California Energy Commission
April 12, 2008 - Solar Energy Pilot Program for Cash Incentives in San Francisco. USE IT OR LOSE IT. Our friends at sfsolarsubsidy.com have asked us to help promote the new $3 million dollar solar power incentive program in San Francisco. There is little coverage in the media and there are concerns that the three million dollars will not get even close to used up (as it stands, it is only good for calendar year '08). San Francisco's Solar Energy Incentive. San Franciscans had best get off the fence. Keep up to date on the Solar Power Incentive Program from the San Francisco Public Utilties Commission. Website: http://www.sfsolarsubsidy.com
The New Solar Homes Partnership (NSHP) Handbook is part of a comprehensive statewide solar program known as the California Solar Initiative (CSI). This revised Guidebook, adopted by the Energy Commission in its Business Meeting of July 11, 2007, describes the requirements to receive incentives for constructing energy efficient, solar homes under the NSHP. The NSHP implements the Energy Commission's portion of the CSI and provides financial incentives to encourage the installation of eligible solar energy systems on new residential construction. The Energy Commission will work with builders and developers to incorporate high levels of energy efficiency and high-performing solar systems to help create a self-sustaining solar market. The NSHP seeks to achieve 400 megawatts of installed solar electric capacity in California by the end of 2016.
The California Solar Initiative (CSI)
As part of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's 3.3 Billion, Million Solar Roofs Program, California has set a goal to create 3,000 megawatts of new, solar-produced electricity by 2017 - moving the state toward a cleaner energy future and helping lower the cost of solar systems for consumers. The California Public Utilities Commission, through its California Solar Initiative, provides incentives over the next decade for existing residential homes and existing and new commercial, industrial, and agricultural properties. The California Energy Commission manages a 10-year, $400 million program to encourage solar in new home construction through its New Solar Homes Partnership. The overall goal is to help build a self-sustaining photovoltaic, solar electricity market. The current program does not fund solar hot water systems.
Update...October 2007
In January 2007 the State of California launched its program to encourage residents of the Golden State to install solar panels with the ambitious goal of generating 3 gigawatts of electricity from the arrays by 2016. The $3.3 billion California Solar Initiative (CSI) is ahead of schedule owing to the enthusiasm of 5,109 homeowners, businesses and non-profits that applied in the first 9 months. A study by the California Public Utilities Commission measures the applications represent 160 megawatts of solar energy. There's no way to tell if the pace will continue but this incentive program is the state's most successful to date.
About 70 percent of applications are from locations in Northern California, through the offices of San Francisco-based Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). 90% of the applications are for residential rooftop solar panels but 87% of the green megawattage will result from the arrays being installed by business, governments and non-profits. California will pay a rebate of $2.50 per watt generated by a solar array but payments have been slow. Reports are that early adapter customers of Southern Cal Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric waited over 113 days for checks. Relief from this comes from some installation contractors who will deduct rebates from the system's upfront cost.