California’s new equitable building decarbonization program, established by Senate Bill 1477 (Stern) in 2018 has now been brought to life by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and organizations including Energy Solutions, the Association for Energy Affordability, Building Decarbonization Coalition, Vermont Energy Investment Corporation, and other partners.
TECH Clean California is a $120 million initiative designed to kickstart the market for clean and efficient electric space and water heating technologies in alignment with the state’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals. With equity in mind, the initiative will distribute at least 40 percent of program benefits to Californians from low-income and disadvantaged communities.
With various programs launching in 2021 and 2022 that range from single- and multi-family incentive programs to contractor- and public-facing outreach on electric appliances, TECH represents a milestone in California’s efforts to decarbonize the building sector and combat climate change.
California customers can learn more about TECH on The Switch Is On website and can work with a TECH-participating contractor in their area to take advantage of TECH’s midstream electrification incentives. Incentives are available only to enrolled contractors. To find out more information or sign up, please go to energy-solution.com/tech.
About the TECH Initiative
TECH Clean California is a $120 million initiative designed to help advance the state’s mission to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. This will be done by driving the market adoption of low-emissions space and water heating technologies for existing single and multifamily homes across California—a notable source of the state’s carbon footprint. Additionally, 40% of program benefits will be targeted towards low-income and disadvantaged communities. The initiative was developed as part of California Senate Bill 1477 and is funded by California gas corporation ratepayers under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission.
Single-Family Incentives Program
In December 2021, TECH Clean California launched its single-family electrification incentives program. The program seeks to activate the supply chain for clean heating appliances by providing incentives through contractors for the installation of heat pump (HP) space and water heating in single-family homes. For any HP HVAC installation, projects can receive at least $3,000, while any heat pump water heater (HPWH) installation can receive at least $3,100 for replacement of a gas appliance or $1,000 for replacement of an electric resistance appliance. In enhanced regions, where TECH incentives can complement offerings from the local utility, projects can earn up to $6,600 for either appliance type.
California customers seeking to replace a carbon-emitting gas appliance—or an electric resistance appliance—with a more climate-conscious option can expect to save money by working with a TECH Participating Contractor. Visit the The Switch Is On Contractor Directory to find a contractor.
Multifamily Incentives Program
The TECH multifamily incentive program supports projects that install efficient electric appliances anywhere in gas investor-owned utility (IOU) territory, which covers most of the state. Incentives are available for HVAC installations in individual apartments and common areas, unitary and central HPWH installations, HP pool and spa heating upgrades, and even for electrical panel upgrades to accommodate the additional electric load. Contractors and property owners can reserve up to $3 million in beneficial electrification incentives now via the TECH website. To better reach low-income customers living in multifamily housing, TECH also supports multifamily property owners and contractors with specific electric design and appliance installation training.
Customer Qualification
TECH Clean California incentives are available for any projects that fall within gas Investor-Owned Utility (IOU) service territory. The gas IOUs within California include Pacific Gas & Electric (“PG&E”), Southern California Gas (“SoCal Gas”), San Diego Gas & Electric (“SDG&E”), Southwest Gas (“SW Gas”).
Project sites do not have to be gas or electric IOU customers to be eligible for incentives—TECH Clean California incentive eligibility is determined solely by the project site’s zip code.
However, customers located in the cities of Long Beach, Catalina Island, and Palo Alto are not eligible for incentives even if their zip codes are included on the list of eligible zip codes. All references to electric service territories are provided for general location information.
How to Participate
Fill out this online enrollment form and be sure to select “yes” for “Would you like to apply for TECH Clean California?”. You will then be contacted by program staff to complete enrollment. Once enrolled, you’ll receive a username and password to the incentive application submission portal at catechincentives.com.
Contractor enrollment requirements include 1) active California contractor license in good standing, 2) adherence to the requirements outlined in the Trade Professional Participation Agreement including insurance coverage, and 3) brief program training completion.
Give Us a Call
At Aire-Tech, we can help keep your home at the optimal temperature! We give you countless resources to help you explore and learn about HVAC options, including incentive programs. We work closely with agencies to pass on savings programs and information to our valued customers.
If your system needs repair or inspection, call Aire-Tech on 951-926-1002. You can also visit our Contact page and complete the contact form.