PG&E announces $10.3 million for affordable housing rooftop solar program

The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) recently announced a total of $10.3 million for the Multifamily Affordable Solar Housing (MASH) Program, an initiative that provides rebates for affordable rooftop solar energy installation to disadvantaged communities across central and northern California.

“The real benefit of solar in California is when everyone has access to it regardless of location or income – which is exactly what the MASH program aims to achieve,” Aaron Johnson, vice president of Customer Energy Solutions for PG&E, said. “Supporting access to solar energy for all is a win for our customers, and
a win for the state’s clean energy goals.”

Through its MASH program, PG&E offsets the cost of installing new solar energy panels on multifamily lower-income housing buildings to provide clean energy for tenants and in the buildings’ common areas. After a new system is installed, program rebates are based on system size and how much energy can be allocated to the buildings’ tenants.

Prior to any new building participating in the program, customers are required to go through an energy efficiency audit to ensure that their residence is energy efficient before adding solar panels, which can help curb upfront costs by allowing for smaller solar systems.

According to PG&E, the initiative financially supports approximately 40 percent of the solar system equipment and installation for an apartment building.

The program directly benefits more than 3,600 families across the region and provides more than $33 million in funding for rooftop solar systems. In total, MASH has supplied approximately 15 percent of solar energy, which is the equivalent of powering more than 6,000 homes.