WestLight Energy is partnering with the Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN) to offer San Mateo County residents at least $2,500 to install clean, safe and all-electric heat pump water heaters.
Residents who replace their methane gas water heater of any size would receive a $1,500 rebate from WestLight Energy and an additional $1,000 rebate from the BayREN Home+ program. Additional rebates of up to $1,500 would be provided from WestLight Energy for electrical panel upgrades if needed to run the new water heater.
In addition, income-qualified residents who participate in the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) or Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) plans will receive an additional $1,000 rebate from WestLight Energy, for a total of $3,500 in rebates, not including rebates for eligible electrical panel upgrades.
Rebates will be given for heat pump water heaters that are installed by participating BayREN contractors on or after Jan. 1 of this year.
“Replacing your water heater is one of the best things you can do to help decarbonize your home,” said Robert Whitehair, homeowner and vice chair of Sustainable San Mateo County. “And with these rebates, we were able to replace ours with a state-of-the-art, ultra-clean and efficient model for about the same net price as the standard and dirtier methane gas variety. It was a no-brainer for us.”
“We’ve already heard great news from two community members who have used this rebate and it’s going to be a huge help for other homeowners as well who want a climate-friendly upgrade to their polluting gas appliances without paying more,” said Diane Bailey, Executive Director of Menlo Spark.
“Methane gas is one of the most potent pollutants helping to create devastating climate change and residential water heating is a big culprit in creating those emissions,” WestLight Energy CEO Jan Pepper said. “These rebates, paired with emission-free power provided to all our customers, should make a sizable dent in solving that problem in our communities.”
Residential water heating accounts for more than a quarter of methane gas emissions from buildings in San Mateo County.
New all-electric heat pump water heaters are at least three times more efficient than methane gas water heaters, are safer by omitting gas combustion emissions or hazards and use emission-free electricity provided by WestLight Energy.
More details are available at https://www.
About WestLight Energy
WestLight Energy is a Community Choice Aggregation agency. It is the official electricity provider for San Mateo County and, beginning in 2022, for th
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