California Center for Sustainable Energy

CCSE is partnering with National Solar Trainers to provide an affordable solar water heating training program in January to fully prepare attendees to enter into this growing market. Participants will learn the skills needed to launch a career as an installer, designer, marketing professional or entrepreneur.

Interesting article from Eneref Institute reports on how plumbers are finding that California’s gold is no longer in the streams and mountains but instead in the solar heating job market.

Mission Heights Condominiums Unveils New Clean Energy System

CCSE presented a $72,523 check as the first multifamily solar water heating system rebate awarded in San Diego County from the California Solar Initiative ( CSI) Solar Thermal Program on Thursday, July 14, to the homeowners association of Mission Heights Condominiums in Mission Valley. A “switching on” and CSI rebate check presentation ceremony was held, activating the system that supplies hot water to 116 residences at an annual energy cost savings of nearly $11,000. City of San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders was among those speaking at the event.

CCSE joins efforts to supply qualified installers

While the popularity of solar water heating grows, thanks to incentives added to the California Solar Initiative last year and increasing consumer demand, there remains a lag in the supply of properly trained workers to install Solar Thermal systems. To help fill this gap, CCSE is participating in a statewide collaborative effort to provide technical education to community college faculty and other public school instructors who want to begin solar training or improve existing programs.

CCSE program helped lead to statewide rebates

A report evaluating the California Solar Water Heating Pilot Program, which CCSE operated in the San Diego area during 2007-09, has been issued that outlines how its success helped lead to a statewide program of rebates for Solar Thermal applications.

In October 2010, the CSI Nonresidential Program in SDG&E territory exhausted its budget.  Consequently, the CSI-Thermal (Solar Water Heating) Program’s budget for electric-displacing Commercial/Multifamily projects has been exhausted, since it shares the rebate budget with the CSI Nonresidential Program.

CPUC approves details of commercial and multifamily programs

Incentives for commercial and multifamily solar water heating became available throughout the state on Oct. 8 as part of the California Solar Initiative’s Thermal Program that has a goal of adding 200,000 Solar Thermal systems in California by 2018. Residential solar water heating ( SWH) rebates began in May, however the commercial and multifamily portion was held up as the California Public Utilities Commission ( CPUC) went over details of the program with various stakeholders.

The first rebates issued in San Diego from the new California Solar Initiative’s ( CSI) Thermal Program were awarded in July to three residents who purchased Solahart solar water heating systems installed by Solar Services of San Diego in Santee, Calif.

The sun can generate your home’s hot water usage from the kitchen sink to the bath tub and laundry room. The California Center for Sustainable Energy will show you how.

The best time to go solar is now. California Solar Initiative–Thermal rebates are at their highest levels today. Residents can receive up to $1,875 or $1,263 for a solar water heating system and can take advantage of a 30 percent federal tax credit to make going solar even more affordable.