California Climate Credit
This month, millions of California homeowners will see a credit on their electricity bill that they can expect every April and October for years to come. The credits for Californians are funded by a statewide program to reduce greenhouse gas emission, fight climate change, and clean the air.
In 2006 California passed the Global Warming Solutions Act with the goal of reducing carbon pollution by at least 15% by 2020. This law requires industries to pay for their carbon emissions. Some of the money collected goes to the government and the rest gets distributed to California residents as a deduction on their electricity bills called the California Climate Credit.
If you are eligible, the California Climate Credit will appear on your electricity bill twice a year for homeowners and monthly for small businesses. You don’t have to do anything for the credit to show up on your bill, but it only applies to homes and businesses that receive their electricity from an investor owned utility company, electric service provider, or community choice aggregation provider. Eligible providers include PG&E, SDG&E, SCE, Pacific Power, and Liberty Utilities, and the community choice aggregators Marin Clean Energy and Sonoma Clean Power.
You can use your credit money for anything you choose, but Energy Upgrade California encourages people to continue the cause by spending that money on small investments to help manage private energy use.
On their website, Energy Upgrade California provides ideas of things you can buy to do your part and make your home more energy efficient. Their suggestions include a programmable thermostat, a water heater blanket and low-flow showerheads, LED bulbs, and power strips for the whole house. In the long run these appliances can save you even more money as they help you manage your electricity use.
To find out more about the California Climate Credit from Energy Update California, visit their website here.
To find out how alps can help you pay your credit forward by investing in a more energy efficient home, check out our blogs Duct Testing to Save Energy and Money, The Importance of Insulation, and Understanding Energy Efficient Upgrades and Incentives.
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