What is available in Fremont
The City of Fremont lists financing and permits. The programs below are the ones we could read ourselves.
PACE financing
Property Assessed Clean Energy loans fund energy and water upgrades up front and are repaid through your property tax bill. The obligation stays with the property when it is sold.
Go Green Financing
Residential, small business and multifamily users can find financing and a contractor and learn about public assistance programs.
BayREN EASE Home
For income-qualified PG&E customers (at or below 120% of area median income) in a single-family home built before 2010. Helps with heat pump and water heater applications but does not pay for that equipment.
TECH Clean California
Single-family heat pump incentives are fully reserved and take new requests on hold only.
Federal HEEHRA rebates
Single-family funding was fully reserved statewide on February 24, 2026, with requests on hold.
PACE is a loan, not a rebate
PACE bases approval on the equity in your building instead of your credit, and the City says it can make projects cash-flow positive from the start because repayment is spread over up to 20 years. It is also a lien-style assessment on your property tax bill that passes to a buyer, so read the terms and compare the interest rate with other loans before you sign.
Fremont's online permits
The City lists permit types for residential projects. A Residential HVAC permit covers installing or replacing in the same location a furnace, wall heater, A/C system or mini-duct split system, or replacing ducts. A Residential Plumbing permit covers repairing, altering or replacing an existing water heater, whether tank, tankless or heat pump, in the same location. An Electrical permit covers a main service panel, subpanel, fixtures and receptacles, including an electric vehicle charging receptacle or unit. Solar panels and battery storage have their own process. See the City's permit types page.
Same location, simpler permit
Because the permit types cover same-location replacements, a like-for-like swap of a gas furnace for a heat pump in the same spot is the easiest case. Moving the equipment or adding ducts can change which permit you need. Ask your contractor which permit they plan to pull and whether the project qualifies for the online process.
Help and money outside the City
BayREN's EASE Home program pays 80% of weatherization costs for income-qualified PG&E customers in a single-family home built before 2010, and helps with rebate applications (BayREN). The City's page also points to BayREN for PACE information. TECH Clean California and federal HEEHRA are fully reserved for single-family homes and take new requests on hold only. The federal 25C and 25D tax credits ended after December 31, 2025. Ava's incentive finder shows incentives for your household once you enter your details.
Climate and sizing
Fremont's average January low over 2015 to 2024 was 6.9°C (about 44°F), with a coldest recorded day of -1.4°C, and about 5.3 peak sun hours a day. A standard heat pump handles the winters, and the sun makes solar a reasonable option. The Bay Area Air District's clean appliance rules begin phasing out some gas appliances in 2027, so an old gas furnace or water heater is worth planning around.
Installers in Fremont
These Fremont heat pump and HVAC companies have the best Google ratings, listed by rating and then review count. We are not paid to list anyone.
How to start
- Check your electric bill for Ava and your gas bill for PG&E.
- Ask BayREN or Ava's incentive finder what applies to your household.
- If your income may qualify, ask about EASE Home and PG&E's Energy Savings Assistance.
- Compare PACE and Go Green financing with other loans if you need to borrow.
- Get two or three quotes and ask which City permit each plans to pull.
- Keep the permit and inspection records.
Common questions
Who is Fremont's electricity provider?
Ava Community Energy is the default provider, and PG&E delivers the power.
Does Fremont have a heat pump rebate?
We found no dollar amount from Ava, PG&E or the City. TECH Clean California and federal HEEHRA are fully reserved for single-family homes.
What is PACE financing?
A loan for energy and water upgrades based on the equity in your building, repaid through your property tax bill for up to 20 years.
Do I need a permit to replace a water heater?
Yes. The City's plumbing permit covers replacing an existing tank, tankless or heat pump water heater in the same location.
Does a heat pump need a different permit from a furnace?
The City's residential HVAC permit covers same-location replacement of a furnace, A/C system or mini-duct split system. Ask your contractor which applies.
What to do next
See the City's energy financing page, run the California rebate calculator, or see Ava's incentive finder.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 2, 2026: City of Fremont energy project financing, City of Fremont permit types, BayREN EASE Home, Ava Community Energy incentive finder. All Fremont rebates → Every PG&E rebate →
