Enjoy All The Solar Benefits with Brightbox and LADWP TOU Rates

Take Control Over Your LADWP TOU Rates with Battery Storage

You may already know adding a battery to your home solar system gives you clean, reliable energy in the event of an outage. But did you know it could also save you money by using your stored energy when electric rates are higher?¹

With a home solar battery system like Brightbox™, you can potentially save thousands of dollars on electricity bills during your 25-year agreement.^2* And, if you add to your solar battery one of the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power’s Time-of-Use rate plans, you might be able to take your solar savings even further.

Before we discuss the details of how Brightbox can save you money with LADWP’s TOU rates, let’s go through what TOU rates are, and the types of plans LADWP is offering.

What Are TOU (Time-of-Use) Rates?

TOU rates are pricing structures set by electric companies like LADWP, that change depending on the time, the day and the season you use electricity at home.³

For example, during high-peak hours (early afternoon to early evening) when most people are using their power-hungry devices like their washing machines, dishwashers, and air conditioners; electricity rates cost more than during low-peak hours (late evening to late morning) when people are usually sleeping or have already gone to work or school.

TOU rates are becoming a common thing with electric companies across the country, and California is leading the way. According to California’s Net Energy Metering (NEM 2.0) policy, any homeowner who installs a home solar system in the state has to enroll in a TOU rate plan instead of paying single per-kilowatt-hour rates.⁴

LADWP Residential Electric Rates

As a home customer, you have two different rate options to choose from: the R-1A Standard Rate or the R-1B TOU Rate.⁵

R-1A Standard Rate:

The R-1A Standard Rate is divided into three different tiers: Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 — based on the number of kilowatt-hours you consume during each 30-day billing cycle.6 During high-demand summer months, LADWP uses this three-tier system as an incentive for customers to conserve energy.

LADWP divides Los Angeles into two temperature zones. Residents who live in the hotter parts of the city, Zone 2, are allowed to have a little more energy in Tier 1 than residents who live in the cooler areas of the city, Zone 1. Download LADWP’s Temperature Zone Map.

R-1B TOU Rate:

The R-1B TOU Rate is based on the time, the day, and the season you consume energy — and it’s divided into three different time periods: High-Peak, Low-Peak, and Base.⁶ If you’re able to use at least 65% of your home electricity during Base hours, enrolling in LADWP’s R-1B TOU Rate could help you lower your electric bill.

But this does not mean you have to shut down your electricity use during high-peak hours. Making small changes to your electricity habits, like doing your laundry or running the dishwasher in the morning or late evening can have a positive impact to your monthly bill.

How Does LADWP’s R1-B TOU Rate Work?

The R-1B TOU Rate offers you more affordable prices during periods of the day when there’s less grid demand — before 1:00 p.m. and after 4:59 p.m. Monday through Friday, and all day Saturday & Sunday.

What Is Brightbox Smart TOU Allocation?

With the R-1B TOU Rate, LADWP charges you a higher or lower price depending on the time you use electricity from the grid. Yet, when you have a home solar battery system like Brightbox, your battery automatically performs Smart TOU Allocation during High-Peak periods in the summer to use your stored energy instead of consuming electricity from the grid. Smart TOU Allocation could help you offset your electric costs and potentially save you more money with each billing period.

Why Doesn’t Brightbox Perform Year-Round Battery Smart TOU Allocation?

Brightbox only performs Smart TOU Allocation during the summer to give you the most significant savings possible while balancing your home battery degradation.

Similar to devices like phones, cordless vacuums, or wireless smart speakers, the more you use your home solar battery, the greater wear and tear it will experience, contributing to faster degradation.

And since electricity costs the same during winter High-Peak and Low-Peak periods, performing Smart TOU Allocation during the winder isn’t effective compared to summer because it would result in unnecessary battery degradation with no savings for you.

Sunrun Solar and Brightbox Give You More Than Just Savings

Starting your solar journey in Los Angeles, today will put you in control of your energy future while helping you reduce your carbon emissions. So whenever you’re ready to talk about solar, our team is here to guide you every step of the way. The time to go solar is now. See if you qualify today!