Affordable Solar – San Francisco’s Solar Task Force
Source: Akeena Solar Inc, press release, Dec 13, 2007
http://akeena.net/cm/Press%20Release/dec1307.html
In order to make solar panels more affordable, San Francisco’s Solar Task Force has proposed the largest solar financing program in the nation. The program, along with state and federal rebates, would cut the cost of solar panels in half. “San Francisco is a national leader in the development of renewable energy on city buildings,” said Mayor Gavin Newsom. “Providing incentives and loans directly to consumers makes it both easy and cost-effective for residents and businesses to go solar.”
Under the proposed Solar Incentive Program, homeowners would receive a $3,000 to $5,000 rebate to install solar panels and businesses up to $10,000. City officials also proposed a low-interest loan program to help pay for the remaining solar installation cost.
“We hope to get interest up, we hope to drop costs. We’ve also worked to cut red tape and bureaucracy, so when more people apply for permits that’ll go thru much faster,” said Phil Ting, co-chair of the San Francisco Solar Task Force.
Instead of tax dollars paying for the program, the Solar Incentive Program would be financed from Hetch Hetchy revenues. Over the next ten years, $2.5 million per year would be made available for solar payments.
“We have tripled the amount of public money going into municipal solar,” said Susan Leal, general manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. “We see this as just another way to participate in renewables and make renewables happen.” “Paying off the panels in five to ten years or you could pay your electricity forever, so I think it’s a pretty easy choice,” said Ting.
The city-wide rebate program is aimed to start July 1, if approved by the Public Utilities Commission. The loan program will go on the next ballot and could start at the end of next year. To date, San Francisco has over 650 solar installations on roofs, but with the incentive programs, the Task Force is hoping to increase to 15,000 rooftops across the city.