SoCalGas Announces New $75 Residential Rebate for Smart Thermostats

New web-based application makes applying for energy efficiency rebates easier and faster

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Jul 17, 2018, 14:46 ET

LOS ANGELES, July 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today announced the company is now offering $75 rebates for residential customers who purchase eligible ENERGY STAR® certified smart thermostats that help residents manage their heating and cooling costs and conserve energy. The rebates, which have increased from $50, cover models from Nest, ecobee and Honeywell, and others, and are available through Dec. 15, 2018. To help customers take advantage of the opportunity, the utility also launched a new web-based application form, available at socalgas.com/rebate-app, that streamlines the application process, allowing customers to receive the rebate more quickly. In addition to SoCalGas' rebate, utility customers can apply for a smart thermostat rebate through their electric provider for a combined savings of up to $150. To learn more or to participate in SoCalGas' Residential Rebate Program, visit socalgas.com/rebates.

"Energy-saving technologies, like smart thermostats, have become increasingly popular because they're a great way to help residents manage their energy costs," said Darren Hanway, energy efficiency program operations manager at SoCalGas. "Energy conservation is just one of the ways we're working every day to keep our customers' bills low and to reduce emissions linked to climate change."

SoCalGas offers several rebates to its customers through its Energy Efficiency Appliance Rebate program that covers the partial cost of eligible ENERGY STAR® certified appliances, like clothes washers, natural gas dryers, tankless water heaters, wall or attic insulation, natural gas storage water heaters, pool heaters, and natural gas and wall furnaces. Customers can visit the SoCalGas Marketplace to learn which energy-efficient products are eligible for a SoCalGas rebate.

ENERGY STAR® Certified Smart Thermostats are Wi-Fi enabled devices that allow customers to control home heating and cooling temperatures remotely through a smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer. These smart devices can automatically adjust temperature settings by learning personal preference or by setting a schedule that adjusts when residents are asleep or out of the home. In addition, smart thermostats update software periodically to ensure the device uses the latest algorithms and energy-saving features available.

Energy efficiency programs and rebates are just one way SoCalGas helps business and residential customers keep their energy bills affordable. Since 1990, the utility's energy efficiency and rebate programs have reduced emissions equal to taking almost 700,000 cars off the road and have saved SoCalGas customers more than $670 million in utility bill costs. Moreover, because of energy efficiency measures and new innovative technologies, residential buildings account for only about 5 percent of greenhouse gas emissions statewide, according to the California Air Resources Board. SoCalGas offers more than 90 energy efficiency programs that deliver close to $161 million in annual cost savings directly to its customers.

SoCalGas is a leader in researching and developing new technologies that improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and keep bills affordable for customers. The utility is also working to increase the production and use of renewable natural gas, or biogas, which turns methane emissions into a source of clean energy to fuel homes and businesses. Learn more about the environmental and cost-saving benefits of renewable natural gas by viewing the utility's latest video, Digesting the Facts About Renewable Natural Gas, on SoCalGas' YouTube Channel.

Natural gas is the most affordable, reliable, clean, and increasingly renewable energy choice for home and water heating and cooking in Southern California and is used by more than 90 percent of residents in the region. According to the American Gas Association (AGA), across the country, households that use natural gas for water and space heating, cooking and clothes drying save an average of $874 per year compared to homes using electricity for those applications.

About SoCalGas
Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest natural gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, clean and increasingly renewable natural gas service to 21.7 million customers across 22,000 square miles of Central and Southern California, where more than 90 percent of residents use natural gas for heating, hot water, cooking, drying clothes or other uses. Natural gas delivered through the company's pipelines also plays a key role in providing electricity to Californians—about 60 percent of electric power generated in the state comes from gas-fired power plants.

SoCalGas is committed to investing in its natural gas system infrastructure, while keeping bills affordable for our customers. From 2013 through 2017, the company spent nearly $6 billion to upgrade and modernize its natural gas system to enhance safety and reliability. The company is also committed to being a leader in the region's clean energy future, and is working to accelerate the use of renewable natural gas from dairy farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants and the development of renewable energy storage technologies. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in San Diego. For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook.

SOURCE Southern California Gas Company