Home Improvements

Both homeowners and renters can take advantage of multiple incentives for the same appliance. For example, a household that installs a heat pump water heater can receive the BayREN rebate, the TECH Clean California incentive, the Golden State Rebates discount, and the 30% federal tax credit.

• The Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN) offers rebates for many home energy improvements to homeowners living in the Bay Area. Available rebates include the following: 
• up to $250 for a heat pump clothes dryer
• up to $250 for an induction cooktop or range
  • If you're considering getting an induction cooktop because of the health, safety, time-saving, or climate benefits and want to try one out, PG&E offers an induction cooktop lending program! PG&E will ship a small induction cooktop directly to your home so that you can try it out for 2 weeks.
• up to $2,600 for insulation upgrades

• California Energy Smart Homes is funded by the California Public Utilities Commission and offers up to $5,500 to homeowners who convert all gas appliances to efficient electric systems. Homeowners who receive this incentives are not eligible to receive any other incentives for the replaced appliances, if those incentives are funded by the California Public Utilities Commission (including TECH, Golden State Rebates, and Comfortably California incentives).

• TECH Clean California is funded by the California Public Utilities Commission and offers two rebates for residents:
  • $1,000 for a heat pump heating and air conditioning unit
  • Up to $10,385 for a heat pump water heater

• Golden State Rebates is funded by the California Public Utilities Commission and offers rebates for residents:
  • Up to $900 for a heat pump water heater
  • Up to $75 for a smart thermostat
    • Smart thermostats save energy and money by allowing you to set specific temperatures for your home depending on the time of day. They also allow you to turn your home's heating and cooling system on and off remotely.

• Comfortably California is a program funded by the California Public Utilities Commission and offers rebates on a split system heat pump heating and air conditioning unit.

• The federal tax credits for residential energy efficiency upgrades have been extended through 2032. Tax credits for 30% of a project's costs can be combined with rebates from other programs (including BayREN and TECH) and are available for the following: 

• heat pump heating & air conditioning units (also called heat pumps and air source heat pumps) 
• heat pump water heaters
• insulation upgrades
• home energy audits 

• There are also 30% federal tax credits for battery storage systems and electric panel upgrades. Both of these tax credits will be available through 2032.  

• Looking for the total amount in federal incentives that your household is eligible for? Rewiring America has an online calculator that will do just that! 

• MCE, Walnut Creek's cheaper, more renewable service provider, offers a free energy audit and home energy upgrades program for income-qualifying homeowners and renters. Eligible residents may receive an energy-saving gift box and large energy upgrades such as attic and pipe insulation for free.

• The Switch is On offers a complete list of incentives in California and is searchable by zip code and specific home improvements.

Solar Tax Credit and Net Energy Metering 

• The 30% Federal Tax Credit for residential renewable energy products, including solar technologies and geothermal heat pumps, has been extended through 2032. 

• MCE electricity customers are eligible to participate in a Net Energy Metering (NEM) program that returns money to customers for any excess electricity that they produce. MCE also has a Feed-In Tariff program for larger renewable energy projects. 

• Residents who are not MCE customers and are PG&E customers are eligible to participate in PG&E's Net Energy Metering (NEM) program, which returns money to customers for any excess electricity that they produce. To learn more about why MCE is the primary electricity generator for Walnut Creek, visit our Community Choice Energy page.

• Many options are available to finance solar, including home equity loans and power purchase agreements (PPA) agreements, so consider what is best for you. To learn more about solar-specific financing options, visit our Solar Incentives page. 

Battery Storage System Incentives

There is now a 30% federal tax credit to install a battery storage system, in addition to a state rebate through the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) that covers anywhere from 25% to almost 100% of the system’s installation cost. Having a battery storage system installed in your home will increase your home's resilience, since it will allow you to use stored electricity if there is a power outage.

Considering installing solar? You can save thousands of dollars in cost when you install solar and a battery storage system at the same time. Plus, once your systems have been installed, a battery storage system will let you use the solar power you generate at any time of the day or night so that you won't have to pay an electric utility to access electricity once the sun goes down. 

In addition, MCE offers a credit of up to $20 per month to residents who have solar and a battery storage system and commit to using the solar stored on their battery from 4-9 pm every day.

Many options are available when it comes to financing sustainable improvements to your home or property, including home equity loans, energy efficient mortgages, and rebates from utilities. Some financing options are highlighted below, although this is not an exhaustive list. Whether you want to cut costs by reducing energy and water usage, improve the comfort and health of your home, or do your part to combat the effects of climate change, you can find the solution you need.  

Go Green Financing

Go Green Financing is an unbiased clearinghouse of available energy efficiency financing programs and is sponsored by the state of California. Go Green Financing was created to help you find the best financing options available for your energy efficiency project. This website allows California residents and businesses to browse a continuously updated database of financing solutions and filter the various options down to a more manageable number, making it easy to get in touch with a lender that fits your unique needs and preferences. 

• The Residential Energy Efficiency Loan (REEL) program helps California homeowners and renters access financing for energy efficiency projects at lower interest rates. REEL is a state-administered program available to Walnut Creek residents. Explore loan options, find a contractor, and more for your residential energy efficiency upgrade today. 

Home Energy Efficiency Programs

• MCE offers a free energy audit and home energy upgrades program to increase comfort and reduce energy bills for income-qualified residents. 

• The statewide Energy Savings Assistance Program provides free insulation upgrades, weatherproofing upgrades, water heater and furnace replacements, and other upgrades that save energy to income-qualified residents. 

• Walnut Creek's Home Rehabilitation Loan and Grant Program for low and moderate income homeowners provides loans and emergency grants for energy efficiency updates. 

• An Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) is a mortgage that credits a home's energy efficiency in the mortgage itself. EEMs give borrowers the opportunity to finance cost-effective, energy-saving measures as part of a single mortgage and stretch debt-to-income qualifying ratios on loans, allowing borrowers to qualify for a larger loan amount and a better, more energy efficient home.

• Several solar financing options are available, including power purchase agreements (PPA) agreements, so consider what is best for you. Learn more about solar-specific financing options on our Solar Incentives page. 

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Financing 

What is PACE?

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing allows residential property owners to finance energy efficiency, water conservation, renewable energy, and electric vehicle infrastructure upgrades to their property by repaying the cost of the improvements through a voluntary assessment on their property tax bill. 

Several PACE programs are available in California. The City of Walnut Creek allows PACE programs to operate within its jurisdiction to give consumers an additional financing option, but it does not administer the programs. Contact the programs directly with any questions. 

Benefits of PACE

• No money down, fixed interest rates, and low annual payments: Long-term PACE financing of up to 20 years results in low annual payments, allowing energy or water savings from property upgrades to offset PACE payments.

• Receive tax incentives and rebates: The property owner owns the system, so they can apply for any of the federal, state, and local rebates and tax incentives listed above for the improvement.

• Reduce energy and water use: Energy efficiency and water conservation improvements can help lower utility bills.

• Increased property values: More efficient properties are typically worth more.

• Payment obligation is tied to the property: A voluntary assessment lien stays with the property upon transfer of building ownership (Note: Some residential lenders may not allow payment obligations to transfer and will require repayment, so ask your PACE program for more information. You may be required to pay off the assessment before selling or refinancing your home.)  

• Voluntary: Property owners choose to participate in the program at their own discretion. 

Potential Drawback of PACE

While residential PACE payment obligations are designed to be tied to the property, some residential lenders may not allow payment obligations to transfer and will require repayment, so ask your PACE program for more information. You may be required to pay off the assessment before selling or refinancing your home. Homeowners who are looking to sell or refinance in the near future should consider whether PACE works for their situation. 

Equipment Rebates

• California's Clean Off-Road Equipment Voucher Incentive Program offers discounts to all business owners who buy electric off-road equipment. Small businesses are eligible for additional funding and have priority access to funding for 180 calendar days after the application period begins; for the current funding round, priority access to funding will last until January 2024.

 Building Rebates and Tax Credits

• MCE's Peak FLEXmarket program pays businesses to shift or reduce electricity use during demand response events in the summer (from June to October).

• BayREN offers all Bay Area multi-family housing property owners rebates of $500-7,000 per unit to make energy efficiency and electric improvements to their property. Properties located in high-priority zones that are most impacted by air pollution, extreme heat, and/or high housing costs qualify for bonus rebates. BayREN also provides free consulting services on energy and water usage, contractor referrals, and assistance finding flexible financing options. Qualifying improvements include the following:

  • heat pump HVAC systems
  • heat pump water heaters
  • electrical panel upgrades
  • weatherization and insulation
  • appliances like laundry dryers and electric cooktops/ranges
  • lighting upgrades
  • heat pump pool heaters

• The California Public Utilities Commission's TECH Clean California program offers multi-family housing property owners up to $500,000 in funding to install heat pump HVAC systems, heat pump water heaters, and electrical upgrades.

• California Energy Smart Homes is funded by the California Public Utilities Commission and offers up to $2,450 (plus a bonus of $600/unit) to multi-family housing property owners who convert all gas appliances to efficient electric systems. Property owners who receive this incentives are not eligible to receive any other incentives for the replaced appliances, if those incentives are funded by the California Public Utilities Commission (including TECH incentives).

• MCE offers rebates, free energy assessments, and technical assistance for energy-saving and water-saving improvements to qualifying multi-family housing property owners.

• The federal tax deduction for energy efficient commercial buildings is now permanently available for newly constructed buildings and qualifying building renovations. To learn more about the other rebates and financing programs available to help businesses save money while saving energy, visit our Business Energy Rebates page.

EV Chargers

• There are many programs offering funding to cover the installation and equipment costs of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. For more information on funding for EV charging stations, visit our EV Charging Stations page.

• An extensive list of the electric vehicle, clean energy, and energy efficiency incentives that are offered in the United States can be found at the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE).  

The Solar Tax Credit and Net Energy Metering  

• MCE electricity customers are eligible to participate in a generous Net Energy Metering (NEM) program that returns money to customers for any excess electricity that they produce. MCE also has a Feed-In Tariff program for larger renewable energy projects.  

• PG&E customers are also eligible to participate in a Net Energy Metering (NEM) program. To learn more about why MCE is the primary electricity generator for Walnut Creek, visit our Community Choice Energy page. 

• An extensive list of the solar incentives that are offered in the United States can be found at the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE). 

The Battery Storage System Rebate

California's Self-Generation Incentive Program gives businesses a rebate to reduce the cost of buying a battery storage system. It covers anywhere from 25% to almost 100% of the system’s cost. Having a battery storage system installed will increase your business' resilience, since it will allow you to use stored electricity if there is a power outage. 

In addition, businesses can save thousands of dollars in project costs when installing a battery storage system at the same time as solar. A battery storage system will let you use the solar power you generate at any time of the day or night so that you won't have to buy electricity from your utility once the sun goes down.

Many options are available when it comes to financing sustainable improvements to commercial buildings. Some of the many financing options are highlighted below, although this is not an exhaustive list. Whether you want to cut costs by reducing energy and water usage, improve the comfort and health of your building, or do your part to combat the effects of climate change, you can find the solution you need.  

Go Green Financing

Go Green Financing is an unbiased clearinghouse of available energy efficiency financing programs and is sponsored by the state of California. Go Green Financing was created to help you find the best financing options available for your energy efficiency project. This website allows California residents and businesses to browse a continuously updated database of financing solutions and filter the various options down to a more manageable number, making it easy to get in touch with a lender that fits your unique needs and preferences. 

Solar Financing

Several solar financing options are available, including power purchase agreements (PPA) agreements, so consider what is best for you. Learn more about solar-specific financing options on our Solar Incentives page. 

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Financing 

What is PACE?

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing allows property owners to finance energy efficiency, water conservation, renewable energy, and electric vehicle infrastructure upgrades to their property by repaying the cost of the improvements through a voluntary assessment on their property tax bill. 

Several PACE programs are available in California. The City of Walnut Creek allows PACE programs to operate within its jurisdiction to give consumers an additional financing option, but it does not administer the programs. Contact the programs directly with any questions. 

Benefits of PACE

• No money down, fixed interest rates, and low annual payments: Long-term PACE financing of up to 20 years results in low annual payments, allowing energy or water savings from property upgrades to offset PACE payments. 

• Voluntary: Property owners choose to participate in the program at their own discretion. 

• Payment obligation is tied to the property: A voluntary assessment lien stays with the property upon transfer of building ownership (Note: Some residential lenders may not allow payment obligations to transfer and will require repayment, so ask your PACE program for more information. You may be required to pay off the assessment before selling or refinancing your home.) 

• Increased property values: More efficient properties are typically worth more. 

• Receive tax incentives and rebates: The property owner owns the system, so they can apply for rebates and tax incentives for the improvement. 

• Reduce energy and water use: Energy efficiency and water conservation improvements can help lower utility bills.