Home Energy Efficiency in San Francisco

Overview

It's nice to live in a city with temperatures that rarely drop below 40 degrees or above 80. With such mild temperatures, it seems like all you would need is a sturdy tent. (Or at least that's what the rest of the country thinks.) But realistically, in order to live comfortably, it is important to have a well insulated, energy-efficient home.

Making Your Home Comfortable and Efficient

Besides temperature, what other factors are good to know when thinking about how to make your home more energy efficient in San Francisco?

California imports more energy from other states than any other state, and it turns out importing energy isn't cheap. The average price of electricity in California (around $0.16/kWh from Pacific Gas & Electric) is four cents higher than the national average.
On a sunnier note, San Francisco has great solar energy potential, receiving 4.5 - 5 kWh/square meter of solar radiation daily. This is likely the reason why California is the number one producer of renewable energy (not including hydroelectric power).
San Francisco has nice wind energy potential as well, with an average wind speed of around 12 mph.

Home Energy Upgrades in San Francisco

How can you use this information to create a more energy-efficient home? Here are some measures you can take.

Energy Audit: This will tell you what can be tweaked in your home to help cut down on the energy you consume and the money you spend on your utility bills.
Attic Insulation: Older homes typically have about three to four inches of insulation in the attic. In the Bay Area, you can take it up a notch by adding insulation with a rating of R25-R38 to the already existing insulation.
Efficient Windows: Properly installed energy-efficient windows will help you minimize utility bills and maximize the value and comfort of your home. Replacing windows can be expensive, but if a remodeling project requires you to install new windows, it's a good idea to install windows with a low U-factor, which means the windows don't easily transfer heat from one side of the pane to the other.
Solar Hot Water: If your house is sealed up properly but your utility bills still make you sigh, you may want to install a solar thermal system, which uses the suns energy to heat water without creating or consuming electricity.
Wind Turbines: If you own a home that is ultra energy efficient, consider a renewable energy system such as a wind turbine. Using the wind to produce energy is a practice that is centuries old, and it can still benefit your home today.

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

Energy Rebates and Tax Credits in San Francisco

How do you pay for all these improvements?

Home Efficiency Upgrades: Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) offers energy rebates to residential customers who replace old appliances with high-efficiency products such as clothes washers, dishwashers, water heaters, lighting, insulation, etc. Another incentive for energy-efficient appliances and measures is the federal efficiency tax credit, which offers a credit for 30 percent of the cost of high-efficiency appliances and projects, like new roofs, insulation, windows and much more.

Renewable Energy Systems: If you want to invest in a renewable energy system, there are several different options available. Solar energy systems, like photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal, are eligible for a bunch of incentives, including rebates, tax credits and tax exclusions. Through the California Solar Initiative, homeowners are paid $1.10/W based on their solar energy system's capacity. San Francisco also offers an energy rebate of up to $3,500 for residential solar panels. The federal government offers a renewable energy tax credit of 30 percent of the system cost. All of these, along with other incentives, can be combined to best cover the cost of a solar energy system installed to power your home. If you're interested in wind turbines, there are incentives for you too. For customers of San Diego Gas & Electric, Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas, the Self-Generation Incentive offers $1.50/W based on the systems capacity.

New Energy Rebates... Stay Tuned: Beginning in March 2010, California is offering a mail-in rebate program for replacing inefficient appliances with ultra-efficient refrigerators, clothes washers and room air conditioners. In addition, "Cash for Caulkers", also known as HOME STAR, is a program designed to motivate people to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. This program will create a larger tax credit for homeowners who can prove they have made their homes more energy efficient, whether that means sealing up leaky areas with caulk or replacing inefficient appliances.

Check out all energy rebates and tax credits in San Francisco.

Home Energy Resources from EnergySavvy

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.
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.
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.
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: January 2010