TrendSetter is a manufacturer of solar hot water heating and storage systems in the United States.

The company will target the California Solar Initiative Solar Water Heating Pilot Program in San Diego, Calif.

The pilot program is being organized and managed by The California Center for Sustainable Energy, formerly the San Diego Regional Energy Office, as directed by the California Public Utilities Commission.

A total of $1.5 million in incentives have been set aside for the pilot program and will be issued to qualifying residential and commercial projects in the San Diego region.

The program is designed to evaluate systems, determine standards and set procedure for extending a solar water heating program to the rest of California in late 2008 or early 2009.

"Our management recognizes the importance of this pilot program and what it means for future sales of solar water heating in the California market," said Dirk Atkinson, TrendSetter's chief executive officer. "Our company has been working with CCSE for several months so we would stay tuned into the progress of pilot program.

"TrendSetter has contributed knowledge to the program and donated equipment for display in the CCSE showroom in San Diego. TrendSetter intends to be active participants, offering valuable feedback to the Center for Sustainable Energy based on what we learn while participating in the program and our previous 27 years in the solar thermal business."

The incentives being offered by the pilot program will be used to evaluate a variety of solar water heating systems offered by different manufacturers and have been certified by Solar Rating and Certification Corp.