California Solar Initiative - Single-Family Affordable Solar Housing (SASH) Program

May 18, 2023

Summary

Note: As of June 2022, this program is fully subscribed in the service territories of all three investor-owned utilities: Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric.   

The California Solar Initiative (CSI), enacted by SB 1 of 2006, provides financial incentives for installing solar technologies through a variety of smaller sub-programs. Of the $3.2 billion in total funding for the CSI, $216 million has been set aside for programs to help fund photovoltaic (PV) installations on low-income housing. Half of that $216 million is funding the Multi-Family Affordable Solar Housing (MASH) program, and the other half is funding the Single-Family Affordable Solar Housing (SASH) Program. The SASH program is being administered on behalf of the investor-owned utilities by GRID Alternatives. Income-eligible customers of Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE) and San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) may participate. In general, the household's total income must be 80% of the area median income (AMI) or less.

Before a PV system is installed through the SASH program, all appropriate energy efficiency measures should be pursued. 

Contact GRID Alternatives for more information. 

Program Overview

Implementing Sector: State
Category: Financial Incentive
State: California
Incentive Type: Rebate Program
Web Site: https://gridalternatives.org/what-we-do/program-administration/sash
Administrator: GRID Alternatives
Start Date: 7/1/2009
Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies:
  • Solar Photovoltaics
Incentive Amount: $3/W CEC-AC
Eligible System Size: Minimum system size: 1 kW CEC-AC Maximum system size: 5 kW CEC-AC
Equipment Requirements: Must use CEC-certified PV modules and inverters
Systems must be grid-connected.
Inverters and modules must each carry a 10-year warranty.
PV modules must be UL 1703-certified
Inverters must be UL 1741-certified, and tested by the Energy Commission
Installation Requirements: Systems must be installed by appropriately licensed California solar contractors who have been accepted by the SASH program manager as a SASH program partner installer or self-installed by the system owner. A significant portion of the PV system will be installed directly by GRID Alternatives.
Ownership of Renewable Energy Credits: Remains with project owner

Incentives

This program has 1 incentives
Technologies: Solar Photovoltaics
Sectors: Low Income Residential
Parameters: The system has a maximum of 1.00 kW-CEC-AC, The system has a minimum of 5.00 kW-CEC-AC, The incentive is 3.00 $/W-CEC-AC

Authorities

Name: CA Public Utilities Code § 2851 et seq.
Date Enacted: 8/21/2006
Name: SASH Handbook
Effective Date: 10/01/2016

Contact

Name: SASH Program Manager
Address:
Phone: (866) 921-4696
Email: sash@gridalternatives.org

This information is sourced from DSIRE; the most comprehensive source of information on incentives and policies that support renewables and energy efficiency in the United States. Established in 1995, DSIRE is operated by the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center at N.C. State University.