Selling Solar to Mainstream America

[jpak]

http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=46282

San Jose, California When the clock strikes midnight on January 1, 2007, SB 1, California's new state law that provides $3.2 billion in funding to build a million solar roofs over the next ten years, will officially take effect. But in order for SB 1 to succeed -- and the solar industry as a whole to continue to expand -- it's time to start marketing solar power as an accessible, aesthetically pleasing, and cost-effective product to the average consumer, according to California Senator Kevin Murray.

The technology is already here and it's reliable, said Murray speaking at Solar Power 2006 in San Jose, but the message needs to be relayed to the general public that solar energy is not some future technology only celebrities or the extremely wealthy can afford.

"It's not a policy thing... Now we have to implement so that people begin to realize solar is something they can use everyday," said Murray, author of the Million Solar Roofs bill, which was signed into law as SB 1 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in August.

SB 1 provides a long-term commitment and $3.2 billion in funding to leverage private investment to deploy 3,000 megawatts (MW) of solar power systems on residential, commercial and government buildings throughout California.

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[Digit]

1. I tried to do this in NC, but nobody knew how to implement it

I have a boiler system, mounted on the back of my home which preheats all my domestic hot water which I use for heating my home and hot water for showers, etc.
My water heater merely acts as a storage unit for the preheated water.

I thought it was logical if I could preheat the water through solar means, it would provide a savings, but nobody down here has the foggiest idea of what to do.

The back of my home faces south and I am not in a HOA that would prevent collectors assembled on my roof.
I finally gave up.