Which APS Rate Plan Is Best for a Phoenix Solar Home That Exports Power Back to the Grid?

Most Phoenix homeowners with solar pick their APS rate plan once and never look at it again. The installer enrolls them on E-12, the bill looks lower than before solar, and the conversation ends. That default costs some households $40 to $80 a month because Saver Choice Plus would serve them better. For others, E-12 is genuinely the safer choice. The difference comes down to when you use electricity, not when your panels happen to be generating.

Which APS rate plan is best for a Phoenix solar home that exports power to the grid?

The best APS rate plan for a solar home that exports power is almost always E-12 unless the household can reliably keep nearly all consumption outside the 3 to 8 PM weekday window. If you have battery storage and a flexible routine, Saver Choice Plus can lower your net bill significantly. Without storage, the 32.4 cents per kWh on-peak rate on Saver Choice Plus tends to erase most of the benefit.

The reason this question is harder than it looks: APS pays the exact same export credit, 10.5 cents per kWh, on every solar rate plan. Exporting during peak hours on Saver Choice Plus earns the same as exporting at 10 in the morning on E-12. So the plan comparison is not really about what you earn for sending power back. It is about what you pay for the grid power you pull in, and at what hours.

How does the APS export credit work for Phoenix solar customers in 2026?

APS moved away from true net metering in 2017. Under the current net billing structure, each kilowatt-hour you send to the grid earns a fixed 10.5 cent credit. That credit appears on your bill and offsets what you owe for consumption. It does not vary by time of day, season, or plan, and it applies to all six APS solar rate plans: E-12, Saver Choice, Saver Choice Plus, Saver Choice Mid Peak, Saver Choice Max Peak, and Premier Choice.

The 10.5 cent credit is well below the retail consumption rates on most plans. On Saver Choice Plus you pay 32.4 cents to consume a kWh during peak hours, but you only recover 10.5 cents when you export one. If your household exports 300 kWh a month and buys back 300 kWh during on-peak hours, you are losing 21.9 cents per kWh on that roundtrip. The lesson is that self-consuming your solar production is worth more than exporting it, no matter which plan you choose. See how APS net billing calculates your export credit for a deeper look at the arithmetic.

E-12 vs Saver Choice Plus: the 2026 numbers for an 8 kW Phoenix solar home that exports power

A typical 8 kW solar system in Phoenix generates around 1,000 to 1,200 kilowatt-hours per month during summer, based on the 5.5 to 6.5 peak sun hours Phoenix averages annually according to NREL data. A Phoenix home with central air running through July and August consumes 1,500 to 2,000 kWh in the same month. For this comparison, take a household consuming 1,800 kWh a month and producing 1,100 kWh, with 600 kWh self-consumed and 500 kWh exported to the grid.

The $32.44 monthly customer charge applies to both plans. Both also carry a $2.50 per kilowatt demand charge for on-peak demand above 3 kW. Set that aside for now and focus on the energy charge.

On E-12, the first 600 kWh of net consumption costs 11.7 cents, the next 300 costs 14.0 cents, and anything above 900 kWh costs 18.3 cents. Add a 6.6 cent per kWh on-peak surcharge for power consumed between 5 and 9 PM from May through October. The 500 kWh export credit at 10.5 cents returns $52.50. The total energy charge for a home in this scenario lands roughly between $135 and $165, depending on how much consumption falls in those summer evening hours.

On Saver Choice Plus, the first tier does not exist. Every kWh consumed off-peak, meaning outside of 3 to 8 PM on weekdays, costs 13.0 cents. Every kWh consumed on-peak costs 32.4 cents. If this household draws 450 kWh during on-peak hours and 750 kWh off-peak, the energy charges before the export credit come to roughly $146 for off-peak plus $146 for on-peak, totaling around $292. Subtract the same $52.50 export credit and the net energy charge is about $240, noticeably higher than E-12 for the same usage pattern.

When does E-12 keep more money in your pocket?

E-12 wins when on-peak consumption is hard to shift. Families with kids home after school, anyone who relies on air conditioning through the early evening, or households without battery storage will typically find E-12 cheaper. The on-peak surcharge on E-12 applies only in summer, only from 5 to 9 PM, and only on top of the tier rate, not a new flat rate. That limited exposure is worth a lot compared to paying 32.4 cents for every on-peak kWh year-round.

E-12 also rewards lower overall consumption. A home staying in Tier 1 below 600 kWh net per month pays just 11.7 cents base, which is among the lowest effective rates APS offers. For a solar home that covers most of its own load and exports regularly, the tiered structure can work very well.

When does Saver Choice Plus cut your net APS bill further?

Saver Choice Plus wins when a household genuinely pushes consumption outside of weekday 3 to 8 PM windows. The math is compelling for those who can do it. Running the dishwasher, laundry, pool pump, and EV charger before 3 PM and avoiding major loads until after 8 PM means paying 13.0 cents off-peak instead of the E-12 blended rate. For a high-consuming Phoenix household, shifting 500 kWh a month from on-peak to off-peak avoids about 19 cents per kWh compared to Saver Choice Plus on-peak, which adds up to roughly $95 in monthly savings.

Battery storage makes Saver Choice Plus significantly more attractive. A homeowner with a battery system can store midday solar production and discharge into the home during on-peak hours, reducing or eliminating grid purchases at 32.4 cents. Without storage, Saver Choice Plus is a risk that requires real behavioral discipline. With it, the high on-peak rate becomes an advantage you never pay.

Why solar production timing in Phoenix matters for choosing your APS rate plan

Phoenix panels produce peak power from roughly 10 AM to 2 PM. By the time APS on-peak hours begin at 3 PM on Saver Choice plans, solar output is already declining. By 5 PM, when E-12 summer peaks start, output is low. By 8 PM, when Saver Choice Plus on-peak ends, panels are producing nothing.

This structure means most of the power a Phoenix solar home exports goes out during off-peak hours, earning 10.5 cents at a time when the grid electricity rate is 13.0 cents on Saver Choice Plus or 11.7 cents on E-12 Tier 1. The spread between the export credit and retail rate is relatively tight during off-peak hours. The painful spread only appears when you are buying expensive on-peak power at night while your export credits were earned at midday.

For homes that export heavily during the day, the plan choice is about minimizing evening on-peak exposure, not maximizing export earnings. Read how APS peak hours affect Phoenix solar and battery owners for a detailed look at how this plays out across seasons.

How to compare APS solar rate plans and solar installers in Phoenix

Picking the right rate plan starts with your bill, not a sales pitch. Pull three months of APS statements and note your on-peak consumption if APS already shows it. If you are on E-12, APS will give you an estimated bill comparison against Saver Choice plans through its plan comparison tool online. If the comparison shows Saver Choice Plus saving more than $30 a month, it is worth a closer look.

Picking the right solar system is a separate question. Phoenix homeowners who work with an independent solar broker in Phoenix rather than going directly to one installer get competing quotes for the same home and the same roof. A broker who does not install systems has no reason to oversell you on a larger system than you need or steer you toward a plan that inflates the apparent savings. If you are ready to see real numbers from multiple vetted Phoenix installers, get competing quotes here or run your own production estimate first with the Solar Calculator.

As a solar broker serving the Phoenix Valley, Phoenix Valley Solar compares offers from multiple vetted installers on your behalf. We do not install systems ourselves. That independence is what makes the comparison honest.

Which Phoenix Valley neighborhoods and cities benefit most from APS plan comparison?

APS and SRP serve the Phoenix metro by neighborhood, not by city. Whether your home falls in APS or SRP territory depends on your address, not your city. Check your electric bill to confirm your utility before making any rate plan decisions.

For homeowners in APS-served neighborhoods across Phoenix, Scottsdale, Chandler, Tempe, Gilbert, Mesa, Glendale, Peoria, and Surprise, the E-12 versus Saver Choice Plus comparison applies equally. Scottsdale neighborhoods with newer construction often have efficient homes that stay in lower E-12 tiers and may see modest benefit from Saver Choice Plus. Chandler and Gilbert neighborhoods with larger lots and pool homes tend to have higher summer consumption that pushes them into E-12 Tier 3, making the Saver Choice Plus off-peak strategy harder to execute without battery storage. Phoenix neighborhoods with older homes and smaller systems often find E-12 the cleaner, more predictable choice.

The prepaid solar lease: 30% off for homeowners who missed the 2025 federal tax credit

If you installed solar in 2026 or are considering it now, the federal residential tax credit under Section 25D expired for owner-buyers after December 31, 2025. Homeowners who purchase their system outright or finance it with a loan can no longer claim that credit. That is not tax advice, and you should confirm your specific situation with a qualified tax professional.

What has not expired is the value a solar lease can pass through. Leasing companies can still claim the 48E commercial credit through 2027 and pass those savings to the homeowner in the form of lower payments. The prepaid solar lease available through Phoenix Valley Solar locks in a 30% discount at signing, with no monthly payments and no escalators. The rate plan savings from APS work the same whether you own the system or lease it. The prepaid option removes the upfront cost while keeping you fully eligible for the strongest rate plan on your APS account. Reach out through the contact page if you want to see how the prepaid lease numbers work for your home.

FAQ

Which APS rate plan is best for a Phoenix solar home that exports power? For most Phoenix solar homes without battery storage, E-12 is safer because its on-peak exposure is limited to summer evenings from 5 to 9 PM. Saver Choice Plus can save more if the household consistently avoids using power from 3 to 8 PM on weekdays, but it requires real discipline or battery storage to avoid paying 32.4 cents per kWh.

Does APS pay more for solar exports during peak hours? No. The APS export credit is a flat 10.5 cents per kWh on every solar rate plan, regardless of the time of export. Exporting during Saver Choice Plus on-peak hours at 3 PM earns the same 10.5 cents as exporting at 11 AM. The time-of-use pricing applies only to power you consume, not power you export.

What are APS peak hours for solar customers in 2026? On Saver Choice Plus, on-peak hours are 3 to 8 PM on weekdays, year-round. On E-12, the on-peak surcharge applies only from 5 to 9 PM during summer months from May through October. There are no on-peak hours on E-12 in winter.

How much does APS Saver Choice Plus cost per kWh compared to E-12? Saver Choice Plus charges 32.4 cents per kWh during on-peak hours and 13.0 cents off-peak. E-12 charges 11.7 cents for the first 600 kWh per month, 14.0 cents for the next 300 kWh, and 18.3 cents above 900 kWh, with a 6.6 cent on-peak surcharge added in summer evenings. Which is cheaper depends on your total consumption and when you use power.

Can I switch APS rate plans after going solar? Yes. APS allows solar customers to switch between solar rate plans. There may be a waiting period between switches, and your new rate does not take effect until the next billing cycle. Run the APS plan comparison tool online with your real usage data before switching, or ask an independent solar advisor to model the plans for you.

Is the solar export credit the same on APS and SRP? No. APS and SRP have different net billing structures and different export credit rates. If your home is in SRP territory, the plan comparison works differently. Check your electric bill to confirm which utility serves your address before comparing plans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which APS rate plan is best for a Phoenix solar home that exports power?

For most Phoenix solar homes without battery storage, E-12 is the safer choice. Its on-peak risk is limited to summer evenings from 5 to 9 PM. Saver Choice Plus saves more only if the household consistently keeps consumption outside the 3 to 8 PM weekday window, which usually requires battery storage or a very flexible routine.

Does APS pay more for solar exports during peak hours?

No. The APS export credit is a flat 10.5 cents per kWh on every solar rate plan, regardless of when you export. Exporting at peak hours earns the same as exporting at midday. The time-of-use pricing on Saver Choice plans applies only to power you consume, not power you send to the grid.

What are APS peak hours for solar customers in 2026?

On Saver Choice Plus, on-peak hours run from 3 to 8 PM on weekdays year-round. On E-12, the on-peak surcharge applies only from 5 to 9 PM in summer months from May through October. There are no on-peak hours on E-12 in winter, which is a meaningful advantage for low-export-ratio homes.

How much does APS Saver Choice Plus cost per kWh compared to E-12?

Saver Choice Plus charges 32.4 cents per kWh on-peak and 13.0 cents off-peak. E-12 uses tiered rates of 11.7, 14.0, and 18.3 cents depending on monthly consumption, plus a 6.6 cent summer on-peak surcharge from 5 to 9 PM. Which plan costs less depends on when you use power and your total consumption level.

Can I switch APS rate plans after going solar?

Yes. APS allows solar customers to switch between rate plans. A waiting period may apply between switches, and the new rate takes effect on the next billing cycle. Use the APS plan comparison tool with your actual usage data before switching, or have an independent solar broker in Phoenix model the options for you.

Is the APS solar export credit the same as true net metering?

No. APS replaced traditional net metering with net billing in 2017. Under net billing, exported solar earns a credit at 10.5 cents per kWh rather than the full retail rate. This means self-consuming your solar is worth more than exporting it and buying it back, on every APS solar rate plan.