Local Programs
Contact your local utility provider. Most have incentives to reduce your reliance on the power grid. DSIRE, the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency, is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.
State Initiatives
Go Solar California: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has allocated $3.3 billion for the Million Solar Roofs Program, a program that has the goal of creating 3,000 megawatts (MW) of new, solar-produced electricity by 2017.
California Solar Initiative: The California Public Utilities Commission will provide $2.2 billion in incentives over the next decade for existing residential homes and existing and new commercial, industrial, and agricultural properties. The key features of this program: higher incentives for solar installations for existing and new low-income and affordable housing; and a pay-for-performance incentive structure to reward high-performing solar projects.
New Solar Homes Partnership: The California Energy Commission manages a 10-year, $400 million program to encourage solar in new home construction.
For more information about these programs, visit www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/; for information about Governor Schwarzenegger’s efforts, http://www.green.ca.gov/default.htm.
Small Business Energy Alliance: This group will help you reduce your lighting energy use by up to 50 by subsidizing the cost to install new energy-efficient lamps, ballasts, and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). The group will pay $0.13/kilowatt-hour saved, or up to 100 percent of the installed cost, depending on the number of installations. Tune up your air-conditioner system (package units up to 20 tons), and the group also will pay small businesses $0.18/kWh saved. Call (800) 881-SBEA (800-881-7232) for more information or visit www.sbeaonline.com.
National Programs
The ENERGY STAR program provides users with an extensive list of federal tax credits for using energy-efficient products. {link “ENERGY STAR” to http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits}
Learn more about the incentives for LEED® home building with this searchable database.
The Green Building section of the EPA’s Web site contains links to numerous sources of funding for green building. There is funding available for homeowners at the national, state, and local levels.