Welcome to the California Energy Commission

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.
More...


Status of Funds for Fuel Cell Systems Participating in the Emerging Renewables Program


"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







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.


For consumer information about current incentives and rebates:




Guidebooks & Documents


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.




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