Rebates

Alameda Municipal Power (AMP) is offering a rebate for residential and commercial customers who purchase electric vehicles (EVs) or electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). For more information, visit the program website.

Alameda Municipal Power (AMP) offers a variety of rebates to its residential customers for energy efficiency measures. The following incentive program categories are offered:

1.  AMP Marketplace
2. Smart Thermostats
3. Electric Panel Upgrade
   
4. Electric Vehicle Charger
   
5. Heat Pump Water Heater
6. Used Electric Vehicle
7. Electric Clothes Dryer
8. LED Lighting

The electric vehicle charger and used electric vehicle programs are discussed in more detail in this DSIRE listing. See program site for details surrounding each of the above stated rebates.

Anaheim Public Utilities (APU) offers commercial, industrial, residential, and institutional customers the Green Building Incentives Program to offset construction, installation and upgrade costs of energy efficient equipment.  Customers interested in participating in this program can choose from a variety of third-party rating and certification programs including but no limited to:  LEED, Build it Green, California Green Build, and Green Globes.  For more information on applying for this program and choosing and green building rating program, contact Anaheim Public Utilities and visit the program's web site.

 

Anaheim Public Utilities is offering rebates for Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers to both business and residential customers. EV chargers must be Level 2 to qualify. Residential, Commercial, Industrial Customers not on an EV or TOU rate have a rebate of $400 per EV charger. Residential, Commercial, Industrial Customers on an EV or TOU rate have a rebate of $1,000 per networked charger. For more information, visit the program website.

Upon request, Anaheim Public Utilities will perform a free home efficiency inspection, in which they will recommend energy saving improvements, rebates and provide some free energy saving devices. See website for lists of requirements and restrictions. Energy efficient programs and incentives offered by APU include:

• Home utility Check Up 
• Refrigerator recycling 
• Appliance Rebates 
• Air Conditioning Rebates 
• Water and Energy education programs

Customers may view the brochure to see rebate amounts and equipment requirements. In addition to the appliance and improvement rebates, APU also offers free dusk to dawn lights to all its residential customers. Low-income residents may qualify for a

Azusa Light & Water offers a rebate to customers who install Level 2 EV chargers in their place of residence. The rebate amount is $150. For more information, visit the program website.

Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN) offers various energy efficiency rebates for single family homeowners. Eligible customers may receive rebates for insulation, air conditioning units, heat pump dryer, and other energy efficient equipment.

Customer must not have previously received a rebate for the same product or equipment from more than one energy-efficiency program offering rebates, financing or other rebates funded with PG&E ratepayer dollars within the past three years for O&M measures and eight years for building shell, HVAC and water heating measures. One rebate is offered per measure per address. Rebates are capped at $4,000 per eligible customer over

Bear Valley Electric Service is providing an incentive for their residential customers to install photovoltaic (PV) systems. Systems must be sized to provide no more than 90% of the calculated or estimated annual energy consumption of the property. Incentives will step down overtime as participation milestones are met. Individual incentives will be adjusted from the base incentive rate based on expected performance. See website above for more information.  

Much of the information presented in this summary is drawn from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Energy Codes Program and the Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP). For more detailed information about building energy codes, visit the DOE and BCAP websites.

The California Building Standards Commission (BSC) is responsible for administering California's building standards adoption, publication, and implementation. Since 1989, the BSC has published triennial editions of the code, commonly referred to as Title 24, in its entirety every three years. On July 17, 2008 the BSC unanimously approved the nation's first statewide voluntary green building code

The U.S. Green Building Council is a non-profit organization that promotes the design and construction of buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable, and healthy places to live and work. The Green Building Council developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System in order to more accurately provide incentives those using these practices. The LEED Green Building Rating System issues points across five categories to those striving to attain LEED status for new commercial construction or major renovation of commercial buildings, as well as multifamily and mixed-use developments that are five units or greater, or four

Burbank Water and Power (BWP) offers incentives to its residential customers for installing energy efficient equipment in eligible homes. Rebates vary according to equipment technology and location of purchase. 

Additional information, including application forms and equipment requirements, can be found on the web site listed above.

For rebates on water products visit SoCalWatersmart.com

Burbank Water and Power offers a rebate of up to $500 for residential customers and $2,000 for business customers for the installation of a Level 2 electric vehicle charger. For more information and the program application, visit the program website.

Designing and building high-performance buildings that are also sustainable is good business and better for the environment. To help offset the cost of constructing environmentally friendly buildings, the city of Burbank created two ordinances and Burbank Water and Power created a rebate program. Rebates vary depending on the level of certification a building receives, ranging from $15,000-$30,000.

Burbank Water and Power (BWP) is accepting applications for its Fiscal Year 2015-2016 photovoltaic (PV) rebates from July 1, 2015 to August 14, 2015. Winners will be determined through a lottery on August 19, 2015. See website above for more information.  

Burbank Water and Power (BWP) offers customers an up-front capacity-based rebate for photovoltaic (PV) systems up to 30 kW. These incentives decline over time as defined capacity goals are met, eventually declining to zero by the end of 2016. The program may change at any time to address market conditions. See website above for complete details.

Click here

Burbank Water and Power is providing incentives for the purchase of solar water heaters. Incentives are only available to residential customers with electric water heaters. There is a limit of one solar water heater per year per property. Applicants must provide access to their residence for a pre-inspection to verify the existing use of an electric water heater. Customers must comply with all code and permit requirements. More information available at the website above. 

Note: Effective September 1, 2022, this rebate is being temporarily reduced to the $0. 

The California Air Resources Board partnered with California utilities to provide up to a $750 rebate for the purchase or lease of an eligible plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle.

California Energy Design Assistance is available for commercial, public, industrial, agriculture, and high-rise multifamily projects.The program serves new construction and major alternations in Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas®), San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E®), Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E®), and Southern California Edison Company (SCE®) areas

Major alterations must meet the following criteria:   

• Changes in space function (building or space occupancy type change)   
  

• Substantial changes (≥30%) in design occupancy (square feet per person)   
  

• Increase (≥10%) in conditioned floor area   

• Any substantial expansion or addition of process or conditioning load to an existing facility

California Energy

FIGTREE Energy Financing is administering a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing program in a number of California cities and counties through a partnership with the Pacific Housing & Finance Agency (PHFA) and the California Enterprise Development Authority (CEDA). PACE programs allow property owners to borrow money for energy improvement projects which are repaid through their property taxes. A number of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies can be financed through FIGTREE's PACE program. Residential and commercial properties which meet the program's criteria, and are located in one of the participating cities or counties are eligible. Full details of the program

California’s solar access laws appear in the state’s Civil, Government, Health and Safety, and Public Resources Codes. California’s Civil Code (801.5) ensures that neighbors may voluntarily sign solar easements to ensure that proper sunlight is available to those who operate solar energy systems. California’s Government Code (65850.5) provides that subdivisions may include solar easements applicable to all plots within the subdivision in their plans. California’s Public Resources Code (25980) contains the Solar Shade Control Act, which encourages the use of trees and other natural shading except in cases where the shading may interfere with the use of active and passive

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted in October 2011 to create the California Solar Initiative (CSI) Thermal Low-Income program for single and multifamily residential properties. The program offers rebates that are substantially higher than ones provided under the CSI-Thermal General Market Program.

The program is only available to customers who currently heat their water with natural gas in the service territories of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), and Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) . For single-family residences, customers must be participating or have previously participated in an Energy Savings Assistance Program

Note: As of June 2022, this program is fully subscribed in the service territories of all three investor-owned utilities: Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric.   

The California Solar Initiative (CSI), enacted by SB 1 of 2006, provides financial incentives for installing solar technologies through a variety of smaller sub-programs. Of the $3.2 billion in total funding for the CSI, $216 million has been set aside for programs to help fund photovoltaic (PV) installations on low-income housing. Half of that $216 million is funding the Multi-Family Affordable Solar Housing (MASH) program, and the

Note: The CSI-Thermal Program closed to new applications on July 31, 2020. Applicants with projects that have received a confirmed reservation are still able to complete their projects and submit their Incentive Claim within their 18-month reservation window. For any questions, please contact your CSI-Thermal Program Administrator.

AB 1470 of 2007 authorized the creation of a $350 million incentive program for solar water heating systems. Of the $350 million in total funding, $25 million is reserved for low-income incentives, $225 million is for systems that will displace natural gas water heaters, and $100 million is set aside for systems

The Solar Rights Act (CA Civil Code 714), enacted in 1978, bars restrictions by homeowners associations (HOAs) on the installation of solar-energy systems, but originally did not specifically apply to cities, counties, municipalities or other public entities. Subsequent legislation extended these restrictions to all public entities and common interest developments.  These entities are allowed to impose reasonable restrictions on a solar energy system that do not significantly increase the cost of the system or significantly decrease its efficiency or specified performance. 

"Significantly" was not originally defined, but later legislation adopted a specific dollar amount and system efficiency impact that the

Note:  In 2010, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which has authority over mortgage underwriters Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, directed these enterprises against purchasing mortgages of homes with a PACE lien due to its senior status above a mortgage. Most residential PACE activity subsided following this directive; however, some residential PACE programs are now operating with loan loss reserve funds, appropriate disclosures, or other protections meant to address FHFA's concerns. Commercial PACE programs were not directly affected by FHFA’s actions, as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do not underwrite commercial mortgages. Visit PACENation for more information about PACE financing

The New Solar Homes Partnership (NSHP) is administered by the California Energy Commission (CEC) and provides incentives for solar on new home construction. To be eligible for the NSHP incentive, the home must receive electricity from one of the following investor-owned utilities: Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Southern California Edison Company, San Diego Gas and Electric Company, and Bear Valley Electric Service.

Launched on January 2, 2007, the New Solar Homes Partnership (NSHP) is a 10-year, $400 million program to encourage solar in new homes by working with builders and developers to incorporate into the homes high levels of energy

City of Fresno requires that the design of any new city-owned building containing at least 7500 square feet shall include an alternative design for installation of a solar energy system.

The report to Council for each award of a contract for a new city-owned building shall include information related to compliance with this section every other year.

Each of the following is exempt from application of this section:

· A building for which the design is 30% or more complete on or before the effective date of this section.

· A building for which another renewable energy source(s) is available

Through the City of Healdsburg's PV Buy-down Program, residential and commercial customers are eligible for rebate on qualifying grid-connected PV systems. In keeping with SB1, (the California Solar Initiative mandating that utilities put into place programs to assure that 3000 megawatts (MW) of solar installations on homes is in place within 10 years) the incentive level will decrease annually over the 10 year life of the program. The program is currently on Step 8, with rebates of $0.62 per watt for residential and $0.59 per watt for commercial installations.  Larger systems may be installed, but the program will only reward

In 2013 The City of Lancaster became the first U.S. city to require photovoltaics (PV) to be installed on new homes. All residential buildings with a building permit issuance date of January 1, 2014 or later must have a certain amount of photovoltaics (PV) installed. The specific system size requirements vary according to zone and lot type:

City of Lompoc Utilities provides rebates to its electric customers who purchase and install photovoltaic (PV) systems. The rebate is $1.00 per watt-AC. The incentive amount may not exceed 50% the cost of the system, up to a maximum of $50,000.

To qualify for the rebate the system must meet all the criteria as defined by the Lompoc City Electric interconnection agreement for self-generating electric systems and the requirements set forth by the California Energy Commission.

In April 2009, Los Angeles enacted Ordinance 180636, known as the Green Building Retrofit Ordinance. This ordinance was later amended by Ordinance 182259. The law requires all city-owned buildings that are either more than 7,500 square feet or built before 1978 to be retrofitted. The goal of the retrofits will be to achieve LEED for Existing Buildings Silver certification or higher. This requirement is subject to the availability of state or federal funds. The Ordinance requires that at least half of the buildings retrofitted are located in high-poverty and high-unemployment areas, and that, to the extent feasible, all construction

Chapter I of Los Angeles' Municipal Code, Height of Building or Structures, provides an exemption for solar energy devices, or similar structures. They may be erected above the height limit specified in the district in which the property is located. In all zones, solar devices may exceed the roof surface by 3 feet even if the roof surface is at or above the allowable building height limit. In all zones except R1 and more restrictive zones, solar devices built on a flat roof may exceed the roof surface by up to 15 feet. In the R1 and more restrictive zones

The City of Oakland adopted mandatory green building standards for private development projects on October 19, 2010. This ordinance prescribes minimum green building (see link for definition) requirements for private development (non City of Oakland) projects in Oakland.

On April 21, 2010, the City Planning Commission approved the proposed ordinance for forwarding to the City Council. The regulations apply to new construction, additions or alterations of a certain size, mixed-use, affordable housing, and large landscape projects, as well as the demolition of historic resources. The ordinance will become fully effective starting January 1, 2011, after which the project applicant will

Current Municipal codes provide some solar access protections to adjacent properties. Mostly in relation to new development proposals.

17.65.080.A.3.B - Maximum Floor Area Ratio

Regards the maximum floor area ratio regulation for the city of Oakland. It specifies the conditions for a conditional use permit for an FAR or up to 3.0 in the HBX-3 and HBX-4 zones. Including that “the additional Floor Area Ratio does not significantly decrease the solar access of existing adjacent single family homes or duplexes to a degree greater than would be created if the facility were built according to the base FAR.”

17.134.050.F.1 –

City Palo Alto Utility's Clean Local Energy Accessible Now (CLEAN) program provides fixed payments for electricity produced by approved photovoltaic systems over a fixed period of time. This type of program is commonly referred to as a feed-in tariff. Originally, the program allowed participants to choose between 10-year, 15-year and 20-year contracts. As of June 2015, the only option is a 20-year contract for a price of $0.165 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

There is no minimum or maximum system size to participate. The solar generating facility may be located anywhere in Palo Alto city limits as long as it complies with

Note: Funds for residential and large commercial rebates have been fully reserved. Rebates are no longer available for residential systems or large commercial systems. 

The City of Palo Alto Utilities (CPAU) PV Partners Program offers incentives to customers that install qualifying PV systems. The program, which has a budget of approximately $13 million over 10 years, is divided into 10 steps (residential incentives have 12 steps), each funded at $1.3 million. 

Incentive levels as of 3/11/2016 are described below. For current levels, consult the program web site above.

• Small/Medium Commercial (Rate E-2, E-4) <30 kW: $1.20/watt AC
  
• Small/Medium Commercial (Rate

The City of Palo Alto Utilities (CPAU) is offering a Heat Pump Water Heater (HPWH) Program, which provides a generous rebate of up to $2,300, for residents who install an efficient, electric HPWH. CPAU is conducting this program to to encourage residents to use CPAUs 100% carbon neutral electricity and to promote high-efficiency HPWHs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) from natural gas. Eligible residents that participate in the HPWH program can receive rebates for installation of a HPWH. Rebate funding is subject to availability and may change without prior notice. City of Palo Alto Utilities also offers water conservation

City of Palo Alto Utilities is offering incentives for their residential, commercial and industrial customers to install solar water heating systems on their homes and facilities. Incentives are based on the estimated energy savings.  Single-family residential incentives are capped at $2,719 for gas-displacing systems and $1,834 for electricity or propane-displacing systems. Commercial systems are capped at $100,000.

Sacramento City Code, Title 17, Section 17.504.050.I ensures that the Director of Parks and Community Services gives consideration to solar access, to the extent feasible, when selecting and planting residential street trees near residential buildings.

City Code Title 12 section 12.56.100 notes that the city is exempt from the provisions of the Solar Shade Control Act, Chapter 12 (commencing with Section 25980) of Division 15 of the California Public Resources Code. (Ord. 2016-0026 § 4).

San Diego’s Supplemental Development Regulations passed initially in 1997 but since has had many additions and alterations, some as recent as 2020. San Diego’s Supplemental Development Regulations require that a “Shadow Plan” be developed when it is determined that structures or landscaping within a proposed development may have an impact on neighboring property’s access to solar exposure. This is intended to ensure that potential impacts to solar access will be minimized. (§143.0410 section i)

The Shadow Plan is further fleshed out in §151.0301 – Permitted Development Controls. Detailing that “when, in the opinion of the City Manager, structures

In 2002, the City of San Diego passed Resolution R-298001, which amended the Sustainable Building Policy to allow for expedited permitting for sustainable buildings. Sustainable buildings are defined in Policy Number 900-14, and the expedited permitting program is described in Policy Number 600-27. The Sustainable Building Policy is scheduled to be revised every three years.

New residential, commercial, and industrial development projects are all eligible for expedited permitting. The expedited permitting process is estimated to take 50% as much time as the normal permitting process. The policy also prioritizes project types in the case that the expedited permitting program is

The City of San Diego’s Sustainable Building Policy is directed by Council Policy 900-14. The policy contains regulations regarding building measures, private-sector incentives, health and resource conservation, outreach and education, and implementation.

Among the directives is a commitment City-owned, occupied or leased new construction and major renovation projects must meet LEED "Silver" Level Certification. In addition to achieving LEED Certification, Council Policy 900-14 states that City-owned and occupied new construction and major renovation projects of buildings containing more than 1,000 square feet of conditioned space must meet the energy efficiency requirements of San Diego Council Policy 900-03, Zero

San Francisco adopted a mandatory green building code for new construction projects in September 2008, establishing strict guidelines for residential and commercial buildings according to the following schedule:

GreenFinanceSF is a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing program for commercial properties. GreenFinance SF uses an "open-market" PACE model in which individual property owners identify their own project lenders and negotiate all the financing terms with them. The City collects loan repayments from the participant through a special tax lien on the property and disburses payment to the project lender. The special tax lean should provide greater security to the lender, who should be able to provide more favorable financing terms to the property owner.

The property must be located in the City and County of San Francisco must

Note: As of January 1, 2021, basic residential and low-income incentives are fully subscribed. Funding only remains for Nonprofit/Municipal and Nonprofit Residential incentive categories. See website for more information. 

The City and County of San Francisco, through the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), are providing incentives to residents, businesses and non-profits who install photovoltaic (PV) systems on their properties. Systems must be at least one kilowatt (kW) in capacity, and there is no maximum size limit to participate. Different incentive levels are available whether the property is residential, commercial, low-income residential, non-profit, or multi-unit residential.

See the website above

In October 2008, the City of San Jose enacted the Private Sector Green Building Policy (Policy No. 6-32). The policy was adopted in Ordinance No. 28622 in June, 2009. All new buildings must meet certain green building requirements in order to receive a building permit. Requirements are dependent on the size and type of the project.

• Tier 1 Commercial Projects include commercial industrial projects (non-residential) of less than 25,000 square feet, and less than a height of 75 feet. These projects are required to submit a completed GreenPoint Rated Checklist or LEED Checklist in order to receive a building permit

Before a development plan can be approved in the City of Santa Cruz, it must be found that the orientation and location of buildings, structures, open spaces and other features of the site plan preserve solar access of adjacent properties. In addition, buildings and structures should be designed and oriented to make use of natural elements such as solar radiation, wind and landscaping for heating, cooling and ventilation. Developers must also show that heating systems for hot tubs and swimming pools are solar when possible, and in all cases, energy efficient. The orientation and location of the fence or hedge

In 2013 The City of Sebastopol became the second U.S. city to require photovoltaics (PV) to be installed on new buildings. The ordinance applies to all new commercial and residential buildings, and additions to existing commercial and residential buildings. The ordinance defines additions to commercial buildings as any addition that increases the square footage by 1,800 or greater and all remodels, alterations or repairs of more than 50% of the structure. The ordinance defines additions to residential buildings as any addition that increases the square footage by 75% or greater and all remodels, alterations or repairs of more than 75%

As a condition of approval of a property subdivision parcel map, the City of Sebastopol has the right to ask for dedication of solar easements for the purpose of assuring that each parcel or unit in the subdivision receives sunlight for any solar energy system. Sebastopol also has the right to place restrictions on vegetation or building that would interfere with solar access. These easements can be required as long as they do not reduce allowable densities or the percentage of a lot that can be occupied by a structure according to applicable zoning laws. The easements do not apply

Note: This program is currently not accepting applications. Check the program web site for information regarding future solicitations.

City of Shasta Lake Electric Utility is providing rebates to their customers for the purchase of photovoltaic (PV) systems. The rebate levels will decrease annually over the life of the program. Interested customers should contact Efficiency Services for more information.

The California Clean Vehicle Rebate Project (CVRP) provides incentives designed to make electric vehicles more affordable. Incentives are available for fuel cell electric vehicles, battery electric vehicles, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

Corona Department of Water & Power is providing rebates for residential and commercial photovoltaic (PV) systems. The rebate amount for 2015 is $0.78 per watt up to $2,340 for residential systems and $19,500 for commercial systems. Customers must submit an application and receive approval prior to beginning the installation. See website above for complete details and requirements.

Assembly Bill 45 of 2009 authorized counties to adopt ordinances to provide for the installation of small wind systems (50 kW or smaller) outside urbanized areas but within the county's jurisdiction. The bill also addressed specific aspects of a typical wind ordinance and established the limiting factors by which a county's wind ordinance can be no more restrictive. Counties may freely make more lenient ordinances, but this legislation was designed to establish maximum restrictions a county may impose if they choose to develop a small wind ordinance. These provisions apply only to county ordinances developed after January 1, 2011. Maximum

Cities, counties, public care institutions, public hospitals, public schools and colleges, and special districts in California can apply for low-interest loans from the California Energy Commission for energy efficiency projects in their buildings and facilities. Residential and commercial projects and non-profit institutions are not eligible for these funds.

Entities eligible for 0% loans include:

• School districts
• Charter schools
• County office of educations
• State special schools

Entities eligible for 1% loans include:

• Cities
• Counties
• Special Districts
• Public College or University
• Community Colleges
• Public Care Institutions/ Public Hospitals
• University of California
• California State Universities

There is no minimum loan amount, but the

The Energy Upgrade California program serves as a one-stop shop for California homeowners who want to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. The program connects homeowners with qualified contractors, and helps homeowners find all the available incentives from their local utilities and local governments. The program is available statewide and is managed locally by utilities and regional energy networks. 

To participate in the program, interested California homeowners should go to the website listed above and select an eligible contractor. The contractor will work with the homeowner to determine which improvements are best for the home and help fill out

The Enhanced Community Renewables Program is one element of the Green Tariff Shared Renewables (GTSR) Program, which was established by Senate Bill 43 of 2014. The Enhanced Community Renewables Program allows a customer to purchase a share of a community renewable energy project directly from a developer and receive a bill credit on their proportionate share of the system's production.  The program is capped at 600 MW statewide. 

Glendale Water and Power (GWP) has launched a program that aims to expand the electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, which will make it easier for residents to charge their EVs.  GWP offers up to $599 in rebates for residential customers and up to $6,000 for commercial or multifamily customers. For more information, visit the program website.

Glendale Water and Power (GPW) offers the Smart Home Energy and Water Saving Rebate Program that includes several incentives for residential customers to improve the energy efficiency of participating homes. Rebates are offered for a variety of appliances that meet required minimum efficiency levels. Amounts vary according to efficiency, requirements, and location of purchase. More information regarding these residential programs, as well as low income targeted programs, can be found on the web site listed above.

The Solar Solutions program provides all customer groups with an incentive to install photovoltaic (PV) systems on their homes and buildings. Rebate levels will decrease over time on an annual basis. The rebate levels for future program years can be seen at the website listed above. Systems must be sized to produce no more than 100% of the customer’s past 12 months kWh consumption.

On December 14, 2004, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Executive Order S-20-04, creating a Green Building Action Plan to improve the energy performance of all state buildings. The order established energy savings targets for state facilities, declared the "Silver" level of LEED as the minimum performance standard for new buildings, and to required state government to purchase ENERGY STAR products when cost effective.

Governor Gerry Brown signed Executive Order (B-18-12), in April of 2012, updated some of these requirements while rescinding the earlier Executive Order. It adjusted the energy savings targets such that grid-based energy purchases must be reduced

Hercules Municipal Utility provides financial incentives for its residential members to increase the energy efficiency of participating homes. Rebates are offered for a variety of home appliances and weatherization improvements, including refrigerators, dishwashers, clothes washers, insulation and high performance windows. Additional equipment requirements can be found on the web site listed above. Please follow program guidelines described on web site listed above to receive full rebate amounts.

Senate Bill 1 of 2006, which established the statewide California Solar Initiative, also required the California Energy Commission (CEC) to implement regulations that require sellers of production homes to offer a solar energy system option to all prospective homebuyers. Besides offering solar as an option to prospective homebuyers, sellers of homes constructed on land for which an application for a tentative subdivision map has been deemed complete on or after January 1, 2011, must disclose to the prospective homebuyer the total installed cost of the solar option, the estimated cost savings associated with the solar energy system option, information

IID accepted applications for the 2015 PV Solutions Program from Jan. 3, 2015 – Jan. 31, 2015. Winners were determined via lottery. The program is now closed for the remainder of 2015, but another funding round is expected in 2016. 

Through the PV Solutions Rebate Program, Imperial Irrigation District (IID) provides rebates to its residential and commercial customers who install grid-tied photovoltaic systems. Systems less than 30 kilowatts (kW) can receive an upfront incentive based on the expected performance of the system. For 2015 the expected performance based incentive is $0.50 per watt, but may be reduced based on

Imperial Irrigation District Energy offers incentives to residential customers to encourage energy efficiency. This incentive takes the form of rebates offered for qualifying energy efficient appliances and building improvements. Rebates are only available for existing homes. New construction homes do not qualify. Rebates are not guaranteed and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Rebates are available on attic insulation, attic fans, ENERGY STAR refrigerators, ENERGY STAR dual pane windows, room air conditioners, ENERGY STAR clothes washers, central air conditioners, heat pumps, and other products. For a full list of rebates see the website above.

Note: The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has an ongoing interconnection rule revision docket (Rulemaking (R.) 17-07-007) that has made many revisions to interconnection rules since July 13, 2017. Current interconnection rules for each utility are available at the CPUC website.

California's "Rule 21" generally applies to systems connecting to an investor-owned utility’s distribution grid, non-export generating facilities connecting to an investor-owned utility’s transmission grid and all net metered facilities in an investor-owned utility’s service territory. Systems connecting to an investor-owned utility’s distribution grid for the purpose of participating in a wholesale transaction must apply under the investor-owned utility’s Wholesale

Through its "Charge Up LA" rebate programs, LADWP provides various incentives for residents and businesses installing EV charging stations. For more information, visit the program website.

As part of its Used Electric Vehicle Rebate Program, LADWP offers a $1,500 rebate to residential customers for the purchase of a qualifying used electric vehicle. The program also offers up to an additional $1,000 rebate for homes participating in the Lifeline or EZ-SAVE Low Income Customer Assistance programs. A resident does not need to be a LADWP account holder to apply, but the permanent residence of the applicant must receive electric service from LADWP. For more information, visit the program website.

Through the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) program, LADWP is purchasing energy for up to 20 years from solar V and non PV technologies through a standard offer power purchase agreement. Participating in the program conveys to the utility all energy, capacity rights, and environmental attributes associated with the project.

As of August 2024, the price per kWh varies as shown below:

LADWP allows its customers to net meter their photovoltaic (PV), wind, and hybrid systems with a capacity of not more than one megawatt. LADWP will provide the necessary metering equipment unless an installation requires atypical metering equipment. In these cases the customer must cover the additional metering expenses. The customer must also pay any related interconnection fees.  

Excess kilowatt-hours (kWh) generated by the customer's system will be credited toward their future bills.  Excess bill credits, however, may not be used to offset taxes, minimum charges, or other charges which are not based on energy.  If a bill credit still

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power offers prescriptive and custom incentives to non-residential customers for the installation of energy saving measures, equipment, or systems through a variety of programs, including:

1. Technical Assistance Program (TAP)
   
2. Water Conservation Rebate Program (WCRP)
   
3. Save on Lighting Program (SOLP)
   
4. Savings in Action (SIA)
   
5. Customer Performance Program (CPP)
   

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) offers a variety of rebates for energy efficient equipment used in homes through the Consumer Rebate Program.For more information on these programs, review the program web site.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's (LADWP) Solar Incentive Program began in 2000, with a funding level of $150 million. The California Solar Initiative, created in 2007 upon the enactment of SB 1, established new guidelines for municipal utilities to follow, and established new funding levels. The LADWP Board of Commissioners approved the Solar Incentive Program Guideline Revisions on September 4, 2007, to comply with SB1. The revised program was suspended in early 2011, but was revised and relaunched on September 1, 2011.

The Solar Incentive Program has 10 phases with declining incentive levels as certain installed

Lassen Municipal Utility District (LMUD) is providing incentives for its customers to purchase solar electric photovoltaic (PV) systems. Rebate levels will decrease annually over the life of the program. Through June 30, 2016, rebates of $2.60 per watt-AC up to $3,000 are available for residential systems. Commercial systems can receive a rebate of $1.81 per watt-AC up to $19,000. Rebates are only available for systems up to 50 kilowatts (kW).

Systems must be interconnected and must meet all other requirements detailed in the program guidelines. Homes wishing to receive a rebate must have an LMUD administered energy audit performed and

Lassen Municipal Utility District (LMUD) offers an incentive for residential customers who purchase and install energy efficient appliances, HVAC equipment or lighting. All equipment and efficiency requirements must be met in order to receive rebates. For more information regarding program specifications and contact information, customers should visit the web site listed above.

Note:  In 2010, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which has authority over mortgage underwriters Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, directed these enterprises against purchasing mortgages of homes with a PACE lien due to its senior status above a mortgage. Most residential PACE activity subsided following this directive; however, some residential PACE programs are now operating with loan loss reserve funds, appropriate disclosures, or other protections meant to address FHFA's concerns. Commercial PACE programs were not directly affected by FHFA’s actions, as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do not underwrite commercial mortgages. Visit PACENation for more information about PACE financing

Note: Lodi Electric Utility accepted applications for program year 2015 from January 2 - 30, 2015. The program is fully subscribed for 2015.  

Lodi Electric Utility offers rebates to its residential, commercial, industrial and municipal customers who install photovoltaic (PV) systems. The rebate program is funded with approximately $6 million to support systems installed between January 1, 2008 and January 1, 2018. The total amount available for qualified installations in 2015 was $525,000, with $285,000 reserved for residential installations and $240,000 for non-residential installations. The rebate for both residential and non-residential PV systems installed in 2015 was $1.68/watt.

Businesses in Los Angeles County may be eligible for the county's Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program. PACE programs allow businesses to finance energy and water efficiency projects which are repaid through a special assessment on the business's property taxes. The property must be located within Los Angeles County, and within the boundaries of a city that has adopted a resolution to join the County-wide PACE district. As of January 2016, 85 of 88 cities in Los Angeles County have passed resolutions opting into the LA County PACE Program. 

The technologies listed above are examples of eligible improvements, but other technologies

Note: The Regional Planning Commission is considering amendments to the requirements outlined here. See the website above for the most recent information related to this process.

In November 2008, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors adopted a series of ordinances which created the Green Building Program. The ordinances included the Green Building Ordinance (2008-0065), the Drought Tolerant Ordinance (2008-0064), and the Low Impact Development Ordinance (2008-0063). These standards are updated periodically, and apply to new buildings constructed in Los Angeles County. If a reconstruction of a building exceeds 50% of its market value, it is subject to green building

In January 2007, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors adopted rules to require that all new county buildings greater than 10,000 square feet be LEED Silver certified. All buildings authorized and fully funded on or after February 15, 2007 must achieve the certification. Certain buildings may be exempt from the requirement at the recommendation of the Chief Administrative Officer.

Title 22 – Planning and Zoning of the Los Angeles County Code establishes development standards for non-commercial wind energy conversion systems (WECS-N) and temporary meteorological towers. The ordinance requires a conditional use permit prior to the installation of a non-commercial wind energy conversion system in the unincorporated areas of the county, and it establishes a procedure for the director of planning to grant a minor conditional use permit for applications that are limited in scope and impacts.

Wind energy conversion system, non-commercial (WECS-N):

A facility consisting of a tower, wind turbine generator with blades, guy wires and anchors, and associated

Assembly Bill 117, passed in 2002, allows communities in California to aggregate their load and to procure electricity from their own preferred sources. Under the authority of this law, California’s first community choice aggregator, Marin Clean Energy (MCE), was launched in May of 2010. The Marin Energy Authority comprises each city and town in Marin as well as the communities of Belvedere, Fairfax, Mill Valley, San Anselmo, San Rafael, Sausalito, Tiburon, and the County of Marin. The original legislation mandated that the customers of each supporting community would automatically be enrolled in Marin Clean Energy unless they chose not to

Marin Clean Energy (MCE), a Community Choice Aggregator, provides an incentive for its customers to install renewable energy systems through the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) Plus Program. MCE will pay for all energy, environmental attributes, capacity, and if applicable, storage-related services and attributes delivered by the system at a fixed rate based on metered energy quantities multiplied by the applicable contract price for the delivery term.

The contract price is scheduled to step down over time as the installed capacity of all participating systems increases.  As of May 2024 there are 10.8 MW remaining on the 5th of 6 steps

Marin County's Energy Conservation Code is designed to assure new subdivisions provide for future passive or natural heating or cooling opportunities in the subdivision to the extent feasible. Streets, lots, and building setbacks must be designed so that habitable buildings are oriented with their long axis running east to west (with a possible variation of thirty degrees to the southwest and thirty degrees to the southeast) for the purpose of solar access. The planning director or planning commission may require solar access easements or restrictive covenants to protect solar access.

The County of Marin is offering rebates to single family property owners for the replacement of natural gas appliances with efficient all-electric units, including water heaters, furnaces, ranges and cooktops. Replacing natural gas appliances with electric models will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve indoor air quality, and make your home a safer environment.

Merced Irrigation District (MID) offers its residential, commercial and non-profit customers a rebate for installing solar electric photovoltaic (PV) systems on their homes and offices. For 2015, the rebate is $1.00 per watt (adjusted based on the expected performance of the system) with a maximum of $3,000 for residential systems and $25,000 for non-residential systems.

Note: As of May 20, 2015, all funding for 2015 has been exhausted. See program website for updates. 

Modesto Irrigation District offers a photovoltaic rebate program for all of their electric customers. The peak output capacity of a system must be 1 kW or greater to participate. Systems up to 30 kilowatts (kW) in capacity can receive an up-front capacity-based incentive. Systems greater than 30 kW and up to 1,000 kW (1 MW) can receive a performance-based incentive. The rebate levels will decline over time.

 

Modesto Irrigation District offers rebates for qualifying electric vehicle (EV) chargers for in-home installation. Details, requirements and limitations can be found on the website's catalog.

Modesto Irrigation District’s Home Rebate Program offers residential customers cash rebates for the purchase and installation of qualifying energy efficient products installed in existing homes. Rebates are available for equipment meeting program efficiency standards which were purchased within the eligible time period. 

Customers who wish to participate in this program must send a completed application packet and any necessary photocopies of the original itemized and dated invoice or sales receipt to MID's Energy Management Department. A program catalog with specific equipment requirements and the program application can be found on the program web site.

Moreno Valley Electric Utility provides rebates to its electric customers for the purchase of photovoltaic (PV) systems. System must be on the same premises as the customer to qualify. Systems 30 kilowatts (kW) or less can receive an upfront incentive of $1.00 per Watt up to $10,000 for a residential system and $50,000 for small commercial systems, or 50% of cost, whichever is less. Systems larger than 30 kW up to 500 kW can receive a performance-based incentive of $0.04 per kWh for 4 years. Incentives for systems over 500 kW and up to 1 MW will be determined on

Note: The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued a decision in December 2022 phasing out the previous Net Energy Metering (NEM 2.0) tariff and replacing it with a new net billing tariff. Customer generators who submit interconnection applications on or after April 15, 2023 will only be eligible for the new net billing tariff. The summary immediately below describes the net billing tariff, followed by a description of the previous NEM 2.0 rules for historical purposes. 

Net Billing Tariff 

Customer generators who submit interconnection applications on or after April 15, 2023 must take service under the new net billing tariff

In December 2010, the County of Orange Board of Supervisors adopted small wind performance and development standards (Ord. No. 10-020) in order to promote distributed generation systems in non-urbanized areas (as defined in Government Code Section 65944(d)(2)) within the unincorporated territory. Permitting standards are for systems of 50 kW or less per customer site, for which the energy is primarily for on-site consumption.

Height: For systems 45 feet tall or less, a use permit must be approved by the Zoning Administrator, and for systems between 45 and 80 feet in height, the use permit must be approved by the Planning

Note: This program has an annual window during which time it will accept applications. See website above for information about its most recent funding round.  

Pacific Power's Blue Sky program is a voluntary program for customers to support renewable energy. A portion of the voluntary payments through the program is used to fund new community-based renewable energy projects within Pacific Power's service territory.

Eligible renewable energy resources include wind, solar PV, geothermal, low-impact hydropower, pipeline or irrigation canal hydropower, wave or tidal energy, and low-emissions biomass. Projects must be grid connected, less than 10 MW, locally owned, and non-residential. 

Pacific Power provides an incentive for home builders in California to build energy efficient houses through the Energy Star New Homes Program. Rebates are available through this program for homes which are built to the specifications of NW BOP Energy Star. See Equipment information table for additional documentation requirements for each incentive. Contact Pacific Power or visit the program web site listed above for assistance.

Pacific Power offers the Home Energy Savings Program for their residential California customers to improve the efficiency of their homes. Incentives are also available for contractors and newly built Energy Star homes that meet specific requirements listed on the program web site. Incentives are available for a variety of engergy efficiency measures, including clothes washers, refrigerators, dish washers, water heaters, lighting, evaporative coolers, central AC units, and heating/cooling tune-ups. All appliances must be Energy Star and all other equipment must meet certain energy efficient standards listed on the program web site. Interested customers should consult the program web site for

California provides a partial exemption of the state's sales and use tax for farm equipment and machinery. The exemption only applies to taxes levied by the State, and not sales and use taxes levied by local governments. Further, the exemption does not apply to the taxes imposed or administered pursuant to sections 6051.2 and 6201.2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, the Bradley-Burns Uniform Local Sales and Use Tax Law, the Transactions and Use Tax Law, or section 35 of article XIII of the California Constitution.

The California State Board of Equalization issued a Special Notice in November 2012, clarifying that photovoltaic

Pasadena Water and Power offers a variety of rebates for residential customers who purchase or lease new or used plug-in electric vehicles or electric vehicle chargers. For more information, visit the program website.

Pasadena Water & Power (PWP) offers its electric customers a rebate for photovoltaic (PV) installations, with a goal of helping to fund the installation of 14 megawatts (MW) of solar power by 2017. The rebate amount varies depending on the customer class installing the system and the system's size. Systems up to 30 kilowatts (kW) are eligible for the Expected Performance Based Buydown (EPBB) or can opt for the performance based incentive (PBI). The EPBB provides a one-time lump sum payment after installation and inspection approval based on the system's estimated AC energy output. The energy output is estimated using

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) offers rebates for residential gas customers who install energy efficient furnaces or water heaters in homes. More information and applications for rebates are available at the program web site and customers can apply for the rebates online through the e-Rebate system. Participating homeowners should review equipment and program requirements on all program application forms to ensure eligibility for rebates. More information on these incentives can be found at the above program web site.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) offers a variety of rebates for residential customers who install energy efficient equipment in eligible homes. Prescriptive rebates are available for smart thermostats and generators/batteries. Further rebates for heating and cooling products are available through the Golden State Rebate Program.

Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative (PSREC) offers several financial incentives for residential customers to improve the efficiency of their homes by upgrading to energy saving appliances and equipment. PSREC also offers a Plug-in Electric Vehicle rebate for vehicles registered in Plumas, Lassen, Sierra or Washoe County. Visit the program website or contact the utility for more information.

Section 73 of the California Revenue and Taxation Code allows a property tax exclusion for certain types of solar energy systems installed between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 2024. This section was amended by AB 1451 in September 2008 to include the construction of an active solar energy system incorporated by an owner-builder in the initial construction of a new building that the owner-builder does not intend to occupy or use. This only applies if the owner-builder did not already receive an exclusion for the same active solar energy system and only if the initial purchaser purchased the new

Electric Program Investment Charge Program 

California's 1996 electric industry restructuring legislation (AB 1890) directed the state’s three major investor-owned utilities (Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, and San Diego Gas & Electric) to collect a "public goods charge" (PGC) on ratepayer electricity use from 1998 through 2001 to create public benefits funds for renewable energy, energy efficiency, and research, development & demonstration (RD&D). 

California's public benefits fund, the Electric Program Investment Charge Program (EPIC), was established in 2011 to help meet the state's climate goals by decarbonizing the electricity sector. The program invests more than $130

Redding Electric Utility offers a variety of financial incentives for energy efficiency through its Residential Rebate Program. Rebates are available for HVAC, water heating, building shell, and appliances. Rebate applications and further program guidelines are available on REU's web site. 

Contact Redding Electric or view the program web site for additional information.

Note: This program completed its sixth and final mandated auction in 2015. CPUC Decision 14-11-042  allows the utilities to continue using RAM as a mechanism for meeting a portion of their RPS requirements. Future RAM solicitations will be issued at the discretion of the utilities. Some of the parameters put in place by the CPUC will be lifted, but the essence of the RAM program will remain. Namely, utilities will select projects based on lowest price, and selected projects will be granted standard non-negotiable contracts. See the utility websites below for more information. 

The Renewable Auction Mechanism (RAM) was approved

All investor-owned utilities and publicly-owned utilities with 75,000 or more customers must make a standard Renewable Market Adjusting Tariff (ReMAT) available to their customers. As the ReMAT is meant to help the utilities meet California's renewable portfolio standard (RPS), all green attributes associated with the energy, including renewable energy credits (RECs), transfer to the utility with the sale. Any customer-generator who sells power to the utility under this tariff may not participate in other state incentive programs. The tariffs will be available until the combined statewide cumulative capacity of eligible generation installed equals 750 megawatts (MW) for the general ReMAT

Note: SB 100, signed in September 2018, increased the overall requirement from 50% to 60% by 2030. The legislation also changed some of the rules related to the use of large hydro by Publicly Owned Municipal Utilities, and adopted an additional goal of 100% of all retail sales by 2045 come from renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources. 

California’s Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) was originally established by legislation enacted in 2002. Subsequent amendments to the law have resulted in a requirement for California’s electric utilities to have 50% of their retail sales derived from eligible renewable energy resources in

Note: Riverside Public Utilities began accepting reservation appointments for Program year 2015 - 2016 on May 18th. Systems must be installed after July 1, 2015 to qualify. The program will remain open until funding for the year has been exhausted. 

The non-residential photovoltaic (PV) rebate program provides financial incentives for Riverside Public Utilities' business customers to install qualifying PV systems on their facilities. For Fiscal Year 2015-2016, the rebate amount is $0.50 per watt AC and cannot exceed $50,000. 

Leased systems and PPAs are not eligible to participate. 

Riverside Public Utilities offers incentives for residential customers to upgrade the efficiency of a variety of equipment within eligible homes. In order to receive rebates, all equipment efficiency standards must be met. Visit the program website for more information on the program incentives currently offered.

Note: Riverside Public Utilities began accepting reservation appointments for Program year 2015 - 2016 on May 18th. Systems must be installed after July 1, 2015 to qualify. The program will remain open until funding for the year has been exhausted. 

The Residential Photovoltaic (PV) System rebate program provides incentives to Riverside Public Utilities customers who purchase and install qualifying photovoltaic systems on their homes. For Fiscal Year 2015-2016, the rebate amount is $0.50 per watt AC and cannot exceed 50% of the total system cost. 

Roseville Electric offers incentives to residential customers to encourage energy efficiency in eligible homes. Follow all instructions on web site and applications to ensure eligibility. Contact Roseville Electric for more information on this offering.

Roseville Electric provides financial incentives to encourage local builders to construct energy efficient homes which incorporate  photovoltaics (PV). Participating builders can choose from three program options: BEST Homes, Optional PV, or PV- Only - Standard Feature. The programs have different requirements, which are specified on the program website, but the PV rebates are the same. As of January 15, 2015, rebates are on the 10th and final step of $0.24 per CSI rated AC Watts. 

Note: Incentive amounts offered through this program will step down over time based on participation rates.  See website above for the most recent incentive details.

Roseville Electric has implemented solar rebate programs in order to meet the three statewide goals in Senate Bill 1: to install 3,000 megawatts (MW) of distributed solar PV by the end of 2016, to establish an industry in which solar energy systems are a viable mainstream option in 10 years, and to place solar energy systems on 50% of new homes within 13 years. Photovoltaic (PV) systems up to 10 kilowatts (kW) are eligible to

SB 71 of 2010 established a sales and use tax exclusion (STE) for eligible projects on property utilized for the design, manufacture, production or assembly of advanced transportation technologies or alternative source (including energy efficiency) products, components, or systems. The California Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority (CAEATFA) is administering the program. The STE Program is currently authorized through 2025.

To date, the Program has approved financial assistance for private entities in the following fields: electric vehicle manufacturing, solar photovoltaic manufacturing, landfill gas capture and production, biogas capture and production (dairies and waste water treatment plants), demonstration hydrogen fuel

AB 1817 of 2018 created an exemption from the sales and use tax for "qualified tangible personal property purchased for use by a qualified person to be used primarily in the generation or production, or storage and distribution, of electric power." The exemption also applies to contractors who purchase the equipment in the service of a contract with a qualified person. "Qualified person" is defined in the statutes. 

The exemption does not apply to the generation or production of electricity from nuclear energy, large hydro, or fossil fuels, except when used in cogeneration. However, the exemption does apply to the

San Bernardino County’s Solar Energy Development Standards include standards and permit procedures for the establishment, maintenance and decommissioning of solar energy generating facilities.

Setbacks: Solar energy generating equipment and their mounting structures and devices shall be set back from the property line either pursuant to the standards in the Land Use Zoning District, or 130 percent of the mounted structure height, whichever is greater.

Glare: Solar energy facilities shall be designed to preclude daytime glare on any abutting residential land use zoning district, residential parcel, or public right-of-way.

Night Lighting: Outdoor lighting within a commercial solar energy generation

San Bernardino County’s Accessory Wind Energy System Permit provides a uniform and comprehensive set of standards, conditions, and procedures for the placement of accessory wind energy systems on parcels in unincorporated areas of the County. These regulations are intended to ensure that accessory wind energy systems are designed and located in a manner that minimizes visual and safety impacts on the surrounding community.

A permit is required for an accessory wind energy system as defined by § 810.01.250 (Definitions, “W”). A single accessory wind energy system that is 35 feet or less in height shall be exempt from the requirement

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors established design standards for county facilities and property. Among other requirements,  the policy requires that all new county buildings or major building renovations obtain U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED Building Certification. Renovations of over 5,000 square feet  are considered major renovations. Buildings over 10,000 square feet require LEED Enhanced Commissioning. Additionally, county projects are required to attain the lowest EUI (Energy Use Intensity) possible within the client's program and project's budget. County projects are also required to exceed the current California Energy Code Title 24 by at least 20%.

The County of San Diego has a Green Building Incentive Program designed to promote the use of resource efficient construction materials, water conservation and energy efficiency in new and remodeled residential and commercial buildings. As part of the program, for qualifying resource conservation measures, the County will reduce building permit and plan check fees by 7.5% and grant expedited plan checks. To qualify for these conservation incentives, the project must comply with the program requirements for either natural resources conservation, water conservation, or energy conservation

Other rebates and incentives may be available to those building greener and more efficient homes

The County of San Diego has established zoning guidelines for solar electric systems of varying sizes in the unincorporated areas of San Diego County. Photovoltaic (PV) systems which have their electricity consumed onsite are considered an accessory use in all zone types and are generally permitted as long as they meet the height and setback requirements. PV systems which generate power for offsite use and are located on parcels of land not larger than 10 acres may be allowed with an Administrative Permit in all zones. Applicable projects must follow the Administrative Permit Procedure and meet certain PV-specific requirements before

The County of San Diego has established zoning guidelines for wind turbine systems of varying sizes in the unincorporated areas of San Diego County. Wind turbine systems can be classified as small or large, and have different siting requirements. Turbines of all sizes must abide by Noise Abatement and Control laws, must have restricted public access using locked fences, non-climbable towers, or other restrictions, and must have appropriate warning signs posted.  A wind turbine is considered non-operational if it produces less than 10% of the expected power output for 12 consecutive months.

Small Wind Turbine System: An installation consisting

The purpose of this chapter is to enhance public health and welfare and assure that green building principles and practices are incorporated into new development to limit impacts to the natural and human environment within unincorporated Santa Clara County, The green building provisions referenced in this chapter are designed to achieve the following goals: 

• Increase energy efficiency in buildings
• Reduce potable water demand
• Encourage natural resource conservation
• Reduce waste generated by construction projects
• Provide durable buildings that are efficient, cost effective, and economical to own and operate
• Promote the health and productivity of residents and workers who occupy and live

In February 2006, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved a Green Building Policy for all county-owned or leased buildings. The standards were revised again in September 2009.

All new buildings over 5,000 square feet are required to meet LEED Silver certification levels, but only buildings over 25,000 square feet must actually register and be certified by the USGBC. For buildings between 5,000 and 25,000 square feet, the building design and the LEED checklist must be reviewed by a LEED Accredited Professional (AP) or LEED Green Associate. The AP or Green Associate must be a registered engineer or architect and must

In proposed subdivisions where a building configuration has been developed solar access easements shall be designed to protect solar access to proposed south roof and south wall areas and any proposed site for a solar energy system. For those subdivisions that have not been developed, solar access to the southernmost boundary of the buildable portion of a lot shall be protected. In establishing the dimensions of a solar access easement, specific considerations must be made.

In cases where a building configuration is not able to reasonably protect solar access to a proposed south facing element, the advisory agency may require

The intent of Solar Access for Subdivision Development (Part 9) is to implement and enforce the requirements of the California Solar Rights Act, that the design of all subdivisions for which a tentative map is required shall utilize natural heating and cooling opportunities to the maximum extent feasible and that the dedication of solar easements may be required as a condition of tentative map approval for new parcels in order to protect solar access. It is intended that the provisions of this part shall prevail over any other provisions of this Ordinance Code which may conflict with any of these

Commercial Solar Energy Conversion Systems

Commercial solar energy conversion system uses shall comply with all of the requirements of this section. Such uses are not allowed on any land designated Agriculture—Large scale (over 10,000 sq ft). Such uses may be allowed on lands with a general plan designation of Agriculture—Medium scale (between 2,400 and 10,000 sq ft), provided that the subject lot is deemed by the decision-maker to be of marginal quality for agricultural purposes. 

The systems are not allowed on any land located within the -d 1 (Santa Clara Valley Viewshed) and -d 2 (Milpitas Hillsides) design review combining

Santa Clara County's Zoning Ordinance includes standards for wind and solar structures for residential, agricultural, and commercial uses.

Commercial Wind Structures

Commercial-scale wind systems must be setback from property lines by a distance equal to the height of the tower plus the radius of the blades. The structure must also be placed in such a manner to minimize its overall visual impact, may not obstruct the view for neighbors, and must be colored to help the structure blend into the surrounding environment. Lettering and graphics are not permitted on wind systems, and the system should not subject neighbors to excessive

In 1975, the City of Santa Clara established the nation's first municipal solar utility. Under the Solar Water Heating Program, the Santa Clara Water & Sewer Utilities Department supplies, installs and maintains solar water heating systems for residents and businesses. In addition, the city has also installed solar energy equipment for a number of its own facilities.

Solar equipment is available from the city for heating swimming pools, process water and domestic hot water. The hardware (solar collectors, controls and storage tanks) is owned and maintained by the city under a rental agreement. The renter pays an initial installation fee

Although the California Solar Rights Act of 1978 requires local governments to plan for future passive or natural heating or cooling opportunities in new residential construction, and the California Shade Control Act protects solar systems from shading by vegetation, current state and local laws do not protect installed solar energy systems from shading caused by structures. The County of Santa Cruz has developed a process for registering solar energy systems to provide additional protection to solar energy system owners.

The County's Building Regulations Code requires that any obstructions of solar access to a registered solar energy system be mitigated to

Southern California Edison (SCE) offers a rebate program specifically encouraging energy savings for SCE customers who own a detached single-family home. The program aims to reduce energy consumption by upgrading existing systems and measures in participating homes. Specific rebates are currently listed on the SCE Marketplace, where direct rebate incentives are applied to the cost of purchased equipment.

Residential customers of San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) are eligible for point-of-sale or mail-in rebates on various energy efficiency rebates, including clothes washers, smart thermostats, and water heaters. See website above for complete details. 

Note: A.B. 209 of 2022 extended eligibility for this program to residential solar photovoltaic systems paired with energy storage systems. The CPUC will need to develop rules before these new incentives are available. 

Initiated in 2001, the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) offers incentives to customers who produce electricity with wind turbines, fuel cells, various forms of combined heat and power (CHP) and advanced energy storage. Retail electric and gas customers of San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE) or Southern California Gas (SoCal Gas) are eligible for the SGIP. Beginning in May

Silicon Valley Power offers rebates to residential customers for the purchase of a variety of energy efficient products. To qualify for these programs, residents must live in the City of Santa Clara, receive electricity from Silicon Valley Power, and make purchases from participating retailers. Program guidelines and applications can be found on the program web site listed above.

Note: Attic Insulation and Ceiling Fan rebates are ending effective July 1, 2021

Silicon Valley Power (SVP) offers incentives for the installation of new grid-connected solar electric (photovoltaic, or PV) systems. Incentive levels will step down over the life of the program as certain installed capacity goals are met. As of October 2016, residential SVP customers are eligible for a rebate of $1.25 per watt AC up to $12,500 (10 kilowatts). Commercial SVP customers are eligible for a rebate of $0.65 per watt AC for systems up to 50 kilowatts (kW). Commercial systems greater than 50 kW but smaller than 1 megawatt (MW) are eligible for a performance based incentive of $0.09 per

Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) offers a wide array of incentives for its commercial customers to increase the energy efficiency of their facilities. SMUD offers four different rebate programs to accomplish this goal.

Customers who know the energy upgrades they want to install, have a contractor, and are ready to start should consider the Express Energy Solutions. For customers who don't know where to start, the Complete Energy Solutions program may be a good place to begin. Complex, large, and industrial projects are often good candidates for the Custom Retrofit Program. For new construction measures, customers should consider the Integrated

SMUD offers an incentive of $300 to residential customers who install grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems. All systems must be permitted and installed by B, C-10, or C-46 contractors. The incentive will be adjusted based on expected system performance, which is affected by factors such as inverter efficiency, orientation, tilt and shading. An incentive calculator can be accessed at https://smud.powerclerk.com/.

The incentive can be paid directly to the customer or the installer. PV equipment listed on the CEC Approved Equipment list is eligible for incentives: http://www.gosolarcalifornia.org/equipment/pv_modules.php and http://www.gosolarcalifornia.org/equipment/inverters.php.

Visit the program web site for more details. 

Sacramento Municipal Utility District offers financing to help residential customers finance energy efficient home improvements. Applicant for a loan must be the vested owner of the property where the product(s) are to be installed.

SMUD offers two separate loan programs: an Equipment Efficiency Loan and a Home Performance Loan.

Equipment Efficiency Loan

Presently, SMUD offers financing at an interest rate of 6.99% for secured loans or 10.75% for unsecured loans. Secured loans cover improvements related to HVAC, cool roofing, insulated siding, windows and renewable energy projects. Unsecured loans include building insulation, duct testing, duct sealing and other envelope improvements. To

Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) offers incentives for its residential customers to purchase and install energy-efficient equipment and measures for their homes. Rebate charts of eligible products and equipment are available on the SMUD program website listed above. Equipment requirements may be found on the rebate chart and must be met by all participating customers. Contact SMUD for more information on individual equipment rebates or comprehensive measures.

Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) offers an incentive for electric vehicles (EVs) for residential customers. This rebate is up to $1,500 for the purchase or lease of a new plug-in electric vehicle. For more information, visit the program website.

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District's (SMUD) Solar Domestic Hot Water Program provides rebates and/or loan financing to customers who install solar water heating systems. The amount of the rebate depends on how much electricity the system will offset annually:

• 800 - 1,399 kWh: $500
• 1,400 - 2,199 kWh: $1,000
• 2,200 kWh or greater: $1,500

.
All solar water-heating units must meet standards set by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC), be installed by a SMUD-approved solar contractor, and pass inspection by SMUD representatives.

SoCalGas offers an incentive for home builders to build multi-family high rises which exceed 2016 Title 24 standards by 15% or multi-family low rises and single family hopes with a Delta EDR (Energy Design Rating of at Least 3). The program is open to all single-family and multi-family new construction projects. 

The incentive payments are based on the final 2016 T-24 reports created and signed by a Certified Energy Analyst (CEA) and verified by a third party HERS Rater. Incentives increase incrementally as the performance of the structure increases. Bonus incentives for weatherization and solar pv are also available for

The Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) Home Energy Efficiency Rebate Program offers cash rebates on qualifying energy-efficiency upgrades or improvements made to single family homes, multi-family apartments, or attached residential units (maximum of four). Prescriptive rebates are available for qualifying Energy Star natural gas dryers, water heaters, storage water heaters, furnaces and solar thermal water heating systems. Prescriptive rebates are also available for natural gas ovens, fireplace inserts and pool heaters. These appliance rebates can be redeemed at the point of sale through participating retailers.

If the equipment is bought at a non-participating retailer, mail-in rebates are available. Mail-in rebates

The California Contractors State License Board administers contractor licenses. The C-46 Solar Contractor license covers active solar water and space heating systems, solar pool heating systems, and photovoltaic systems. C-46 requirements include four years of experience and passing the business and law exam and the trade exam. Independent license schools offer courses to prepare for license exams.

Other contractor licenses for solar include:

• A. General Engineering
• B. General Building
• C-4. Boiler, Hot Water Heating and Steam Fitting (for solar thermal systems)
• C-10. Electrical (for photovoltaics only)
• C-20. Warm-Air, HVAC (HVAC systems that utilize solar energy)
• C-36. Plumbing (solar thermal systems)

Note:  In 2010, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which has authority over mortgage underwriters Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, directed these enterprises against purchasing mortgages of homes with a PACE lien due to its senior status above a mortgage. Most residential PACE activity subsided following this directive; however, some residential PACE programs are now operating with loan loss reserve funds, appropriate disclosures, or other protections meant to address FHFA's concerns. Commercial PACE programs were not directly affected by FHFA’s actions, as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do not underwrite commercial mortgages. Visit PACENation for more information about PACE financing

Southern California Edison (SCE) offers a variety of financial and technical assistance for commercial and industrial customers, including energy audits and assessments, rebates for efficiency upgrades, participatory demand-response programs, and assistance for distributed generation energy systems. All business customers are eligible (i.e., all non-residential customers).

Note: A.B. 1132 of 2023 extended the expiration date for the permit fee limitations from January 1, 2025 to January 1, 2034. 

Permit Fee Limitations

Two bills signed in 2012 (AB 1801 and SB 1222) place limits on the fees that cities, counties, cities and counties, and charter cities can charge for a solar permit. CA Government Code § 65850.55 specifies that a local government cannot base the fee for a solar permit on the value of the solar system or the value of the property on which the system will be installed. It also requires the local

The Technology and Equipment for Clean Heating (TECH) Initiative provides incentives directly to contractors to support the installation of heat pump technologies in existing single-family and multi-family properties. For a complete breakdown of incentives and the enrollment process see the program website.

Truckee Donner Public Utility District (TDPUD) offers incentives for customers to improve the energy efficiency of homes and businesses. Participants must be a TDPUD electric customer (and water customer for incentives for clothes washers) to participate. Qualifying equipment for this rebate include light bulbs, refrigerator, windows, dishwashers, electric vehicle chargers and more. For more information on this program, visit the program website or contact the utility directly.

Programs for commercial customers are being remodeled. New programs will be coming Spring of 2022. Reach out to a customer service representative with any inquiries. (530) 587-3896 | [email protected]

As required by Senate Bill 1 of 2006, Truckee Donner PUD incentive levels will step down annually during the 10 year program. For program year 2015 the incentive level is $2.55 per watt AC, adjusted based on expected-performance. 2015 incentives are capped $7,650 for residential systems and $12,750 for commercial. Systems up to 1 MW may be installed, but the rebate will be applied to just the first 3 kW for residential and 5 kW for commercial systems.

Note: The Non-Residential Solar Rebate Program is fully subscribed. Applications received will be placed on a waitlist and will only be eligible for a rebate if a pending project is cancelled.

Turlock Irrigation District (TID) offers an incentive program to their customers who install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. In keeping with the terms of the California Solar Initiative, the incentive payment levels will decline over the life of the program in 10 steps as certain MW levels of PV systems are installed within the District. As of March 2016, the residential incentive is on the 9th step at $0.57

Turlock Irrigation District (TID) offers a residential rebate program for customers who install energy-efficient equipment in eligible homes. Rebates are available for

• LED Bulbs
• Appliances
• Heating, Cooling, and Sun Screens
• Smart Thermostats
• Pool Pumps
• Shade Trees
• New Construction

To be eligible for rebates, applications (including proof of purchase) must be received within 6 months. For program guidelines and additional information, visit the website listed above.

The City of Ukiah Electric Department is currently revising this program. Contact the department with any questions at (707)-467-5711.

Through Ukiah Utilities’ PV Buydown Program, residential and commercial customers are eligible for a $0.28-per-watt AC rebate on qualifying grid-connected PV systems up to a maximum system size of 1 MW. In keeping with SB1, the incentive level will decrease annually on July 1 over the 10 year life of the program. Rebates are available on a first come, first served basis and are limited to $7,000 per residential installation and $25,000 per commercial installation.

Note:  In 2010, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which has authority over mortgage underwriters Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, directed these enterprises against purchasing mortgages of homes with a PACE lien due to its senior status above a mortgage. Most residential PACE activity subsided following this directive; however, some residential PACE programs are now operating with loan loss reserve funds, appropriate disclosures, or other protections meant to address FHFA's concerns. Commercial PACE programs were not directly affected by FHFA’s actions, as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do not underwrite commercial mortgages. Visit PACENation for more information about PACE financing

Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG) is offering business owners in WRCOG participating jurisdictions an opportunity to finance energy and water efficiency projects for their commercial properties. The HERO Commercial Program is a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing program. PACE programs allow businesses to finance energy improvements, and to repay the financing through special assessments on their property taxes.