluminum mounts. These are state-of-the art, high quality bifacial solar panels, similar to those used with rooftop installations.
68" × 45" × 1.2" each · 45 lbs each ·
10-year warranty
120 V Inverter
UL 1741 certified and California Energy Commission approved. Converts solar power into standard 120V AC — just plug it into an outlet. Includes a smartphone monitoring app.
UL 1741 · CEC approved
10-year warranty
Self-Install Instructions
Assembly is like furniture and can be done in one afternoon. Our team guides you through pickup at our Oakland or LA warehouse — or choose delivery with 1 hour of hands-on installation support.
Delivery + 1hr support: +$349 · Within 50 mi of Oakland
MAXIMIZE OUTPUT
Why up to 4 panels make sense within the 1 kW limit
Oversizing the solar array with respect to the inverter capacity is intentional: pairing four panels with a combined 1600 W capacity to a single 900 W inverter maximizes overall energy production while keeping the system's maximum output below the 1 kW expansion limit required to maintain your NEM status.
Although the inverter will “clip” excess output for a few hours around midday on sunny days, the annual energy lost is surprisingly small – around ten percent – because most of the day’s generation happens under conditions where the panels do not reach their maximum rated output. The larger array delivers more power in the mornings, afternoons, and on hazy or partly cloudy days, resulting in more usable solar energy across the year.
Even with some clipping, the third and fourth panel significantly increase total production for only a modest added cost, increasing the system’s return on investment and shortening the payback period as the table above shows.
GETTING YOUR KIT
Free Pick-Up or Delivered to Your Door
We will contact you within 2 business days of your purchase to arrange a pickup time or delivery time window, based on the option you chose.
FREE PICKUP - Oakland & Los Angeles locations
You can save money by picking up the panels on your own from our Oakland, CA or Los Angeles, CA warehouses. You will need a pickup truck, a cargo van, large SUV, or a car with a roof rack. Please note: Many SUVs are a bit too narrow to fit the solar panels inside the car, so please check for at least 45" of internal width.
DELIVERY + INSTALLATION SUPPORT - 50 mi of Oakland
We offer delivery and 1 hour of installation support for an additional $349 within a 50 mile radius of Oakland, CA.
SET UP REQUIREMENTS
Most Installs are Fully DIY.
Here's what to check.
REGULATORY STATUS
Is this allowed? Yes! Here's the short version
California's net metering rules explicitly allow expanding your solar system by the greater of 1kW or 10%. Your utility may require a quick registration — check yours below.
PG&E Customers
PG&E references the expansion allowance and does not mention a registration requirement. You're likely good to go. See last paragraph in PG&E FAQ →
SCE Customers
Southern California Edison requires registration of the expansion. Please see their FAQ → and search for the woord "expand" on the page.
Outside California
Check with your utility to confirm the expansion conforms with your net metering agreement. Specifics vary by state and provider.
REGULATORY NOTES: This is a portable solar device. Depending on how you plan to install it, a building permit may be required. If in doubt, please check with your local Authority Having Jurisdiction (e.g. your City Building Department). In California, CPUC Decision 14-03-041 (see page 27) allows the expansion of an existing solar array by the greater of 1 kW or 10%. If in doubt, please check with your utility whether the expansion needs registration. SAFETY NOTE: For electrical safety, according to the National Electrical Code (NEC), the outlet to which you connect the system has to be on a dedicated circuit, i.e. having its own dedicated breaker with no other outlets or loads on the same circuit.
WATCH
Bright Saver in Action
Pick-Up, Contents, Installation
QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions about the Net Metering Expansion Kit?
Contact us via email or give us a call at 408-345-5768 with your product questions.
POWER OUR MOVEMENT
Your Purchase Powers More Than Your Home
When you buy a Bright Saver kit, you're helping sustain programs that bring clean energy resources to communities that need them most. Proceeds from kit sales support our work to make renewable energy more accessible nationwide. Learn More.
Bright Saver is a 501(c)(3) nonprofiit under EIN: 33-2359862. All donations are tax deductible.
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