CPUC

Demand for subsidised solar water heater is very different in Europe and the USA. A comparison between California and the Czech Republic shows that the growth potential is much higher in European countries. The number of applications submitted to the national subsidy programme has been 100 times as much in the Eastern European country as in the US state. The photo shows a commercial solar water heater on a multi-family apartment community in Huntington Beach, California, installed by California Solar Thermal, Inc. The 24-panel-installation was subsidised by both California Solar Initiative (CSI) - Thermal Program as well as the Federal Treasury Grant (30%) and reached a payback time of two years.
Photo: California Solar Thermal

The California Solar Initiative (CSI) – Thermal Program began accepting applications for commercial systems on 8 October 2010. A month before this important date, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) published a 75-page handbook explaining what's most important when applying for the CSI rebate.

On the 21^st of January, the Californian Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) finally approved the “California Solar Initiative (CSI) – Thermal Program”. The eight-year programme has a budget of US$ 351 million and is thought to financially assist home owners and proprietors of commercial buildings who replace natural gas or electric geysers with solar water heaters (see the final decision of CPUC attached).

Two years – that is how long California has already been waiting for a “200,000 solar roof programme“. After the Californian Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) published its “Proposed Decision“ in November, the programme may finally become reality next year.