Rebates available for smart thermostats, room air conditioners and water heaters

San Diego Gas & Electric customers looking to save money are encouraged to take advantage of a new statewide program offering rebates of $20-$500 for energy-efficient water heaters, room air conditioners, and smart thermostats.

The newly launched Golden State Rebates program offers instant discounts to eligible residential customers for the purchase of certain products and appliances at a variety of online and brick-and-mortar retail outlets, including Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Google Store and ecobee.com.

Residential customers served by local Community Choice Aggregation Programs, such as San Diego Community Power and the Clean Energy Alliance, are eligible for the rebates.

“Beyond the immediate savings from the rebates, energy-efficient products can help customers save in the long run on their gas and electric bills by reducing their energy consumption,” said SDG&E Director of Customer Programs Hollie Bierman. “By replacing older models of appliances with ultra-efficient ones, families can potentially save hundreds of dollars per year, while also reducing their carbon footprint.”

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program, ultra-efficient ENERGY STAR certified heat pump water heaters can save a household of four about $470 per year on their electric bills compared to a standard electric water heater and more than $4,500 over the equipment’s lifetime.

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC) connected to a smart thermostat with room sensors could potentially help a customer save up to 10%. Smart thermostats can be remotely managed by a smart phone app, so it’s easy for users to adjust room temperatures or turn off their AC on the go. 

How does the program work?

Customers simply sign up for an account on goldenstaterebates.clearesult.com, verify their eligibility, then receive a coupon via email for the selected product to be redeemed at a participating in-store or online retailer of their choice. Set to run through December 2024, Golden State Rebates is the only statewide instant rebate program that works with retailers directly to make purchasing energy-efficient products more convenient and affordable.

SDG&E contracted with CLEAResult to implement the Golden State Rebates program on behalf of itself and three other major utilities in California: Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and SoCalGas.