Determine current SGIP eligibility and budget availability for a California battery storage incentive application

Steps

1. Check current budget status before quoting a customer: as of 2026, SGIP's General Market, Equity, and Equity Resiliency budgets closed to new applications on December 31, 2025
2. Confirm the only currently open pathway is the income-qualified Residential Solar and Storage Equity (RSSE) budget — and that it is fully reserved, accepting waitlist applications only, not guaranteed funding
3. For RSSE waitlist applicants, verify household income-qualification criteria before submitting, since this budget specifically targets low-income households (the $280 million RSSE budget launched June 2025)
4. Watch for CPUC rulings affecting reported project costs — a February 20, 2026 CPUC ruling specifically addressed a pattern of high Total Eligible Project Costs in RSSE applications, so cost documentation is under increased scrutiny
5. Confirm current status and territory-specific queue position directly at selfgenca.com or with the local utility's SGIP Program Administrator rather than relying on general programmatic descriptions, since budget status changes program year to program year