Solar Domestic Hot Water Pilot Program

Summary

Note: As of August 18, 2010 the portion of this program devoted to eligible electric customers is now fully subscribed and applications are no longer being accepting. It is not clear whether this program will continue with additional funding in the future. The portion devoted to gas customers remains open. The New Jersey Office of Clean Energy (OCE) has initiated a pilot program providing rebates to eligible state residents for the purchase and installation of domestic solar water heating systems. Rebates are only available for systems that replace, retrofit, or supplement an existing gas or electric water heater in single-family residential homes. The designation "gas" includes customers that currently use propane for their water heating needs. Participants in the New Jersey Energy Star Homes, Home Performance with Energy Star, Weatherization Assistance, or other OCE programs are not eligible for incentives. It is also important to note that certain program rules and requirements are differ between electric customers and gas customers. The rebate is set at a flat rate of $1,200 per system. In addition, all systems and components must be new; have an OG-300 rating from the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC); and come with a variety of manufacturer and installation warranties. All installations must be performed by program participating contractors that possess a New Jersey Home Improvement Contractor's (HIC) License. Contractors must also be NABCEP certified or have prior industry experience coupled with accredited training. The program website contains a list of eligible solar water heating systems and participating contractors. Due to different equipment requirements, the list of eligible solar water heaters for electric customers differs from that for gas customers. In order to claim the incentive, participants must submit their rebate within 120 days of purchasing the system for systems with electric back-up and within 60 days for systems with gas back-up. Rebates can either be issued to the customer or assigned to the contractor. Completed systems may be subject to inspection or monitoring by program personnel. It is important to that while renewable energy certificate ownership is not directly addressed by program documents, solar water heating system are not eligible to generate Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs) for use under the state renewable portfolio standard (RPS).