Home Energy Efficiency in Oakland

Making Your Home Comfortable and Efficient

Here are some statistics about the Oakland area that will help as you work to create a more energy-efficient home.

• California imports more electricity than any other state, and residents pay $0.16 per kilowatt hour, five cents more than the national average! With such expensive electricity costs, maximizing the efficiency of your appliances is crucial.
• Natural gas for Oakland area residents is about average compared to the rest of the nation — around $10.50 per thousand cubic feet. Approximately 70 percent of California residents heat their homes with natural gas.
• The average California home was built 40 years ago, which means there are a lot of households in need of some energy efficiency upgrades.
• The wind speed in the Oakland area is about 10.5 mph, which is enough to keep a turbine spinning for most of the year.
• With around 5.5 kWh per meter squared of solar radiation daily, roofs in Oakland could potentially be great solar producers.

Home Energy Audits in Oakland

Ready to improve your home's energy efficiency but not sure where to begin? An energy audit is a great place to start if you're planning energy efficiency upgrades in your home. The auditor will comprehensively test your home, treating it as an interconnected system, to identify where improvements will give you the most savings.

If you'd like to find out — for free and within minutes — whether your home is a good candidate for an energy audit and for upgrades, take our online home energy report. We'll give you a home energy score and estimate your savings potential.

Home Energy Upgrades in Oakland

Here are some upgrades that may make sense for homeowners in the Oakland area.

• Geothermal Heat Pump: The Oakland area has the perfect climate for a geothermal heat pump because while the temperatures are mild, there's still be a need for heat in the winter and possibly a few weeks of air conditioning in the summer. A geothermal heat pump converts the earth's "free" heat into heat you can use to warm your home. During hot streaks, the heat pump reverses to cool your home.
• Insulation and Air Sealing: Because most homes in California are 40 or more years old, most homes could definitely use some insulation and air sealing to get the most of HVAC systems, especially if you're heating your home with expensive electricity.
• ENERGY STAR Appliances: Energy-efficient refrigerators, clothes washers, dishwashers, dryers, etc. will significantly help you lower your electricity bills.
• Solar Water Heaters: Typically, around 12 percent of a household's total energy budget is spent on heating water. Installing a solar water heater can help lower that amount by using the sun's energy to preheat water before it is pumped into your traditional water heater.

Have a project in mind? Contact an energy expert to get started.

Energy Rebates and Tax Credits in Oakland

Home Efficiency Upgrades: Alameda Municipal Power offers weatherization grants to help homeowners improve energy efficiency through measures like insulation and air sealing. They also offer rebates for recycling and replacing outdated refrigerators with ENERGY STAR models. Rebates on energy-efficient appliances, such as refrigerators, dishwashers, clothes washers, water heaters and more, are available through PG&E.

Renewable Energy Systems: Alameda Municipal Power will pay residents $2.42 per watt for up to 50 kW for installing a solar panel system. California also offers renewable incentives including the Self-Generation Incentive, the California Solar Initiative, the Emerging Renewables Program and others. The U.S. government also offers to cover up to 30 percent of a renewable energy system through an income tax credit.

Check out all energy rebates and tax credits in Oakland.

Home Energy Resources from EnergySavvy

1. Home Energy Report: How efficient is your home? Find out how to improve your home's efficiency and comfort, without spending tons of money, with EnergySavvy's free online home energy report.
2. Energy Rebate and Tax Credit Directory: EnergySavvy's guide to energy rebates and tax credits can help you find all the energy tax credits and rebates that are available locally for you.
3. Energy Contractors: If you've got a project in mind to make your home more energy efficient and comfortable and you'd like to talk with an energy expert about it, we can help. We focus on the relatively small group of contractors nationwide who really understand home energy auditing and energy retrofits.
4. Educational Content: Home energy efficiency is complicated stuff. It's not just as simple as laying some insulation in the attic. We've put together a library of easy-to-read topics that cover the basics of energy efficiency. And if you have a question about anything, you can ask one of our energy experts using our "Ask an Expert" feature.

Last Updated: May 2010

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