City of Palo Alto Utilities: Solar Water Heating Program

City of Palo Alto Utilities is offering incentives for their residential, commercial and industrial customers to install solar water heating systems on their homes and facilities with a goal of 1,000 new systems in the city by 2020. There are two incentive options: Prescriptive Method and Area Method. Residential and Small Commercial installations must use the Prescriptive Method, which is calculated based on the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC) rated savings of the system, and a design-based Solar Orientation Factor (SOF). Prescriptive incentives are capped at $1,875. Large Commercial installations must use the Area Method, which is based on the type of system installed, SRCC rated savings of collectors in various Climate Zones, and SOF. Area Method incentives are capped at $100,000.