Solar Self-Consumption Rate Calculator — Grid Export vs Home Use
Calculate what percentage of your solar production you use directly at home vs export to the grid. Optimise for maximum savings under net metering or time-of-use rates.
· Free · No signup required
How to use this calculator
- Enter your solar system size in kW.
- Enter your daily household electricity consumption in kWh.
- Adjust peak sun hours for your location using the state selector.
- Enter your self-consumption percentage (what portion of solar production you use directly).
- See annual savings from direct use vs grid export under your net metering rate.
Understanding your results
Self-consumption rate is the percentage of your solar production that you use directly in your home, rather than exporting to the grid. A higher self-consumption rate generally means more savings — you avoid buying grid electricity at retail rates instead of receiving lower export credits.
Why it matters: Most US utilities credit exported solar energy at lower rates than retail electricity. Under NEM 3.0 in California, export rates dropped significantly — making self-consumption dramatically more valuable. Battery storage is the most effective way to increase self-consumption from 30–40% up to 70–90%.
Typical rates: Households with normal 9-to-5 occupancy patterns typically self-consume 25–35% of solar production. Work-from-home households consume 35–55%. Households with EV charging, battery storage, or heat pumps can reach 60–90%.
Optimisation strategies: Running high-consumption appliances (dishwasher, washing machine, EV charging) during peak solar hours (10am–2pm) is the cheapest way to increase self-consumption without battery storage. Smart plugs and load timers make this automatic.