Pacific Gas and Electric is holding energy workshops to inform the ag community on incentives and rebates available for efficient upgrades. Education Manager for the Advanced Pumping and Efficiency program at the Center for Irrigation Technology at Fresno State, Bill Green, informs growers that PG&E will subsidize the cost of an efficiency test on their well pump.
Green says the program is paid into by every PG&E customer and usually the entire cost of the test is covered. PG&E also offers incentives through the program to make the upgrades necessary, something Green says is just an added bonus after a few years. The program has been so popular that the funding available is dwindling and if farmers want to move forward with pump upgrades they need to plan ahead.