Solar-Plus-Storage Installs Underway In California With ConnectDER’s IslandDER™ Meter Socket Adapter: PG&E, SDGE, and SCE Territories
- San Diego, CA
To participate in initial California installs, please email sales@connectder.com or reach out to your regional ConnectDER sales rep.
ConnectDER is officially in California! Installs of our newest-generation meter socket adapter, IslandDER™, are underway in all three of California’s largest investor-owned utility territories: Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGE), and Southern California Edison (SCE).
Engineered For Cost Savings & Operational Efficiency On Every Job
Installers are cutting costs and timelines on solar-plus-battery installs thanks to our IslandDER™ meter collar, which plugs directly into the utility meter socket outside the home. This innovation bypasses the need for main panel upgrades, full service replacements, or circuit relocations—all of which lead to lost revenue and scheduling challenges for installers and increased costs for end customers. By eliminating these hurdles, crews can complete more jobs per week while homeowners save thousands in surprise electrical costs and drywall repairs with less disruption to their daily lives.
Michael Ward | Vice President, Pacific SolarBy integrating IslandDER™ with the battery system, we’re able to deliver a comprehensive whole-home backup solution with 50% less installation time and over 50% cost saving.
IslandDER™ Benefits:
- 15 minute install at the meter—stay outside the home
- No MPUs, service upsizing, or circuit relocations—tackle meter main combos with ease
- Replaces the battery gateway component—less electrical work
- Standardized MID solution—repeatable designs, predictable installs
- Use with new installs or retrofits—with or without solar
IslandDER™ Features:
- Built-in Microgrid Interconnect Device (MID) for automatic grid disconnect, Current Transformers (CTs), voltage sensing, and data transmission
- Reversible connection module
- LED status indicator lights
- MID override switch
- Passive cooling (no fan)
- Compatible with multiple leading battery systems
- Backed by a 12.5-year warranty
Boost Your Crew’s Capacity, Complete More Installs
IslandDER™ makes solar-plus-storage a repeatable operation every time, not a custom project.
| IslandDER™ | System Controllers | Circuit Relocation | MPU / Service Upsizing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-Line Diagrams | Simple, Repeatable | Complex, Custom | Complex, Custom | Complex, Custom |
| MID & CTs | Built-In | Built-In or Separate | Separate | Separate |
| Install Time | 15-30 Minutes | 3-6 Hours | 1-2 Days | 2-3 Days |
| Panel Work | None-Minimal | Moderate | Substantial | Substantial |
| Home Repairs | None | Walls & Painting | Walls & Painting | Walls & Painting |
| Battery Choice | FranklinWH SolarEdge Lunar Energy EcoFlow Fox ESS | Locked Into Battery System | Broad | Broad |
| Meter Socket Types* | Ring/Ringless 2S/12S Lever/Horn Bypass Meter Main/Standalone | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Single Sockets & Meter-Main Combos | Easy | Labor Intensive | Labor Intensive | Labor Intensive |
| Safety Risk | Low | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
*Utility and AHJ requirements may apply to meter socket compatibility
Installing now with Lunar Energy and FranklinWH. SolarEdge, Ecoflow and Fox ESS coming in 2026. For more information, visit our Approved Partners List (APL).
Enabling California’a Storage-First Future
IslandDER™ will play a critical role in amplifying California’s nation-leading Virtual Power Plant (VPP) programs, which offer incentives to residents who install energy storage systems at home while helping stabilize the grid for increased resilience.
California’s grid is rapidly transitioning to a storage-first model, driven by 2023’s updated Net Billing Tariff (NEM 3.0) which fundamentally shifted incentives toward battery storage. This resulted in the battery attachment rate on new residential solar installs reaching an estimated 79%. Further compounding this growth, many of the 2 million residents with existing rooftop solar are now retrofitting their systems to participate in incentive programs. Additional programs, such as the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) and Virtual Power Plant (VPP) offerings from SCE, PG&E, and SDGE, enable “incentive stacking.” Residents can now receive an upfront rebate, participate in a VPP program to sell energy back to the utility, and reduce their electric bill during peak hours by leveraging Time-of-Use (TOU) rates with their stored power.
With IslandDER™, installers can more rapidly deploy residential battery systems, lowering the cost barrier for homeowners and increasing VPP adoption.