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Solar Power News

7/31/2013 - Wash your solar panels for more energy? Not worth it, experts say.

9/18/2014 - REC Solar Panel System Degradation Analysis

5/12/2013 - Why We Should Pay Attention to Utility Rate Design and How It Affects Distributed Solar

8/8/2012 - San Diego Introduces Innovative FIGTREE PACE Program

8/8/2012 - Kyocera and Delta Solar Electric Bring Renewable Solar

2/6/2012 - Delta Solar Electric 2011 Results

9/12/2011 - New "SAVE" Tool Calculates Solar Home Resale Values

6/9/2011 - State Regulators Adopt Compensation Rates for Customers Producing Solar Surplus

5/3/2011 - Study Finds Solar Panels Increase Home Values

4/14/2011 - An Analysis of the Effects of Residential Photovoltaic Energy
Systems on Home Sales Prices in California

4/13/2011 - Brown signs strict renewable energy law

4/1/2011 - Delta Solar Electric 1st quarter results

2/5/2011 - How to pick a solar installer

2/5/2011 - Some solar prices sky high





Wash your solar panels for more energy? Not worth it, experts say.

UPI.com | July 31, 2013

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Cleaning solar panels is often not worth the cost if trying to improve their efficiency, scientists at the University of California, San Diego, say.

They found panels that hadn't been cleaned, or rained on, for 145 days during a summer drought in California lost only 7.4 percent of their efficiency, the university reported Wednesday.

For a typical residential solar system of 5 kilowatts, washing panels halfway through the summer would translate into a mere $20 gain in electricity production until the summer ends, the researchers said.

"You definitely wouldn't get your money back after hiring someone to wash your rooftop panels," mechanical and aerospace engineering Professor Jan Kleissl said.

That applies mostly to smaller systems, he acknowledged; for very large installations like solar farms, economies of scale could make it cost-effective to clean or wash panels.

In the small systems in the study, panels lost less than 0.05 percent of their overall efficiency per day, the researchers said.
"Dust on PV [photovoltaic] panels does make a difference but it's not a big enough factor in California to warrant cleaning," researcher Felipe Mejia of the university's Jacobs School of Engineering said.

REC Solar Panel System Degradation Analysis

September 18, 2014

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system degradation analysis

Why We Should Pay Attention to Utility Rate Design and How It Affects Distributed Solar

By Mari Hernandez | May 12, 2013

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In the new report Rate Design Matters: The Impact of Tariff Structure on Solar Project Economics in the U.S., GTM Research uncovers the often-not-discussed effect of utility rate structures on distributed solar generation.

In the report, GTM analyzes the electricity rates charged by Southern California Edison (SCE) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and calculates the avoided cost (i.e. rate savings) for a 500-kilowatt commercial photovoltaics (PV) system within each utility. This is where the importance of rate design comes in.

Generally, there are three types of utility rates for commercial electricity customers: fixed charges, which are set fees; demand charges, which are calculated based on the customer’s maximum kilowatt usage (usually measured in 15-minute intervals); and consumption charges, which are based on total kilowatt-hours of energy used. Consumption charges offer customers with installed solar the highest potential for avoided cost, especially when time-of-use pricing (rates increase when electric demand is higher) is in effect since solar can help to avoid the higher costs during peak hours.

The bottom line is that when fixed and demand charges are a large share of the commercial utility rates, distributed solar does not make as much economic sense for the commercial customer. Alternatively, when demand charges are reduced and time-of-use rates apply (what GTM calls a “solar-friendly tariff structure”), distributed solar becomes an attractive investment that can provide electricity at lower-than-retail rates.

GTM came to this conclusion by analyzing the effect of two rate scenarios at SCE and SDG&E: a default (incentive-free) rate structure and a solar-friendly rate structure. The results from their analysis are included in the figure below (Figure 2.8 on page 13 of the report).

Solar Discount Rates

The figure above demonstrates the role that utility rate structures can play when it comes to determining the cost effectiveness of installing a commercial PV system. Note that the dotted line at 10 percent represents GTM’s assumption that solar would become competitive with traditional generation at that point and the solar discount in 2017 takes into account the decline in investment tax credit (ITC) from 30 percent to 10 percent.

Even though “rate design” doesn’t sound quite as exciting as net metering, the GTM report points out that it is just as important in “determining the long-term viability of distributed generation, particularly as the U.S. transitions to a post-subsidy reality."

As we consider the policies that are needed to incentivize distributed generation, it’s clear that we should also consider how utility rates are designed and how they affect the economics of distributed solar.

REC Solar Panel System Degradation Analysis

September 18, 2014

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system degradation analysis

Why We Should Pay Attention to Utility Rate Design and How It Affects Distributed Solar

By Mari Hernandez | May 12, 2013

Open article in new window

In the new report Rate Design Matters: The Impact of Tariff Structure on Solar Project Economics in the U.S., GTM Research uncovers the often-not-discussed effect of utility rate structures on distributed solar generation.

In the report, GTM analyzes the electricity rates charged by Southern California Edison (SCE) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and calculates the avoided cost (i.e. rate savings) for a 500-kilowatt commercial photovoltaics (PV) system within each utility. This is where the importance of rate design comes in.

Generally, there are three types of utility rates for commercial electricity customers: fixed charges, which are set fees; demand charges, which are calculated based on the customer’s maximum kilowatt usage (usually measured in 15-minute intervals); and consumption charges, which are based on total kilowatt-hours of energy used. Consumption charges offer customers with installed solar the highest potential for avoided cost, especially when time-of-use pricing (rates increase when electric demand is higher) is in effect since solar can help to avoid the higher costs during peak hours.

The bottom line is that when fixed and demand charges are a large share of the commercial utility rates, distributed solar does not make as much economic sense for the commercial customer. Alternatively, when demand charges are reduced and time-of-use rates apply (what GTM calls a “solar-friendly tariff structure”), distributed solar becomes an attractive investment that can provide electricity at lower-than-retail rates.

GTM came to this conclusion by analyzing the effect of two rate scenarios at SCE and SDG&E: a default (incentive-free) rate structure and a solar-friendly rate structure. The results from their analysis are included in the figure below (Figure 2.8 on page 13 of the report).

Solar Discount Rates

The figure above demonstrates the role that utility rate structures can play when it comes to determining the cost effectiveness of installing a commercial PV system. Note that the dotted line at 10 percent represents GTM’s assumption that solar would become competitive with traditional generation at that point and the solar discount in 2017 takes into account the decline in investment tax credit (ITC) from 30 percent to 10 percent.

Even though “rate design” doesn’t sound quite as exciting as net metering, the GTM report points out that it is just as important in “determining the long-term viability of distributed generation, particularly as the U.S. transitions to a post-subsidy reality."

As we consider the policies that are needed to incentivize distributed generation, it’s clear that we should also consider how utility rates are designed and how they affect the economics of distributed solar.

San Diego Introduces Innovative FIGTREE PACE Program to Help Contractors
and Commercial Property Owners Fund Solar, Energy Efficiency
and Water Conservation Upgrades

PRWeb | January 18, 2013

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San Diego’s rising real estate prices bode well for Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing in 2013. New program launched to help commercial property owners improve property values, slash utility bills and create local jobs.

San Diego commercial property owners are gaining access to a unique financing option for money-saving renewable energy, energy efficiency and water conservation improvements this new year that can create positive cash flow from month one. It’s available through an innovative Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program known as FIGTREE, now being offered by the City of San Diego.

“Applications are being accepted to provide commercial property owners with 100% up-front, long-term financing for energy and water efficiency building upgrades and renewable energy systems that can reduce operating costs, improve property values and provide a valuable hedge against rising energy costs for decades to come,” said FIGTREE CEO Mahesh Shah.

FIGTREE arranges financing (and mortgage lender consent) for property owners by aggregating and selling the projects as municipal bonds. FIGTREE – now operating in 25 jurisdictions -- was the first in California to successfully initiate this new mode of financing in multiple markets. No public monies are used to support these programs.

FIGTREE finances projects ranging from $5000 to those in the millions of dollars (all contingent upon qualified property values). The next bond issue is slated for the first quarter of this year.

“The unique properties of PACE provide solar contractors, energy efficiency and water conservation professionals with a brand-new funding vehicle to help clients realize the benefits of energy improvements without adversely impacting their credit scores – or their borrowing capacity,” noted SunUp Energy's President Rick Rothman.

“FIGTREE’s brand of PACE financing puts the benefits of cost-cutting energy and water upgrades (and the enticing tax credits and cash rebates for which they qualify) within reach of most any property owner,” said Rothman.

Rothman says that with the rich new incentives for solar water heating that are now available, 2013 will be a banner year for apartment owners, the hotel-motel industry and healthcare providers, who can see full system payback in as few as four years. “From then on," Rothman added, "all those solar savings translate into pure solar profit."

PACE funds can be used for materials and labor costs of permanently-installed improvements that reduce a building’s use of grid-supplied energy or water. Solar photovoltaics (PV) and solar water heating; wind and geothermal; cool roofs; heating and air conditioning (HVAC); energy-efficient lighting; windows, door and elevator upgrades; boilers and chillers; water treatment and conservation improvements, fixtures, xeriscaping and electric vehicle charging stations are some of the projects eligible for financing under the program. Financing obligations for PACE improvements can be transferred to new owners if a property is sold.

PACE funding requires no minimum FICO score for property owners and no money down. Financing is based strictly on property values – usually 10% of an assessed property’s value; sometimes more – something that bodes well for property owners in San Diego, where real estate prices are on the rise.

FIGTREE PACE also provides for attractive off balance sheet financing for property owners that can be amortized for periods of up to 20 years as a voluntary line item on their property tax bills.

“PACE is a municipal economic development tool that improves property values and puts contractors back to work while helping the City of San Diego meet its AB 32 emissions reduction goals,” noted San Diego City Council President Todd Gloria. “PACE improves the integrity of local building stock, creates a more sustainable San Diego and -- with the savings today’s energy efficiency, water efficiency and solar technologies provide -- reinforces that good economic and environmental practices are not mutually exclusive. The entire region benefits,” Gloria added.

FIGTREE financing is available via an assessment district established by the California Enterprise Development Authority, a joint powers authority who works in partnership with cities and counties across the state. FIGTREE’s PACE program is endorsed by the California Building Industry Association, California Business Properties Association, Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), Region Builders, Inc. and municipal sustainability and economic development professionals throughout California.

ABOUT FIGTREE PACE: FIGTREE is a full-service, San Diego-based clean energy finance company providing breakthrough, 100% up-front off balance sheet PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing to help commercial and residential property owners improve their properties and realize the money-saving benefits of energy efficiency, renewable energy and water conservation upgrades with no money down. FIGTREE helps cities and counties create jobs, spur economic development and meet their AB 32 goals utilizing no public monies. FIGTREE is the first company in California to successfully raise private capital for commercial PACE projects via a multi-jurisdictional bond issue. Learn more by calling 1-877-577-7373 or visit us at www.figtreecompany.com

Kyocera and Delta Solar Electric Bring Renewable Solar

August 8th, 2012

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Kyocera Solar, Inc., a leading supplier of reliable solar modules and renewable energy, today announced that it is providing 47 direct current kilowatts (kW) of photovoltaic solar modules to Delta Solar Electric to power the Gloria E. McClellan Senior Center in Vista, CA. The U.S.-made modules were installed by Delta Solar Electric and fulfill its first ARRA-funded solar project.

Manufactured in Kyocera’s San Diego production facility, the roof-mounted 245-watt modules will produce 73,000 kilowatt hours of clean energy annually for the Senior Center. Combined with new LED lighting and high-efficiency air conditioning units, these measures will reduce the Center’s annual power consumption by as much as 92 percent. As a result, the Center will potentially save over $15,000 per year while reducing its impact on the environment.

“Kyocera is delighted to keep our San Diego-made solar solutions here in town to power this impressive senior center in the City of Vista,” said Steve Hill, president of Kyocera Solar, Inc. “Our four decades of experience have made Kyocera solar modules some of the most reliable in the industry, as proven by our results in a recent TUV Rheinland’s Long-Term Sequential Testing. It’s gratifying to know that our solar modules are helping to ensure the well being of seniors while also reducing costs.”

The Gloria E. McClellan Senior Center, located at Brengle Terrace Park, is a San Diego County “Cool Zone” where seniors and others can safely take refuge during dangerous hot weather spells.

“The installation of the solar panels will provide significant energy savings to the City,” said Vista Mayor Judy Ritter. “The economic benefits will be long lasting for the Vista community.”

“Kyocera’s high-efficiency modules made the company an ideal supplier for ensuring power is always on for these seniors,” said Van Parseghian, senior solar energy consultant at Delta Solar Electric. “Vista can get very hot in the summer, and it is important that our seniors have a place to escape the mid-day heat without the concern of a high energy bill.”

The City of Vista Senior Center solar energy production went online July 9, 2012. Photos of the solar installation are available upon request. For more information, please visit www.cityofvista.com/departments/parks/SeniorServices..

Delta Solar Electric 2011 Results by VAN PARSEGHIAN

San Diego | February 6th, 2012

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Delta Solar Electric of San Diego completed 2011 with a record 18 commercial and residential solar installations, totaling 83kW or about 400 solar panels installed. This represents Delta Solar Electric installation growth of over 30% vs. solar installation 2010, primarily in San Diego. The solar installations were as far South as Imperial Beach and as far North as the city of Santa Clarita in North LA County. The largest solar installation was atop the 5-story Comfort Inn Gaslamp.

The types of solar installations include additions to existing systems as well as in large 12kW system on a copper roof in La Jolla as well as the completion of another ground mounted system in Rancho Santa Fe, offsetting an $800 monthly SDG&E bill. The solar panels used were primarily SunPower, REC, and Siliken.

The outlook for 2012 looks excellent with a world-wide silicon surplus keeping product prices low while the San Diego Metropolitan Credit Union if offering fixed-rate solar loans at 5.99%. The rate hike proposed by SDG&E in October ensures continued 10%+ first year returns for most solar installations. Additionally, the California Public Utilities Commission rejected SDG&E new monthly fee for solar customers based on CA legislation that protects solar customers from these types of fees.

With the low cost of solar products combined with low interest rate loans and SDG&E assault on the general rate payers, solar installations will continue to see record growth in San Diego, which was again named the #1 solar city in the US with 4,507 solar installations vs. 4,018 for second place Los Angeles.

New "SAVE" Tool Calculates Solar Home Resale Values

September 12, 2011

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A new online tool has been created by the California Energy Commission to help the housing market evaluate the value of solar on California homes.

The Solar Advantage Value Estimator (SAVE) will give the industry a long-term and cost-effective method for calculating the added value of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on new and existing solar homes. Accurate assessments of the added value solar brings to homes improves the economics of residential solar projects and helps homeowners see the benefits of going solar.

"This changes the perception of solar in the housing industry that benefits homeowners," said Energy Commissioner Carla Peterman. "Today's changing real estate market requires a credible method to determine a home's value with solar, and this tool is an example of California's leadership to develop new methods to cultivate clean energy."

SAVE calculates the value of a solar PV system on a new or existing solar home including the estimated value in annual energy savings. The tool uses the homeowner's unique address and zip code, the solar system size, specific climate zone data and local electric utility rates.

Once the three-step calculation is complete, the user receives a present-value amount for their solar PV system. Real estate professionals, appraisers and builders can connect this information to potential homebuyers who may be deciding to "Go Solar" or to homeowners who are selling their solar homes.

SAVE was developed through a coordinated effort of appraisers, realtors and public/private stakeholders.

For more information about SAVE and a list of frequently asked questions, visit www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/tools/calculators.php..

Go Solar California | June 9, 2011

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June 9, 2011. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today adopted a net surplus compensation rate to compensate net energy metering customers for electricity they produce in excess of their on-site load at the end of a 12-month true-up period.

Net energy metering customers who produce excess power over a 12-month period are known as "net surplus generators." Specifically, the net surplus compensation rate will be calculated using an avoided cost derived from an hourly day-ahead electricity market price known as the "default load aggregation point" (DLAP) price. A utility's DLAP price reflects the costs the utility avoids in procuring power during the time period net surplus generators are likely to produce their excess power. Consequently, the DLAP price also meets the CPUC's obligation to comply with the avoided cost principles of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978.

The net surplus compensation rate will be a simple rolling average of each utility's DLAP price from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. to match the hours that most net surplus generators produce electricity with their generating facilities. The simple rolling average will match the 12-month period over which a customer's net surplus generation is calculated. In 2009, this average DLAP price for Pacific Gas and Electric Company was approximately four cents per kilowatt hour.

Today's decision also finds that net surplus generators must meet certain preconditions, namely Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) certification by the California Energy Commission and renewable energy credit (REC) metering and tracking requirements approved by the California Energy Commission, in order to create RECs and for the utilities to count any net surplus generation they purchase toward RPS annual procurement targets. These requirements have not yet been established by the California Energy Commission.

If the California findings can be extrapolated nationally, it would mean that the owners of 139,000 homes can collect a premium at resale time. For those who promote photovoltaic systems, it is a second line of defense against the argument (and reality) that the initial cost of installing the solar means using it for many years before the savings on electricity are enough to pay back the investment.

Further, today's decision finds that the net surplus compensation rate should include payment for the renewable attributes of net surplus generation, but this payment cannot occur until the California Energy Commission completes its work to establish an RPS certification and REC ownership verification and tracking process for net surplus generators. Until the California Energy Commission completes this RPS certification and REC verification and tracking work, all net surplus generators will be paid at the net surplus compensation rate based on DLAP.

After the California Energy Commission process is complete, net surplus generators may be compensated at the net surplus compensation rate plus an adder for their renewable attributes based on an interim proxy rate derived from the Western Electricity Coordinating Council average renewable energy premium, published by the Department of Energy. This interim renewable attribute adder is currently calculated to be 1.83 cents per kilowatt hour. If the California Energy Commission authorizes retroactive RPS certification of net surplus generators, the utilities may retroactively pay the renewable attribute adder and utilities may retroactively count net surplus generation toward their RPS procurement goals.

Finally, net surplus generators seeking net surplus compensation payments for the renewable attributes of their electricity must certify they own any RECs associated with their generating facilities. Net surplus generators who do not own or do not transfer their renewable attributes to the utility purchasing their excess generation will be compensated at the net surplus compensation rate without the renewable attribute adder.

Today's decision fulfills the requirements of Assembly Bill 920.

State Regulators Adopt Compensation Rates for Customers Producing Solar Surplus

Go Solar California | June 9, 2011

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June 9, 2011. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today adopted a net surplus compensation rate to compensate net energy metering customers for electricity they produce in excess of their on-site load at the end of a 12-month true-up period.

Net energy metering customers who produce excess power over a 12-month period are known as "net surplus generators." Specifically, the net surplus compensation rate will be calculated using an avoided cost derived from an hourly day-ahead electricity market price known as the "default load aggregation point" (DLAP) price. A utility's DLAP price reflects the costs the utility avoids in procuring power during the time period net surplus generators are likely to produce their excess power. Consequently, the DLAP price also meets the CPUC's obligation to comply with the avoided cost principles of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978.

The net surplus compensation rate will be a simple rolling average of each utility's DLAP price from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. to match the hours that most net surplus generators produce electricity with their generating facilities. The simple rolling average will match the 12-month period over which a customer's net surplus generation is calculated. In 2009, this average DLAP price for Pacific Gas and Electric Company was approximately four cents per kilowatt hour.

Today's decision also finds that net surplus generators must meet certain preconditions, namely Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) certification by the California Energy Commission and renewable energy credit (REC) metering and tracking requirements approved by the California Energy Commission, in order to create RECs and for the utilities to count any net surplus generation they purchase toward RPS annual procurement targets. These requirements have not yet been established by the California Energy Commission.

If the California findings can be extrapolated nationally, it would mean that the owners of 139,000 homes can collect a premium at resale time. For those who promote photovoltaic systems, it is a second line of defense against the argument (and reality) that the initial cost of installing the solar means using it for many years before the savings on electricity are enough to pay back the investment.

Further, today's decision finds that the net surplus compensation rate should include payment for the renewable attributes of net surplus generation, but this payment cannot occur until the California Energy Commission completes its work to establish an RPS certification and REC ownership verification and tracking process for net surplus generators. Until the California Energy Commission completes this RPS certification and REC verification and tracking work, all net surplus generators will be paid at the net surplus compensation rate based on DLAP.

After the California Energy Commission process is complete, net surplus generators may be compensated at the net surplus compensation rate plus an adder for their renewable attributes based on an interim proxy rate derived from the Western Electricity Coordinating Council average renewable energy premium, published by the Department of Energy. This interim renewable attribute adder is currently calculated to be 1.83 cents per kilowatt hour. If the California Energy Commission authorizes retroactive RPS certification of net surplus generators, the utilities may retroactively pay the renewable attribute adder and utilities may retroactively count net surplus generation toward their RPS procurement goals.

Finally, net surplus generators seeking net surplus compensation payments for the renewable attributes of their electricity must certify they own any RECs associated with their generating facilities. Net surplus generators who do not own or do not transfer their renewable attributes to the utility purchasing their excess generation will be compensated at the net surplus compensation rate without the renewable attribute adder.

Today's decision fulfills the requirements of Assembly Bill 920.

Study Finds Solar Panels Increase Home Values   By FELICITY BARRINGER

North York Times | May 3rd, 2011

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All those homeowners who have been installing residential solar panels over the last decade may find it was a more practical decision than they thought. The electricity generated may have cost more than that coming from the local power company (half of which, nationwide, comes from burning coal), but if they choose to sell their homes, the price premium they will get for the solar system should let them recoup much of their original capital investment.

That is the conclusion of three researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, who looked at home sales — both homes with photovoltaic systems and homes without — in California over an eight-and-a-half-year period ending in mid-2009. The abstract of their study states, “the analysis finds strong evidence that California homes with PV systems have sold for a premium over comparable homes without PV systems.”

The premium ranged from $3.90 to $6.40 per watt of capacity, but tended most often to be about $5.50 per watt. This, the study said, “corresponds to a home sales price premium of approximately $17,000 for a relatively new 3,100-watt PV system (the average size of PV systems in the study).”

And the bottom line: “These average sales price premiums appear to be comparable to the investment that homeowners have made to install PV systems in California, which from 2001 through 2009 averaged approximately $5/watt.”

If the California findings can be extrapolated nationally, it would mean that the owners of 139,000 homes can collect a premium at resale time. For those who promote photovoltaic systems, it is a second line of defense against the argument (and reality) that the initial cost of installing the solar means using it for many years before the savings on electricity are enough to pay back the investment.

But there is a caveat. Homeowners who install solar on existing houses get nearly three times the premium of homeowners whose house came with solar panels. The study speculates about the reasons, suggesting that “new home builders may also gain value from PV as a market differentiator, and have therefore often tended to sell PV as a standard (as opposed to an optional) product on their homes and perhaps been willing to accept a lower premium in return for faster sales velocity.”

Residential solar installations have been growing at an average 51 percent rate annually for the last five years, according to Larry Sherwood, a consultant to the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, a nonprofit group that works on helping interested parties navigate various legal, technical and economic aspects of renewable energy. As of 2010, the total capacity of these systems was 677 megawatts, he said.

And Jared Blanton, a spokesman for the Solar Energy Industries Association, reports that in 2010, the residential market was 30 percent of the national solar PV market, above the utility market (28 percent) but behind commercial installations (42 percent). A news release on Thursday from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory said that over all, approximately 2,100 megawatts of grid-connected solar photovoltaic systems (residential and nonresidential) have been installed across the country, almost half of this total in California.

The growth in residential solar systems, of course, is taking place on a tiny base. About a tenth of a percent of all households have photovoltaic systems, and all solar systems combined — industrial and residential and everything else, as well as concentrated-solar plants in the California deserts — amount to about two-tenths of 1 percent of all renewable electricity in the country, according to the federal Energy Information Administration. Renewable electricity, in turn, makes up about 8 percent of the electricity used in this country.

But the backers of solar power might talk about thousand-mile journeys beginning with a single step.

An Analysis of the Effects of Residential Photovoltaic Energy Systems on

Home Sales Prices in California

April 14, 2011

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A new online tool has been created by the California Energy Commission to help the housing market evaluate the value of solar on California homes.

The Solar Advantage Value Estimator (SAVE) will give the industry a long-term and cost-effective method for calculating the added value of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on new and existing solar homes. Accurate assessments of the added value solar brings to homes improves the economics of residential solar projects and helps homeowners see the benefits of going solar.

"This changes the perception of solar in the housing industry that benefits homeowners," said Energy Commissioner Carla Peterman. "Today's changing real estate market requires a credible method to determine a home's value with solar, and this tool is an example of California's leadership to develop new methods to cultivate clean energy."

SAVE calculates the value of a solar PV system on a new or existing solar home including the estimated value in annual energy savings. The tool uses the homeowner's unique address and zip code, the solar system size, specific climate zone data and local electric utility rates.

Once the three-step calculation is complete, the user receives a present-value amount for their solar PV system. Real estate professionals, appraisers and builders can connect this information to potential homebuyers who may be deciding to "Go Solar" or to homeowners who are selling their solar homes.

SAVE was developed through a coordinated effort of appraisers, realtors and public/private stakeholders.

For more information about SAVE and a list of frequently asked questions, visit www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/tools/calculators.php.

Brown signs strict renewable energy law   By ADAM WEINTRAUB

Associated Press | April 13, 2011

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MILPITAS — Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed legislation requiring California utilities to get one-third of their power from renewable sources, giving the state the most aggressive alternative energy mandate in the U.S.

California utilities and other electricity providers have until the end of 2020 to draw 33 percent of their power from solar panels, windmills and other renewable sources. "There are people who think we can drill our way to happiness and prosperity," the Democratic governor told hundreds of workers and other supporters at a solar panel manufacturing plant near San Jose. "Instead of just taking oil from thousands of miles away, we're taking the sun and converting it." Previous California law required utilities to get 20 percent of their power from renewable sources.

Supporters of the higher standard said it will reassure investors and keep money flowing to develop alternative energy sources. They say that will lead to cleaner air and job growth in the green energy sector. "By the end of the decade, our goal is to make solar cost-competitive with other forms of energy, all other forms of energy," Energy Secretary Steven Chu told the crowd at the SunPower Corp./Flextronics plant. "This would be a game-changer for us, opening up a world of export opportunities, and California's innovators and businesses can help us achieve this goal."

Critics of the legislation said sticking with traditional energy sources such as coal and natural gas would be cheaper, keeping costs down for business and residential ratepayers. Business groups point to estimates that the higher standard could drive up electricity costs for California ratepayers by more than 7percent, despite language in the legislation to limit cost increases.

The California Republican Party pointed to one study that suggested the average Californian's energy bill would go up 19 percent under the new standard. "Industry in California already pays electricity rates about 50 percent higher than the rest of the country," said Gino DiCaro, spokesman for the California Manufacturers and Technology Association. "With 33 percent, those rates are going to go up even more." Brown said he would look carefully at whether the new standard will drive up electricity costs but said increasing use of renewable sources makes sense for California and the country. "I know one thing: Being dependent on foreign fossil fuel is not good for our economy, it's not good for our security, and it's not good for our climate," he said. "We have to be bold."

Chu drew applause from the crowd when he announced a conditional commitment to provide a $1.2 billion loan guarantee for a SunPower solar project in San Luis Obispo County that is expected to power 60,000 homes and create 350 jobs. On Monday, Chu announced a $1.6 billion guarantee for a BrightSource Inc. solar plant in the Mojave Desert that could create 1,000 jobs and power 85,000 homes. The Milpitas SunPower plant where Brown signed the bill builds solar arrays on a high-efficiency production line that was developed in part with research and development support from the Department of Energy.

California power generation is just short of receiving 20 percent from renewable sources. About 57 percent of in-state generation in 2009 came from natural gas, with about 15 percent from nuclear power plants and 12percent from large hydroelectric generators. Because utilities are close to meeting the previous requirement for renewable power, the investors who provide money to build hundreds of megawatts of generating capacity under construction this year would have put away their checkbooks in the next year or two, said Dan Adler, president of the California Clean Energy Fund. The higher state standards give lenders confidence that there will be long-term demand for renewable energy and that their loans will be repaid, said Adler, whose $30 million nonprofit investment fund backs 40 companies developing green energy technology. Meeting the higher standard is expected to require tens of billions of dollars in capital investment for generation equipment and transmission lines, with expenses ultimately passed along to ratepayers of the state's investor-owned and municipal utilities. The bill includes language that would require the California Public Utilities Commission to set reasonable limits for what utilities should have to pay and allows the standards to be relaxed if not enough renewable power or transmission capacity is available to meet them.

California's largest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., has supported higher renewable standards but opposed Simitian's bill, saying the legislation does not include adequate safeguards against excessive costs. The new standard exceeds a 30 percent-by-2020 requirement approved last year by Colorado legislators, but the Colorado standard did not apply as broadly to all types of power providers as California's.

Delta Solar Electric 1st quarter results   By VAN PARSEGHIAN

San Diego | April 1, 2011

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Delta Solar Electric broke their quarterly installation record with 9 installations totaling about 50kW or about 200 solar panels, for the 1st quarter of 2011. The installations were as far South as Chula Vista and as far North as the City of Winchester, in Riverside County.
The largest installations was 12kW on a standing seam copper roof in La Jolla. Four 215W panels were added to an existing system that was installed in 2009, so that qualifies as the smallest installations.

The types of installations include a 9kW ground-mounted system in Rancho Santa Fe and a 3kW thin-film flexible solar glue-down installations on an aluminum patio cover in Winchester, adding to an existing 6kW system installed in 2009. Both of the system additions eliminated the customer’s remaining SDG&E bill the month following the addition.

ENERGY: How to pick a solar installer    By ERIC WOLFF

North County Times - The Californian | February 5, 2011

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Choosing a solar installer can seem like guesswork, with new companies appearing on the scene almost as fast as they disappear. Some solar companies have used pressure sales tactics and public ignorance to charge prices well above the industry norm.

Molly Sterkel, manager for the state's rebate program, Ben Airth, residential program manager for the California Center for Sustainable Energy, Daniel Sullivan, who owns Sullivan Solar Power in San Diego, and Scott Gordon, vice president for residential sales for HelioPower in Murrieta, offered tips on how to avoid the bad guys and pick the right company:

-- Don't sign any deal on the first meeting. Companies need to come and take measurements of the roof, conduct inspections, and decide whether solar even makes sense.
-- Get at least three estimates on a solar install. Comparative pricing will prevent ripoffs.
-- Only use a licensed contractor. The California Contractors State Licensing Board maintains a website where customers can check to make sure a contractor has an active license: www.cslb.cs.gov.
-- Check the California Solar Initiatives website, at californiasolarstatistics.ca.gov. After an overhaul in October, the CSI website now has a menu item called "Find an Active Installer" that shows average price per watt for any installer who's put up a system in a customer's area. It also provides average solar costs.
-- Ask installers for a CSI-EPBB. The CSI requires installers to create this document for every potential customer. It includes a wide array of information for each install, including predicted electricity production, size and type of solar panels, and anticipated rebate. Comparing each installer's CSI-EPBB document clears away rhetoric and sales talk for hard numbers.
-- Take a seminar at the Center for Sustainable Energy. The center is a nonprofit funded by ratepayer cash, and not solar installers. They offer classes that explain the benefits and costs of solar systems. Check energycenter.org for a schedule.

Copyright 2011 North County Times - The Californian..

Some solar prices sky high - consumer complain about pressure sales tactics   By ERIC WOLFF

North County Times | April 13, 2011

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Purchasing a residential solar power system can be complicated as it is, but a few companies have made the process more difficult by combining aggressive sales tactics with high prices.

It is not illegal to charge high prices or employ pushy salespeople, but the use of such tactics in the fast-growing industry has sparked numerous complaints from consumers. Joshua Monasmith, a 26-year-old electrician, had just bought his home in 2009 when he won an online contest for some free remodeling from American Home Craft, now known as Sungate Energy Solutions in San Diego. He was excited about solar, and allowed a representative to come to his house to give him a presentation.

The salesman spent two hours with him, trying to get him to sign a deal, Monasmith said. "The sales guy, he was a bit pushy ---- and kind of off-putting. He kept wanting to lock in the deal," Monasmith said. "I wanted to read everything and try to learn as much as I could about what we were getting into. He kept trying to solidify the deal ---- he tried to shake my hand like seven times." After two hours, Monasmith caved. "They lured me in with these discounts, 'If you agree now ...' so when I did that, they locked me into the deal," Monasmith said. The company took months to do the work. It finally finished the job after Monasmith complained to the Better Business Bureau and the California Contractors State License Board. Monasmith paid $15,800, before state rebates kicked in, for a 1.4-kilowatt system, much smaller than the typical 5-kilowatt system most Californians buy, and for much more money per watt than usual. A North County Times analysis of data provided by the California Solar Initiative, the state agency that manages a rebate program for solar panels, showed that the median residential price per alternating current watt in 2009 was $8.56, which means half of installers typically charged less than that. Monasmith paid $11.28. Bradley Smith, CEO and owner Sungate Energy Solutions, said his company had to charge these prices to stay in business. "Our sales practices are not high-pressure sales tactics; we don't do that," Smith said.

Solar buying complicated

Potential buyers of solar panels are confronted with details about electric bills, electricity, solar generation, permitting and a host of other parameters.

Some companies have exploited public ignorance on the subject to rush homeowners into expensive purchases that may not meet their needs, said Ben Airth, residential program manager for the San Diego-based, nonprofit California Center for Sustainable Energy. Stories of sales tactics like those Monasmith described appear on review websites such as Yelp.com, in complaints with the Better Business Bureau, and on solar blogs.

Among the 368 solar companies who applied at least 10 times for a rebates in California between 2009 and 2010, three companies charged prices significantly higher than those charged by the rest of the industry. Two of those three ---- Pacific Home Remodeling and Sungate ----- have been the subject of numerous complaints involving the use of pressure sales tactics and not performing to expectations. "Marketing is really the thing that they use to get that volume," Airth said. "They'll do the phone calls, go door to door, blanket a neighborhood with mailers. As soon as you call them, they're at your door the next day. If you get 'em in the house, it's nearly impossible to get 'em out."

According to the CSI data, between 2009 and January 2011, San Diego-based Sungate had the highest median price per residential install, at $16.21 a watt; Galkos Construction Inc. in Huntington Beach, also known as GCI Energy, came in second at $14.45 per watt; and Pacific Home Remodeling, headquartered in San Diego, charged third most at $14.02 per watt. The median price for all companies during this period was $8.63 per watt, and a savvy customer could have secured a solar installation for as little as $6.52 per watt from San Diego-based Clary Solar.

Two garnered complaints

Of the three most expensive installers, two had widespread consumer complaints. Pacific Home Remodeling has a C- rating from the Better Business Bureau, including 50 complaints in the past three years, and one star from Yelp reviewers. Sungate, under its prior name of American Home Craft, had 1.5 stars, and while its Better Business Bureau rating was not available at the time of this writing, it had 32 complaints over the past three years. The Utility Consumers' Action Network, a consumer advocate, has a warning on its website about Sungate's sales practices. On the other hand, Galkos has an A rating from the Better Business Bureau. Galkos President Frank Gialketsis said his company charged high prices partly because it used to employ union labor, and partly because it offers services above and beyond what most solar contractors do. Gialketsis said this includes reroofing underneath solar panels and cosmetic work to ensure the panels and accessories match the house exterior, and the company guarantees its work for decades, all of which are rolled into the cost.

"Different things we do, that come back to haunt us when it comes to the CSI data," Gialketsis said. Small systems expensive Galkos, as well as Sungate and Pacific Home Remodeling, appear to specialize in much smaller solar installations than are typical: The three companies installed more systems providing less than 2 kilowatts of power than any other companies, with Galkos leading the way with 706 installations. Because some costs, such as permit applications, inverters and cables, are the same regardless of system size, small systems would tend to be more expensive per watt. But these systems can also be worth less to consumers, because they produce so much less power. "They'll (Sungate and Pacific Home Remodeling) sell you six to 10 panels, they'll tell you these are the highest-producing modules on the market, and that's it," Airth said. "Customers will hardly notice the difference on their electric bill." Sungate's Smith said his prices were high so he could pay for marketing. "We direct-mail 1.5 million pieces a year," he said. "We structure our pricing the way we need to stay in business." Salesman talks tactics

No one from Pacific Home Remodeling responded to calls or e-mails for comment, but Airth and other industry professionals said Pacific Home Remodeling also used pressure sales tactics. A project manager at a rival company started his career in solar in 2009 at Pacific Home Remodeling. "Basically, that company was pretty much a straight-up sales company," said the former salesman, who asked that his name not be used. "Very aggressive sales." He said Pacific Home Remodeling taught him to close a deal in one sitting no matter how long it took. Officials told him to plan on spending three or four hours with each prospect if he hoped to complete a sale, he said. He was taught to start customers at a high price, and then offer a series of pretexts for lowering the price. But each "discount" was only available if the customer signed a contract immediately, the man said. "If an average system that would cost $25,000 for another company, their starting price was up around $50,000," the former salesman said. "We'll drop it by 10 percent, but it's still well above what these systems could cost." Airth said the Center for Sustainable Energy has received numerous complaints about these kinds of maneuvers by Pacific Home Remodeling, and he has neighbors who had these kinds of problems with this company. There's nothing illegal about charging high prices or about some kinds of pressure sales tactics. However, the California Solar Initiative created a rule last year that said companies looking to offer customers state rebates couldn't charge more than two standard deviations above the mean price. The cap in January was $14.34 per watt, according to program manager Molly Sterkel. "Still very high, yes. It is a somewhat of a free market," she said. Suspended from rebate program Both Pacific Home Remodeling and Sungate are suspended from the California Solar Initiative, Sterkel said, though not for charging high prices. "I'm subject to all the conversations when we remove contractors, and they're always long and sordid," Sterkel said. She said the reasons for the suspensions were confidential. But she said suspensions tend to relate to problems with bad installations or inaccurate paperwork. Sungate's Smith said he expected to have his company's suspension lifted in May. Absence from the rebate program doesn't mean those companies are out of business; it just means they can no longer offer state rebates to customers.

Sterkel emphasized that most solar contractors charge competitive rates. She and Airth said buyers should not agree to purchase during the first meeting with a salesperson, as solar power systems are complicated and should be customized for each home. They recommended getting at least three estimates before signing on the dotted line (see sidebar for how to pick a solar installer), and Sterkel said californiasolarstatistics.com provides a wealth of comparative pricing data. "Don't accept pressure tactics," Sterkel said. "The problem contractors are the exception to the rule. You should practice good common sense with a solar contractor as you would with any contractor."