Energy Funding
Funding and Incentives Overview
There are many options available to help with funding your Energy projects. These options vary depending on the type of project (energy efficiency vs solar PV installation), location (state, county and city), owner (residential, commercial or municipality), and current energy provider (publicly owned vs municipal utility company).
Details and links for further information on many of these options are presented here. Due to the many variables involved, please contact us and we'll be happy to answer any questions on these programs and estimate their potential cost savings applicable to your specific project.
Additional information is available on the excellent website, www.dsireusa.org, which contains an exhaustive list of local, state and federal renewable energy incentives.
Incentives - free money
Federal Tax Credit for Solar PV
There is a federal tax credit in effect as of 2009 that rebates 30% of the installed cost of a typical photovoltaic (PV) system for both residential and commercial customers.
State Rebates for Solar PV
Most states offer programs, rebates and incentives for adoption of energy efficiency and renewable projects. There is an excellent website that tracks and updates the many programs offered at www.dsireusa.org.
California is currently offering a rebate through the California Solar Incentive (CSI) initiative. This rebate applies to both residential and non-residential PV systems (businesses, non-profits, schools, government) Further details on CSI can be found at www.csi.gov.
California State Rebate for Solar Thermal
California is now offering cash rebates of up to $1,875 for qualifying solar water heating systems. Rebates are available to homeowners who install solar water heating systems in the service territories of PG&E, SCE, SoCalGas and SDG&E. Solar water heating systems may displace either natural gas or electric water heaters, and rebates are available retroactively for qualifying systems that were installed after July 15, 2009.
Property Tax Exemption
In California, an installed PV system will increase the value of your property, but by law it cannot increase the assessed property tax that you pay each year.
Accelerated Depreciation
Commercial PV systems may be eligible to take advantage of the five year MACRS accelerated depreciation.
Financing – easier access to money
PACE Funding (SCEIP) for various Energy Projects
Download the SCEIP Application Form here. Download the PDF 
A funding option growing in popularity is the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) option. This option is currently available in several Northern California locations, including Sonoma County and the City of Berkeley. Additional programs are in various stages of introduction in several other Northern California cities and counties, so check with your local county offices, or check the DSIRE incentives website for further details.
This option is a low interest loan that typically covers most of the costs of an energy project. Specific details vary by program, but the loan is paid back through property tax assessments. The benefit to this arrangement is that the loan stays with the property when the property is sold. Cost savings from reduced energy bills typically cover the monthly costs of the loan payments.
Here is an excerpt explaining the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program (SCEIP) from their excellent website at www.sonomacountyenergy.org:
"Sonoma County's Energy Independence Program is a new opportunity for property owners to finance energy efficiency, water efficiency and renewable energy improvements through a voluntary assessment. These assessments will be attached to the property, not the owner and will be paid back through the property tax system over time, making the program not only energy efficient but also affordable."
Energy Efficient Mortgages for homes with various green energy upgrades
An Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) is a mortgage that credits a home's energy efficiency in the mortgage itself. EEMs give borrowers the opportunity to finance cost-effective, energy-saving measures as part of a single mortgage and stretch debt-to-income qualifying ratios on loans thereby allowing borrowers to qualify for a larger loan amount and a better, more energy-efficient home.