So I spent about 8 months following this San Francisco solar subsidy through it’s political infancy, and then it’s obnoxious political holdup, on one of my blogs. Then I watched it mutate into several different forms before becoming “solid law,” and then mutating some more after that. I think it’s finally crystallized to where I can confidently summarize it in one post instead of an ongoing blog. Here goes:
(Also… this is a long post. If you get confused you can call my cell at 408-833-9135 and ask any questions you might have and I’ll do my best to answer them. )
RESIDENTIAL REBATES:
- $6000 per meter if you use an installer that has hired a graduate from the city workforce development program. Any installer who wants to remain competitive, and can pay for a new full-time employee… Well, you can bet your britches that they are doing this or have already done this. Here’s (annoying to try and read) list of installers. The small mom-and-pop operations are in trouble here because it’s tough for them to take one on.
- $5000 per meter if you live in 94107, or 94124, and use an installer who does not have one of the above graduates hired.
- $4000 if you use an installer who is a “local installer” meaning they fit a set of guidelines for having their business located in SF, the mother of which guidelines is “paying 51% of your payroll tax to San Francisco.” This is a short list of companies and is usually trumped by the $6000 incentive that anyone can get if they hire a graduate.
- $3000 for if you don’t meet any of the above
BUSINESS INCENTIVES
- $1500 per kilowatt size of system up to a max of $10K. How do you decide if you are a “business?” -You need a commercial power bill. You can get up to $10K per meter.
NON-PROFIT INCENTIVES
It gets a little complicated here. There’s an additional $1.5M in funding for a non-profit version of this subsidy program that is a pilot program, lasting for 1 year or until the money is gone.
- $1500 per kilowatt, just like the businesses, except it doesn’t have the $10,000 cap, you can go as big as you’d like
- $4500 per kilowatt (huge) if you have multi-unit housing as part of your non-profit. This is capped at $30,000. To save you the math, this is maximized with a 6.66kW CEC AC system.
LOW-INCOME INCENTIVES
OK, so all the subsidies above are mutually exclusive; you can’t stack any of them up. The low income subsidy is ADDITIVE, you can get it in addition to any of the RESIDENTIAL subsidies
- $5000 if you are “low income.” (Don’t blow this off though and assume that you are not low income, because you might be surprised at what qualifies).
FAQ (also, here is the CITY’S FAQ which has more detail on some questions)
Q. Can’t I just get a super tiny system and have this pay for the whole thing?
A. minimum size is 1kW, but if you add up the state and city that’s pretty close to a yes.
Q. Can you assign the rebate to the installer so it comes off the top and it’s not part of my out-of-pocket expense?
A. The short answer is yes, but not a lot of companies (none that I know of) are doing that at the moment. This will probably change over the law’s 10 year lifespan. They claim turnaround time is 1mo. after installation so you’re only out of pocket that extra amount for a short period.
Q. Do I have to pay tax on it?
A. Yes. It’s a cash incentive, really, not a rebate (like the state incentive). Whoever gets it is going to have to fill out a W9 before they get a check. However, I’m not tax attorney so please consult your tax professional before listening to anything I ever say.
Q. I heard I have to add San Francisco to my home insurance policy is that true?
A. Yah :-( that’s a new thing but something they’ve finally worked out and have streamlined it for systems under 30kW in size. So it’s a sight pain and may cost a few bucks but it’s obviously worth it for a free $6000 check.
Q. How much money is left?
A. SF new you’d be asking that question so often that it would annoy them, so they built THIS WEBPAGE (finally)
Q. What do I do if I’m a renter?
A. honestly, I helped pioneer this model, so the best thing to do is probably call me (408-833-9135). The thing is that you have to get your landlord on board, which will be really tough to do unless the Investment Tax Credit gets extended to 09. On that note: CALL YOUR SENATOR!
