The first rebates issued in San Diego from the new California Solar Initiative’s ( CSI) Thermal Program were awarded in July to three residents who purchased Solahart solar water heating systems installed by Solar Services of San Diego in Santee, Calif.

Solahart solar water heating systems. Image from www.carssaipan.com

According to Katrina Phruksukarn, CCSE’s manager for CSI-Thermal, the rebates varied from $814 to $928 based on the type of solar water heating system, location, shading and other design factors. All three homeowners have an electric water heater as a back up to the solar system to boost water temperatures on cold or cloudy days. The average rebate for electric-displacing systems is expected to be around $1,000, while a typical homeowner with a solar water heating system displacing a natural gas water heater can expect a rebate of about $1,500 at the initial incentive level. Incentives will decline over time as the program meets certain benchmarks, so customers are encouraged to apply for their rebate early, Phruksukarn said.

Incentive recipient Bob Stanberry of San Diego said the solar water heater installation went well, only taking about three to four hours, and that the system supplies more hot water than he and his wife need on a regular basis. Not only would he recommend solar water heating, he already has to several people including his brother who is considering it.

Cindy Becker of Fallbrook explained that there had been an old-style solar water heating system on their house when she and her husband Wayne moved in about tenyears ago, but it soon quit working correctly. She said Solar Services of San Diego did all of the paperwork for the CSI rebate and made it easy to lower the purchase price. The third recipient was Mavis Smith of San Diego.

In a recent development, the California Cash For Appliances Program has approved an additional rebate for qualifying systems that will continue until the money is used up. The program offers a rebate for solar water heating systems of $750. The program is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Stimulus Fund and is administered by the California Energy Commission. Details about the program can be found online at: www.Cash4Appliances.org.

The best way to learn about solar water heating technology and rebates is to take a free workshop for homeowners at CCSE. For information on how you can take advantage of rebates for solar water heating, go to www.energycenter.org/swh or call (877) 333-SWHP. Enter to win a solar water heating system at Sustainable Energy Week!

Watch video demonstrating Solahart Solar Hot Water Heater below:

Source: http://energycenter.org