SolarCity Offers San Francisco Residents Solar Power for Less than Their Electricity Bills

[jpak]

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/solarcity-offers-san-francisco-residents/story.aspx?guid=%7B81D841F7-FB40-4E96-BBA5-19AE0EF1A4E6%7D&dist=hppr

SolarCity, California's No. 1 residential solar power company, today announced one of the nation's most affordable solar power financing options for San Francisco residents. SolarCity's SolarLease options incorporate incentives from San Francisco's groundbreaking GoSolarSF program, and can allow many San Francisco homeowners to use clean, renewable solar power for less than they currently pay for electricity.

For example, SolarCity can provide 2.4 kilowatt systems for monthly lease payments starting at $25 per month for eligible San Francisco installations on approved credit. A 2.4 kilowatt system can typically reduce a $100 monthly electricity bill to $40 in San Francisco. In this example, the $65 cost of the combined lease payment and new electricity bill create a net monthly savings of $35. The lease structure - with fixed lease payments that increase 3.5 percent annually - is designed to allow customers to save money immediately, and continue to save over the life of the lease as electricity rates increase.

SolarCity custom designs each solar system to the homeowner's needs, based on roof space, electricity usage and other factors, so lease terms will vary for each customer. Interested San Francisco residents can estimate their potential savings by using SolarCity's solar calculator, available online at http://solarlease.solarcity.com.

"This program gives San Francisco residents a way to lower their electricity bills at a time when energy costs are skyrocketing. There's no longer any need to wait for affordable clean power options," said Lyndon Rive, SolarCity's CEO. "Congratulations to the city of San Francisco for creating the most affordable solar program in the country."

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[Clovis Sangrail]

1. it should read "homeowners" rather than "residents"

most SF residents have no say over whether solar can be installed.

[inna]

9. thanks for the info!

even though i'm not a homeowner, we can "lobby" our landlord to install solar.

(the only problem is that we don't have that many sunny days in SF, especially by the ocean where i live; it's usually foggy... still, this sounds promising!)

[Clovis Sangrail]

10. I hope you can convince them!

it's really in their interest.

[Jim Lane]

2. Is net metering available?

For a household with low electricity usage, there might be times when the solar installation is generating more electricity than needed. "Net metering" means that the utility customer can pump the excess electricity back into the grid and get credit for it (i.e., the electric meter runs backwards). That would make this setup even more attractive.

Some places allow net metering, some don't. One of the environmentalist victories in this year's session of the New York State Legislature was getting a bill through that expanded the opportunities for net metering.

[jpak]

3. These are net metered systems n/t

n/t

[Clovis Sangrail]

4. I thought net metering was required to get the incentives /nt

[madokie]

5. here in the beautiful state of oklahoma

My neighbor has an 80 ft tower that he no longer uses since his generator burn up a while back but anyway the reason he didn't put it back up and running is because the power company, grda in this case, would not let him connect so as to turn the meter backwards they installed another meter that measures the electric he made and then paid him only a fraction of what it cost him, 02 cents a kw, to buy the same amount of power, 08 cents a kw. He couldn't make any money or really help his electric bill because of not being able to turn the meter backwards so he just gave up. Where would I find the info that we are or are not a net metering state now. TIA

[Jim Lane]

6. Net metering in Oklahoma

You apparently have some options but not many. According to the "Freeing the Grid" report, issued in November 2007 by the Network for New Energy Choices, Oklahoma got a "D". (You're ahead of five states that flunked completely.)

The contact information given in the report is:

Network for New Energy Choices
215 Lexington Avenue, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10016
tel: [phone] | fax: [phone]
[e-mail]
www.newenergychoices.org

They might be able to elaborate on the summary information in the report (where Oklahoma is on page 48).

[madokie]

7. Thanks,

I passed this right on over to my neighbor too and I'm sure he'd thank you too :-)

[European Socialist]

8. When is Solar City coming to Michigan?

I'm tired of waiting for Citizenre to get financing.