Solar Thermal Incentives

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) plans to offer $100 million in incentives over the next ten years for solar thermal technologies under the California Solar Initiative. State law (Senate Bill 1) limits California Solar Initiative incentives to electric-displacing technologies, such as absorption cooling. Currently, CSI program administrators are working with the CPUC to develop the underlying methodologies and future program design.

The San Diego Regional Energy Office (SDREO) will run a pilot incentive program for solar thermal technologies in the San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) service territory. The 18-month, $2.2 million pilot is designed to provide rebates to residential and nonresidential customers of SDG&E who install qualifying solar water heating systems that offset energy used by an existing natural gas or electric water heater or boiler. The SDREO will provide financial incentives, and consumer information and education to overcome market barriers to solar water heating, such as high initial system costs, customer lack of information, and potential negative public perceptions of solar water heating technologies.

The California Solar Initiative will have more information on solar thermal incentives as it becomes available.