SAN MATEO, Calif. — SolarCity® has announced a new partnership with Nest Labs, creator of the Nest Learning Thermostat™. The company said the first 10,000 new customers in California who sign up with SolarCity will receive a Nest thermostat installed at no additional cost. To qualify, customers must have a compatible air conditioning system and agree to connect their Nest thermostat to SolarCity as part of the Works with Nest program.

SolarCity said it can make it possible for homeowners to install a solar power system at no upfront cost and pay a lower rate for solar electricity than they pay for utility power. The Nest thermostat is designed to program itself — it remembers what temperatures homeowners like, creates a custom schedule for the home, and automatically turns itself down when homeowners are away. Results from three recent energy-savings studies indicate that on average, Nest can save customers about 10 to 12 percent on their heating bills and 15 percent on their cooling bills. The company said this translates to an estimated average savings of $131 to $145 a year with the Nest thermostat alone, and combined with solar power from SolarCity, customers can save significantly more on their energy bills.