News
May 6, 2025 – Oakland, CA
TECH Clean California Heat Pump Water Heater Program Wins a PLMA 2025 "Excellence in Load Management" Award
On May 6, 2025, TECH Clean California accepted the Peak Load Management Alliance (PLMA) Award of Excellence in Load Management. The award — given at the 2025 PLMA Spring Conference in Kansas City, Missouri — recognized TECH Clean California’s Heat Pump Water Heater Program team, including the California Public Utilities Commission, for its integrated demand-side management requirements, which include enrollment in a demand response, daily load shifting, and time-of-use enrollment for heat pump water heater equipment incentives.
April 16, 2025 – Oakland, CA
New HEEHRA Single Family Rebate Reservations Now Open & New Income Eligibility Process
Starting today, we are now accepting reservations and income verification applications for single family HEEHRA rebates in Southern and Central California. In addition, there's a new income eligibility process for this program.
March 25, 2025 – Oakland, CA
A Blueprint for HOA Electrification
When the Heather Village homeowner’s association (HOA) needed to replace an aging hot water system, board members saw an opportunity — not just to upgrade, but to save money and shift away from fossil fuels. With help from grants, on-bill financing, and strategic partners, the 12-acre condominium complex west of Los Angeles installed seven central heat pump water heaters to replace a crumbling system of 15 gas boilers. After great initial success, Heather Village is now embracing full electrification, including other appliances and even full HVAC for residents who had never enjoyed air conditioning.
March 18, 2025 – Oakland, CA
Scaling Heat Pump Retrofits in Housing with Cost Barriers
Green financing can play a huge role in helping California reach its goal of driving heat pumps and heat pump water heater adoption. However, securing funds from lenders often requires thorough data analysis to show greenhouse gas and energy reductions from experimental projects.
March 17, 2025 – Oakland, CA
Heat Pump Water Heaters in Manufactured Housing
Manufactured homes have the highest energy use intensity of any residential home type, using 40 percent to 50 percent more energy per square foot than other single family homes. Many people who live in manufactured homes have lower income levels, which means the impact of their homes’ high energy usage has an even greater impact to their monthly expenses.
March 12, 2025 – Oakland, CA
HEEHRA Rebates Resume in California
The California Energy Commission provided the following update regarding HEEHRA on Monday, March 10, which in part noted:
California is resuming the state’s Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEEHRA) Program, available through TECH Clean California. The program will continue to process approved rebate applications and rebate reservations on a first-come, first-served basis as federal funds are made available. Submitted reservation requests will receive priority. If you have questions on the status of your HEEHRA reservation request or rebate, please contact your contractor or TECH Clean California at tech.info@energy-solution.com. The program will reopen to new HEEHRA income verifications and rebate reservations in the coming weeks.
February 28, 2025 – Oakland, CA
Central Coast Community Energy’s Electrify Your Home Partner Program Impact
TECH Clean California’s single family heat pump water heater incentive funding is no longer available as of February 24, 2025. In response, Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) will be updating its Electrify Your Home (EYH) program to offer incentives independent from TECH Clean California’s funding.
February 27, 2025 – Oakland, CA
HEEHRA Rebates Paused
The California Energy Commission provides the following update regarding the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEEHRA) program.
February 24, 2025 – Oakland, CA
Last Day to Reserve Statewide Heat Pump Water Heater Incentives
February 24, 2025 is the last day to make sales and reserve single family heat pump water heater incentives statewide. However, the remaining commercial heat pump water heater incentive funding is still available.
January 29, 2025 – Oakland, CA
Statewide Small Multifamily Heat Pump Water Heater Incentives
As of today, January 29, 2025, TECH Clean California small multifamily incentives for unitary and central heat pump water heaters are available statewide. The incentives are available to TECH Clean California contractors across the state supporting multifamily properties/buildings servicing 10 or less units.
January 17, 2025 – Oakland, CA
Last Day to Reserve Statewide Heat Pump HVAC and Specific Heat Pump Water Heater Incentives
January 17, 2025 is the last day to make sales and reserve single family heat pump HVAC and specific heat pump water heater incentives statewide.
January 15, 2025 – Oakland, CA
Upcoming Statewide Small Multifamily Heat Pump Water Heater Incentives
Starting January 29, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. (noon) PT, TECH Clean California will launch new small multifamily incentives for unitary and central heat pump water heaters. The incentives will be available to TECH Clean California contractors across the state supporting multifamily properties/buildings servicing 10 or less units. The incentives will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
December 19, 2024 – Oakland, CA
The Key to Successfully Deploying Heat Pump Water Heaters? Funding Innovation.
When people think of climate solutions, heat pump water heaters are rarely at the top of their list. Although water heaters account for a quarter of the natural gas consumption of the average home, homeowners rarely consider upgrades in emergency situations where restoring hot water takes priority over more climate-friendly options. This presents a significant challenge to decarbonizing homes.
December 10, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Heat Pump Water Heater and Air-to-Water Heat Pump Incentives are Now Available
Single family residents in California can now access heat pump water heater incentives available through TECH Clean California for projects sold on or after December 10, 2024. California residents of single family homes may earn $1,100 in Northern California and $3,100 in Southern California.
December 2, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Heat Pumps: Transforming the Way Contractors Do Business
There are more than 25,000 California contractors whose licenses make them eligible to install heat pump technology. Yet only a fraction of contractors are actively doing so, with many citing a lack of the needed know-how to do so as a primary barrier. At the same time, the State of California is prioritizing a transformation of the space and water heating market by increasing the adoption of heat pump technology and products statewide.
November 25, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Encouraging Heat Pump Technology for Lower-Income Californians
Interest in heat pump technology is growing throughout California, but its benefits could be most transformational for California’s rural residents, especially those who are low-income and living in more extreme climates. In southern California and the San Joaquin Valley, wildfires and record temperatures have left many of these households even more vulnerable.
November 18, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Heather Village: Decarbonizing a Multi-Owner Equity Community
Viridis Consulting aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of transitioning a multifamily residential building community away from the status quo of like-for-like replacement of gas boilers to high-efficiency heat pumps. About 35 percent of Californians live in homeowner associations (HOAs), and the ability to leverage this organizational structure to expedite heat pump deployment had not been explored prior to this Quick Start Grant project.
November 15, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Sacramento Home Energy Equity Pilot
The City of Sacramento aimed to create a scalable model for electrifying and repairing homes, maximizing household benefits, and mitigating displacement risks for low-income residents. To accomplish this, the project specifically focused on addressing barriers that prevent low-income households and residents in disadvantaged communities from adopting heat pumps.
November 12, 2024 – Oakland, CA
New HEEHRA Rebates and heat pump HVAC incentives are now available
Single family homeowners in California can access $45 million in HEEHRA rebates available through TECH Clean California. Income-qualified households are eligible to receive up to $8,000 in rebates to reduce the cost of purchasing a new energy-efficient home heating and cooling heat pump equipment.
November 7, 2024 – Oakland, CA
TECH Clean California Earns National Heat Pump Water Heater Transformation Award
TECH Clean California earned national recognition last month for its transformative impact on the residential heat pump water heater market, including its equity work in California communities. On Heat Pump Water Heater Day, October 23, the Advanced Water Heating Initiative (AWHI) honored TECH Clean California with a “Residential Heat Pump Market Transformer” award.
October 29, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Aligning Utility Allowances with Electrification
Bright Power and Climate Action Campaign aimed to pilot solutions for increasing the adoption of electrification-friendly utility allowances in regulated, multifamily housing through a Quick Start Grant project.
October 28, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Developing Targeted, Inclusive Marketing and Educational Materials for Equitable Electrification
The Diversity Coalition Quick Start Grant project’s objective was to understand what it takes to increase awareness and pave the way for heat pump adoption and electrification in historically underserved communities, with the goal of informing future equity-focused education and outreach campaigns.
October 25, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Contractors can Get Ready to Offer Customers new HVAC Incentives and HEEHRA Rebates
Starting today, both contractors enrolled in TECH Clean California and those new to the initiative can become certified to offer single family HEEHRA rebates. And, by taking this certification training, contractors will also learn about program updates to both TECH Clean California and 3CE single family HVAC incentives.
October 8, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Now Accepting Applications for Multifamily HEEHRA Rebates
$35 million in HEEHRA rebates for multifamily projects is now available for heat pump HVAC, heat pump water heaters, cooktops, ranges, ovens, and heat pump clothes dryers. Income-eligible multifamily property owners or operators can now begin the application process for stage 1 of the new multifamily HEEHRA rebates available through TECH Clean California.
October 7, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Offering Customers Greater Savings with HEEHRA Rebates Available Through TECH Clean California
New HEEHRA rebates from the U.S. Department of Energy and managed by the California Energy Commission will soon be available through TECH Clean California. Income-qualified customers will be able to receive rebates through TECH Clean California contractors to help further reduce the cost of purchasing energy-efficient equipment.
September 25, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Fast Path to Clean Indoor Air
350 Bay Area Quick Start Grant project aimed to address the health burdens that low-income renters face in the Bay Area by retrofitting heat pump HVAC units and air purifiers. Low-income renters in the Bay Area are disproportionately likely to experience greater health burdens as the number of high-heat days and significant exposure to wildfire smoke increases. While the state is driven to electrify all homes in the coming decades, there is a clear need for a solution to support the health and well-being of these populations in the interim. As a potential solution, this Quick Start Grant distributed 26 portable heat pump HVAC units and air purifiers to renting households in the Bay Area in order to investigate the effect of these units on the household’s indoor air quality and temperatures, and the approach’s cost effectiveness.
September 23, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Creating the Standard: Heat Pump Water Heater Best Practices
The Richard Heath & Associates (RHA) Quick Start Grant project aimed to create the heat pump water heater educational tools lacking in the industry by collaborating with a panel of industry experts, contractors, training instructors, and manufacturers. The project team created the first standardized collection of industry best practices to ensure heat pump water heater installations are performed correctly and consistently, improving the overall performance and reliability of heat pump water heater systems.
August 23, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Making Electrification Accessible to Disadvantaged Communities Through Heat Pump Water Heater Education and Outreach Strategies
The Energy Coalition Quick Start Grant project, part of the larger community-wide Bassett Avocado Heights Advanced Energy Community (BAAEC) demonstration project, tests a comprehensive education and outreach strategy targeted to low-income single family homes in disadvantaged communities to make the process of home electrification accessible.
August 12, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Overcoming Home Repair Barriers To Enable Heat Pump Installations
Franklin Energy implements the Home Energy Savings program in collaboration with Marin Clean Energy (MCE), offering no-cost home energy upgrades to moderate-income, single family households through a direct-install model, including heat pumps for both water heating and space heating and cooling. However, over the years, they observed an alarming trend: many prospective participants couldn’t take advantage of the program because heat pump installations often triggered costly repairs or electrical upgrades that homeowners couldn’t afford.
In 2022, Franklin Energy was awarded a TECH Clean California Quick Start Grant to address this barrier.
August 6, 2024 – Oakland, CA
TECH Clean California Contractors Advance the Heat Pump Market Across California
Forward-looking contractors working with heat pump technology say their skills in installing them are rapidly paying off.
“The last quarter of 2023 was our highest grossing month, because of the 100 heat pump water heaters we installed,” said Chris Flores, the owner of Water Heater Warehouse in Fullerton, Ca. “With everything going electric, heat pump water heaters are becoming the new Teslas, they will be everywhere soon. The best thing we can do for the company’s growth is to work on all the heat pump water heaters we can get.”
July 30, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Encouraging Heat Pump Technology for San Joaquin Valley Residents
The need to prioritize the installation of heat pumps into California’s low-income households is clear.
California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment devoted a separate report on the challenges for low-income residents in the San Joaquin Valley, and the resulting health implications. Affordable air conditioning is likely at the top of the list of health needs for the vulnerable in the San Joaquin Valley, where weather regularly exceeds over 100 Fahrenheit in the summer and fall.
July 29, 2024 – Oakland, CA
New GGRF Funds will Help Incentives Reach More Californians
$25 million has recently been added to the TECH Clean California Single Family Heat Pump HVAC budget on the budget table. TECH Clean California was awarded this new funding through the state of California’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), administered by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
July 22, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Supporting Local, Diverse Contractor Training Programs
A TECH Clean California Quick Start Grant provided support to Revalue.io as they rehabilitated and electrified 65 multifamily homes. In addition, the Revalue.io team designed and led targeted, inclusive training on electrification for more than 26 contractors and 46 electrification trainees.
June 9, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Last Day to Reserve Equity HPWH Incentives in SDG&E Service Area
Single family equity incentives for heat pump water heaters are nearly reserved in SDG&E service area, and today, July 9, 2024, is the last day to make sales and create claims to reserve incentives. Contractors have until the end of the day today, July 9, 2024, to get claims created in our online system. No claims with signed Customer Terms & Conditions dated after July 9, 2024, will be accepted.
June 3, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Last Day to Reserve Equity Incentives in Non-SMUD Publicly Owned Utility Service Areas
Single family equity incentives for heat pump water heaters are nearly reserved in non-SMUD publicly owned utility service areas and today, June 3, 2024, is the last day to make sales and create claims to reserve incentives. Contractors have until the end of the day today, June 3, 2024, to get claims created in our online system. No claims with signed Customer Terms & Conditions dated after June 3, 2024, will be accepted.
May 30, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Last Day to Reserve Market Rate and Equity Incentives in SoCalGas Service Area
Today, May 30, 2024, is the last day to make sales and create claims to reserve single family market rate and equity incentives for heat pump water heaters in the SoCalGas service area. Contractors have until the end of the day today, May 30, 2024, to get claims created in our online system. No claims with signed Customer Terms & Conditions dated after May 30, 2024, will be accepted, and no claims created after May 30, 2024, will be accepted.
May 29, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Electrifying the Green Affordable Housing Program
In Los Angeles, most multifamily housing within disadvantaged communities contains inefficient heating and cooling equipment coupled with a lack of sufficient funding and financing options to electrify these buildings. TECH Clean California’s Quick Start Grant recipient, U.S. Green Building Council - Los Angeles (USGBC-LA) navigated access to healthier, safer, and cleaner energy-efficient equipment for affordable multifamily homes through the Green Affordable Housing Program.
May 29, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Last Day to Reserve Equity Incentives in PG&E Gas Service Area
Single family equity incentives for heat pump water heaters are nearly reserved in PG&E gas service area, and today, May 29, 2024, is the last day to make sales and create claims to reserve incentives. This includes SMUD electric customers in PG&E service area as there is no separate SMUD budget for equity incentives.
May 20, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Pilot Addresses Barriers to Heat Pump Water Heater Permits
Partnering with the Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN), TECH Clean California’s Streamlining Permitting Pilot team shed light on widespread residential heat pump water heater adoption in California. The team focused on inefficient or burdensome permitting practices for heat pump water heaters compared to those for traditional water heaters.
April 29, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Waitlist for Multifamily Heat Pump Water Heater Incentive Reservations
The multifamily heat pump water heater incentive reservations are currently operating on a waitlist for both central and unitary heat pump water heater incentives. Anyone who applies now will be added to a waitlist. If additional funding becomes available, they may be removed from the waitlist.
April 22, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Additional $5 Million Available for Heat Pump Water Heater Equity Incentives
Additional funds are now available for single family heat pump water heater equity incentives in Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E), and Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) service areas as of today, April 22, 2024.
April 4, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Last Day to Reserve Market Rate Incentives in SDG&E Service Area
Single family market rate incentives for heat pump water heaters are nearly reserved in San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) service area as of today, April 4, 2024. However, single family equity incentives for heat pump water heaters are still available.
March 14, 2024 – Oakland, CA
TECH Clean California Releases Annual Report Covering Second Year Market Transformation Results
TECH Clean California’s Annual Report highlighting the key results from year two is now available on techcleanca.com. Reporting on market transformation results, the TECH Clean California Annual Report highlights learnings and accomplishments through the initiative's statewide focus and collaboration. The guiding principle of TECH Clean California puts the state on a pathway to six million heat pumps by 2030 and carbon-free homes by 2045.
March 12, 2024 – Oakland, CA
New Multifamily Central Heat Pump Water Heater Incentives Now Available in PG&E, SCE, SCG, and SDG&E Service Areas
Across PG&E, SCE, SCG, and SDG&E service areas, incentives of $900 to $1,000 per kilowatt hour (kWh) are available for replacing existing water heaters with central heat pumps in multifamily buildings. Additional incentives of $200 per kWh are available for equipment that use refrigerants with a global warming potential of 150 or less.
February 27, 2024 – Oakland, CA
How Targeting Can Transform Electrification Initiatives
TECH Clean California's meter-based customer targeting ensures that decarbonization efforts reach the customers who will benefit and provide grid value now, setting the stage for future success. A recent analysis of nearly 2,000 heat pump installations demonstrates how meter data can yield actionable insights to help electrification programs optimize their outreach, ensuring that heat pump installations save money for customers, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and provide value to the grid.
February 9, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Market Rate Incentives Nearly Reserved in SMUD Service Area
Single family market rate incentives are nearly fully reserved in Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) service area as of today, February 9, 2024. However, single family Equity incentives are still available.
February 6, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Market Rate Incentives Fully Reserved in PG&E Service Area
Since our recent communication about remaining incentive funding, single family market rate incentives are fully reserved in PG&E service area as of this morning. However, single family Equity incentives are still available.
February 5, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Incentives for Heat Pump Water Heaters Now Require Demand Response and Time-of-Use Enrollment for SMUD Service Area
TECH Clean California has important updates to the demand response and time-of-use rate (TOU) enrollment rules for all TECH Clean California heat pump water heater projects in the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) service area. The new rules affect eligibility for incentives in the SMUD service area, the demand response conversations with customers, and the way some of the related questions on the incentive claim form are filled out.
February 2, 2024 – Oakland, CA
Heat Pump Water Heater Incentive Funding Updates for PG&E, SMUD, and Municipality Service Areas
Due to consumer demand for heat pump water heater incentives, TECH Clean California is making some critical updates to its heat pump water heater incentive budget and availability. Effective February 2, 2024, the immediate impacts are for single family market rate sales in Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), and other electric municipality service areas.
October 31, 2023 – Oakland, CA
New Heat Pump Water Heater Incentives Now Available for Californians
California homeowners can take advantage of TECH Clean California incentives starting at $3,100 for new heat pump water heaters, making it easier and more affordable to install clean and efficient water heating equipment.
October 25, 2023 – Oakland, CA
TECH Clean California Supports Manufacturers Committed to New Heat Pump Technology and Capacity Goals
At the Building Electrification Summit hosted by the California Energy Commission (CEC) and EPRI earlier this month, ten of the world’s largest manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers of building heating and cooling equipment signed an agreement committing to actions aimed at achieving California’s goal to have six million electric heat pumps installed by 2030.
May 22, 2023 – Oakland, CA
TECH Clean California 2022 Quick Start Grant Recipients Launch Programs
TECH Clean California awarded eight recipients with Quick Start Grants to fund targeted, innovative pilots that test approaches to overcoming market barriers to heat pump space and water heating adoption. By testing these transformation approaches, the Quick Start Grant program will promote the development and refinement of interventions that can be scaled into statewide solutions. By May 1, 2023, all eight recipients have launched their pilots.
April 25, 2023 – Sacramento, CA
Incentives Relaunch April 25 to Help California Homeowners Electrify
California’s award-winning heat pump program, TECH Clean California, has relaunched incentives for heat pumps for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning through TECH-certified contractors.
February 24, 2023 – Oakland, CA
TECH Clean California 2022 Quick Start Grant Recipients Launch Programs
TECH Clean California awarded seven recipients with Quick Start Grants to fund targeted, innovative pilots that test approaches to overcoming market barriers to heat pump space and water heating adoption. By testing these transformation approaches, the Quick Start Grant program will promote the development and refinement of interventions that can be scaled into statewide solutions.
November 28, 2022 – Oakland, CA
TECH Clean California Publishes Annual Report Covering the First Program Year, June 2021 through June 2022
We are pleased to publish our first Annual Report for TECH Clean California. As we prepare for 2023, we want to recognize what we have learned and what we have accomplished through focus and collaboration.
October 11, 2022 – Oakland, CA
Inflation Reduction Act—What We Know
The Federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will provide tax credits and incentives for clean heating and cooling in homes starting in 2023.
These federal incentives will be in addition to the California state incentives that are available for TECH Clean California.
September 27, 2022 – Oakland, CA
TECH Clean California receives $145 million to expand decarbonization efforts
California Energy Trailer Bill continues the state’s commitment to heat pump installations.
In late August, the state of California passed the California Energy Trailer Bill that will direct an additional $145 million to TECH Clean California over the next two years. The funding will be used to continue the statewide initiative aimed at accelerating the adoption of clean space and water heating technology in California homes to help California meet its goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045.
TECH Clean California will receive $50 million in FY 22/23, and $95 million in FY 23/24 contingent on the state meeting revenue projections to increase heat pump installations and reach more Californians in need, growing the contractor workforce, and continuing to create broader market transformation to heat pumps.
TECH Clean California has already started to transform California’s heat pump market.