Affordable Housing is Part of Energy Commission’s New Solar Homes Partnership Program

As solar is adopted at a growing rate in new homes throughout California a portion of that activity is happening in affordable housing.

For the state’s residents who live in affordable housing, the cost of energy is no small matter.

A 2016 study found that the energy burden for the median low-income household was more than twice that of the average household’s.

NSHP Affordable Housing Capacity Installed by Region

Affordable housing is a part of the California Energy Commission’s New Solar Homes Partnership Program (NSHP). The award-winning program offers incentives to encourage the installation of eligible solar systems on new residential construction.

The goal of the NSHP is to create a self-sustaining market for energy-efficient solar homes while also helping homeowners save money on electric bills.

Through July, the NSHP has installed 7.13 megawatts (MW) of solar on affordable housing projects - roughly 11 percent of NSHP program activity.

So far, installed systems have received $20.5 million in incentives – which equals to 15 percent of the NSHP program activity. To date, the NSHP has installed 59,526 solar systems and 198 MW of capacity statewide.