San Francisco Solar Energy Incentive Program Info

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, with the help of 11 experts from the solar industry, designed and then enacted an incredible, perfectly designed pilot subsidy program to boost the number of installations of solar panels in San Francisco….and it worked!…

…For about two weeks. As an installer, I saw with my own eyes how effective this subsidy was. For those on the fence about solar, the extra nudge was all it took to make up their minds (the problem was you had to get in front of them first because no one actually knew about the subsidy). This lasted a few glorious days until Supervisor McGoldrick, in a pissing contest with the PUC, froze the funding for the subsidy. Now he is taking his time in an attempt to morph it into something that everyone in the industry agrees is far less effective. Meanwhile, San Franciscans remain in limbo with ZERO people purchasing solar, and I don’t blame them. Who wouldn’t want to wait and see whether they are going to get $4000 extra or not - wouldn’t you?

NO ONE in the entire city is going solar while the board dawdles with it, solar salespeople are forced to focus on other cities or look for another job, and customers who decided to install when the subsidy was promised are canceling their contracts. San Francisco is slipping even farther behind!

I believe Supervisor McGoldrick’s heart is in the right place, but that his objections are unsound and his intentions will render the subsidy far less effective. What can you do?

You elected him. It’s his job to LISTEN TO YOU. PLEASE CALL HIS OFFICE or CALL YOUR SUPERVISOR’S OFFICE - WRITE HIM AN EMAIL. JOIN OUR ACTION ALERT LIST. The SFPUC promised local installers, and consequently, SF citizens, that the pilot program was funded. People have already purchased solar energy because of it. McGoldrick’s delay of the pilot is unwarranted political posturing, with a lack of urgency over the actual damage he is doing to the industry and the future of San Francisco’s role in setting an example for renewable energy.

While I am now using this site as a medium to encourage lobbying for a quick end to the freeze on the funding, click here to read why I started the site originally, or read about me. Also, please pass this information on to other San Franciscans: (email a friend)

Here are some basics about the SF solar incentive pilot program. Find more details in my blog or faq.

The new Subsidy provides $3000, $4000, or $5000 for all residential solar installation projects in San Francisco and up to $10,000 for businesses. These include:

• $3000 - “Basic Incentive” for any residential unit in San Francisco
• $4000 - “City Installer Incentive” if you use an SF local installer. A local installer is defined as an installer holding a current San Francisco business registration certificate showing a San Francisco address as the place of business
• $5000 - “Environmental Justice Incentive” for anyone in zip codes 94107 and 94124. This means Bayview, Hunters Point, Potrero Hill and Dogpatch Neighborhoods. If you are in these areas, it does not matter whether you use a local installer or not, you still get $5000.
• $10,000 “Business Credit” of $1,500 per kW capacity of the solar system, up to $10,000 maximum. The locality of installer is also irrelevant for this credit. Additionally, you need a commercial power bill to qualify.

One rebate per meter. So yes, if you have 40 meters in an apartment building, you would qualify for up to $200,000.00.

The credit can be taken in addition to the California Solar Initiative rebate and the 30% Federal tax credit.

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