Get Energized for Efficiency - Page 2
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There are also ten secondary categories of improvement options that qualify for the program, for which PG&E attributes point totals that help indicate their rebate levels. The highest ones are, in descending order of point level, floor insulation; high efficiency windows; air conditioning; gas on-demand water heaters; and wall insulation. The lower-rated options include electric or gas storage water heaters, duct insulation, and wall heaters.
"The more the points, the higher the rebate," Vanrenen says of the PG&E system.
Other utility providers may have slightly different systems for determining rebates levels, including City of Palo Alto Utilities, the municipally owned provider in Palo Alto.
According to the Energy Upgrade website, rebates of $6,500 are awarded for a 45 percent increase in energy efficiency, and even higher rebates are possible. Rebates of up to $3,000 are provided for homeowners installing at least three upgrades.
Best of all, the state commissions arranged for competitive financing options for Energy Upgrade California. Fifteen-year loans of up to $50,000 are available in 44 counties across the state through the Golden State Finance Authority's Residential Energy Retrofit Program. A separate program, titled emPower Home Upgrade Loan, provides 15-year loans of up to $25,000 in Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo counties.
Such financing helps encourage homeowners to bundle their upgrades into the same timeframe, Vanrenen says, "rather than doing piecemeal improvements here and there."
Another motivation is suggested in the following warning on the program website: "Incentives are offered on a first-come, first-served basis and are effective until funding is expended or the program is discontinued. Programs may be modified or terminated without prior notice."
So, consider yourself notified! It's high time to bring your mid-century home into the 21st century—now with the help of Energy Upgrade California. With your home's energy efficiency in mind, here's 'Modern Dream, Green Machine,' an article filled with 15 eco-conscious ways to make your home the best it can be—courtesy of the Eichler Network.
