Renewable Energy Rebates & Incentives
Renewable Energy Program
- Renewable Energy Home
- Emerging Renewables Program
- Existing Renewable Facilities Program
- Guidelines, Publications and Reports
- History of Commission's Renewable Energy Program
- New Renewable Resources Account
- New Solar Homes Partnership
- Notices For Renewable Energy Program
(For specific proceedings, see each below ) - Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS)
- Renewable Energy Program
Quarterly Updates - Contact Us
PROCEEDINGS
- Large Solar Energy Projects in California
- SB 1 - Senate Bill 1 Eligibility Criteria and Conditions for Solar Energy System Incentives
(Docket # 07-SB-1) - Bioenergy Action Plan
(Docket: # 06-BAP-1) - New Solar Homes Partnership Proceeding
(Docket: # 06-NSHP-1) - Avian Wind Guidelines
(Docket: # 06-OII-1) - SB 1038
Continuation of Renewable Energy Program
(Docket: # 02-REN-1038) - SB 1078
Renewables Portfolio Standard
(Docket: # 03-RPS-1078)
RELATED LINKS
- California Renewable Energy Transmission Initiative (RETI)
- Geothermal Program
RD&D and Commercialization - Power Source Disclosure Program
(SB 1305) - Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) Program
Renewable Energy Technologies Subject Area - Renewable Energy for Kids
Energy Quest Website - Western Renewable Energy Generation Information System (WREGIS)
- Wind Energy in California
Emerging Renewables Program
The primary goal of the Energy Commission's Emerging Renewables Program is to develop a self-sustaining market for "emerging" renewable energy technologies in distributed generation applications.
The Emerging Renewables Program (formerly called the "Emerging Renewables 'Buydown' Program") was created to stimulate market demand for renewable energy systems that meet certain eligibility requirements by offering rebates to reduce (buy-down) the initial cost of the system to the customer.
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CLOSE OUT OF EMERGING RENEWABLES PROGRAM
In accordance with the changes to law under Senate Bill 1018, the Energy Commission is taking immediate steps to close out the Emerging Renewables Program. To this end, the Energy Commission will no longer accept new rebate reservation applications for systems using small wind turbines or renewable fuel cells. Applications for rebate reservations that were received and approved by the Energy Commission on or before June 27, 2012, were processed and issued rebate reservations. Applications for rebate reservations that were received by the Energy Commission on or after June 28, 2012, will not be processed.
July 11, 2012 - Notice of Close Out of Emerging Renewables Program and Consumer Education Program
Frequently Asked Questions: Close Out of the Emerging Renewables Program
Status of Funds for Fuel Cell Systems Participating in the Emerging Renewables Program
- March 2, 2012 - Notice that the funds allocated for fuel cell technologies participating in the Emerging Renewables Program (ERP) have been expended or reserved.
Effective immediately, the Energy Commission will no longer be accepting rebate reservation applications for fuel cell systems using renewable fuels. (PDF file, 2 pages, 32 kb)
"The temporary suspension of the Emerging Renewables Program is lifted beginning November 9, 2011. The Program restarts at 8 AM".
Complaint Against DyoCore, Inc.
Workshops and Meetings
- May 31, 2012 - Notice to Consider Extending the Rebate Incentive Level for Small Wind Systems Under the Emerging Renewables Program Guidebook.
Posted: May 18, 2012. (PDF file).
- November 16, 2011 - Notice of Business Meeting to Consider Adoption of Revisions to the Emerging Renewables Program Guidebook. Posted: November 4, 2011. (PDF file).
Includes Attachment A, Proposed Revisions - Emerging Renewables Program Guidebook, Final Guidebook. Pub # CEC-300-2011-004-ED12-CMF. Posted: November 21, 2011. (PDF file, 60 pages, 2.2 mb).
- November 2, 2011 - Revised Notice of Business Meeting to Consider Adoption of Revisions to the Emerging Renewables Program Guidebook. Posted: October 4, 2011. Revised October 21, 2011. (PDF file).
- Emerging Renewables Program Draft Guidebook. Pub # CEC-300-2011-004-D3. Updated October 21, 2011. Posted: October 4, 2011. (PDF file, 64 pages, 2.2 mb).
- Comments Received Last Updated: ()
- Emerging Renewables Program Guidebook. Eleventh Edition. Pub # CEC-300-2011-004-CMF. Posted: November 9, 2011. (PDF file, 64 pages, 2.2 mb).
- August 3, 2011, Notice of Staff Workshop on Possible Changes to the Emerging Renewables Program Guidebook. Posted: July 22, 2011. (PDF file).
- Transcript Posted: August 31, 2011.
- Emerging Renewables Program Draft Guidebook, Pub # CEC-300-2011-004-D. Posted: July 22, 2011. (PDF file, 65 pages, 1.8 mb).
- Staff Presentation: Possible Changes to the Emerging Renewables Program Guidebook Posted: August 15, 2011. (PDF file).
- Comments Received Posted: August 31, 2011. (PDF file).
- April 14, 2011, Notice of Staff Workshop on Proposed Changes to the Emerging Renewables Program. Posted: April 4, 2011. (PDF file).
- Staff Presentation: Possible Changes to the Emerging Renewables Program Guidebook Posted: April 14, 2011. (PDF file).
- Comments Received Posted: June 15, 2011. (PDF file).
Temporary Suspension of the Emerging Renewables Program
The Energy Commission is temporarily suspending the Emerging Renewables Program (ERP)
Effective March 4, 2011, at 5 pm PST.
- Notice of Temporary Suspension of the Emerging Renewables Program
Posted March 4, 2011. (PDF file)
For consumer information about current incentives and rebates:
- For solar electricity systems, please visit the: Go Solar California! Website
- For wind and fuel cells, please visit the: Consumer Energy Center Website
Guidebooks & Documents
- NEWEST GUIDEBOOK Emerging Renewables Program Guidebook. Eleventh Edition. Pub # CEC-300-2011-004-CMF.
Posted: November 9, 2011. (PDF file, 64 pages, 2.2 mb). - Emerging Renewables Program Guidebook, Tenth Edition.
Publication Number CEC-300-2010-003-F, adopted April 7, 2010, posted: April 22, 2010. (Adobe Acrobat PDF file, 69 pages, 1.7 mb) - Current Forms and Documents for Emerging Renewable Program
- Summary of the Energy Commission's Decisions on a Pilot Performance-Based Incentive Program for photovoltaic systems. Adopted by the Energy Commission at its January 19, 2005, Business Meeting. Pub # CEC-300-2005-002-CMF. Posted: February 3, 2005. (PDF file, 21 pages, 94 kilobytes)
- Performance Test Protocol for Evaluating Inverters Used in Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems, prepared by Ward Bower, Sandia National Laboratories; Chuck Whitaker, Endecon Engineering; William Erdman and Michael Behnke, BEW Engineering, Inc.; Mark Fitzgerald, Institute for Sustainable Technology. Posted: November 22, 2004. (PDF file, 46 pages, 594 kilobytes)
- PRIOR Emerging Renewable Program Guidebooks
Account Activities
Note: The account activities below only cover the Energy Commission's Emerging Renewables Program prior to January 1, 2007. At that time, the solar electricity incentives was taken over by the Public Utilities Commission. Statistics on the CPUC's program can be found on the Go Solar California website on the News Room Statistics Page.
- Completed Systems, 1998 to June 30, 2011
Data Showing Approved and Completed Systems After January 1, 2005.
(Updated: October 24, 2011. MS Excel file, 4.66 MB)Data Showing Completed Systems Before January 1, 2005..
Updated: January 5, 2010. (MS Excel file, 2.4 MB) - Emerging Renewables Program Systems Verification Report 2004-2005, publication # CEC-300-2005-019. Posted: February 27, 2006 (PDF file, 102 pgs, 669 kb)
- Measured Performance of California Buydown Program Residential PV Systems, 2000-2001, Consultant Report. Posted: November 4, 2004. (Adobe Acrobat PDF file, 13 pages, 132 kilobytes)
- System Site Verification Report, June 30, 2002, Consultant Report. Posted: May 7, 2003. (Adobe Acrobat PDF file, 69 pages, 252 kilobytes)
- Amount (MW) of Grid-Connected Solar Photovoltaics (PV) in California, 1981 to 12/31/07
MS Excel Format, data through 12/31/07. (Updated: April 1, 2008, 444 kilobytes)
For assistance regarding the Renewable Energy Program areas, please contact:
Renewable Energy Call Center
800-555-7794 (toll-free in California)
916-654-4058 (outside California)
renewable@energy.state.ca.us