Solar stars could shine brighter still

We were pleased to learn a few days ago that, of the ten utilities ranked highest for use of solar power, five are in Sungevity’s service area–PG&E, SMUD, LADWP, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric.  The other five are Arizona’s Salt River Project, Arizona Public Service Co., Florida Power & Light, Public Service Electric & Gas (NJ), and Public Service Co. of CO-Xcel Energy (CO).

The rankings are based on the total amount of solar energy in each utility’s portfolio, which includes solar power generated by grid-tied residences with rooftop solar arrays.  In other words, there are quite a few Sungevity customers out there whose solar systems helped these utilities increase the share of solar power in their energy mix.  In 2009, while overall demand for electricity was down, these ten utilities increased their solar power integration by 66%.

Though the trajectory is positive, there is still a long way to go, even for PG&E, the number one ranked solar utility.  There are 85.2 megawatts of solar energy in PG&E’s grid, that sounds like a lot (whatever a megawatt is anyway), but it’s actually only….drum roll please–.14% of PG&E power mix.  (Note the decimal point–it’s not 14%, it’s .14%.  We need to break the whole number threshold and turn .14% into 14% tout suite.

–Erica Etelson

Campaign Coverage

Check out this great coverage from Tuesday’s event at the Fairmont.

Globama in San Francisco

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On Tuesday (the 25^th) the Solar on the White House Coalition braved the elements and headed over to the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco where President Obama was giving a speech and fundraising for Senator Boxer (CA). Amidst the crowd we encouraged the Obama family to install solar on their home. You also can show your support for our efforts to get solar installed by visiting www.solaronthewhitehouse.com, signing the petition and forwarding it on to your friends and family. Solar on the White House isn’t going to happen through the work of any single individual, but rather the concentrated efforts of an entire coalition. Join our coalition to get solar back on the White House and support renewable energy!

Globama in DC

Check out some of the great pictures from our recent trip to DC to advocate for Solar on the White House on our SolarontheWhiteHouse Facebook page. If you haven’t already, make sure you go to the website and sign the petition. Solar on the White House

What will POTUS say?

“Last night, he was asked by donors at the big fundraisers in town. There were people with placards asking the question, outside on the sidewalk. And today in Fremont he’s likely to be asked by journalists the same thing:

Are you going to put solar back on the White House?”

Read more of Danny’s latest on SFGate’s City Brights.

Energy independence begins at home

President Obama is coming to town tomorrow to visit Solyndra, a solar panel manufacturer in Fremont that received a $535 million federal loan guarantee to build a second plant that will employ 1000 people.  Presidents don’t spend a whole lot of time touring factories but, when they do, they select their sites carefully.  Sagging auto industry?  Visit a GM plant in the mid-west.  Need to reassure worried NASA employees that they won’t be losing their jobs?  Head for the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

It’s noteworthy that the few manufacturing plants Obama has visited as President have mostly been in the green tech sector–a lithium battery plant in North Carolina, a wind turbine blade manufacturer in Iowa, an electric vehicle research lab in Pomona and, tomorrow, Solyndra.  You don’t need Cliff Notes to decipher the symbolism behind Obama’s visits–he clearly believes that clean energy technology is the path to rebuilding our economy, enhancing national security and averting climate chaos.

We’re pleased to welcome the President to the Golden State and to remind him that energy independence begins at home.  Nothing would symbolize his commitment to a clean energy future more than solar on the White House.  If you haven’t yet, take a moment to add your voice to the thousands who are calling for the Obamas to retrofit their home for the 21st century by adorning it with a PV array donated by Sungevity.  And be sure to check back later this week when we announce a fun new way to win prizes by spreading the Solar on the White House virus.

–Erica Etelson

Some good news amidst the sludge

“BP’s bad behaviour in the Gulf had made me glum and as a result I have failed in trying to blog at least once a week about good news in the clean tech space. But over the weekend I sat down to shake myself out of the numbness I feel when I see those pics, and remind myself that as bad as this oil spill is, it is a dying gasp of an industry on the way out.”

Read more of Danny’s latest on SFGate’s City Brights.

Let the sun heat your water

If you’re like most people, 38% of the natural gas used in your home goes to heat up water.  A solar hot water heater can cut your water heating bills by three-fourths.  There’s a 30% federal tax credit for solar water heaters installed by 2016 and, in California, you can get a cash rebate up to $1875 for solar hot water heaters installed after July 15, 2009.  Another option is a tankless (aka “on demand”) water heater that heats water on an as-needed basis rather than keeping a tank full of water heated all the time.  A tankless water heater can be used alone or in conjunction with a solar hot water heater for maximum efficiency.

If you’ve ever left a bottle of water in a hot car, then you pretty much understand how solar thermal works. It’s pretty simple–sure, manufacturers have refined the process for maximum efficiency, but basically all that’s happening is that the sun pre-heats the water so that your gas or electric water heater has to do much less work.  That’s it–an elegantly simple technology that has the potential to spare the planet millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year.

The world is in the midst of a solar water heating revolution though, as usual, the United States is limping along far behind the pack.  China is in the lead, with 27 million rooftop solar water heaters, enough to take the place of 49 coal-fired power plants.  In Spain, Portugal and Israel, new buildings are required to install solar water heaters. Europe, Japan, India and Brazil are also hot to trot for solar thermal and have set ambitious goals for widespread adoption by 2020.

Here in the U.S., we have only about a tenth the solar thermal of China, but demand is rapidly growing and, if the 2016 tax credit is extended, some experts see us as rivaling China by 2020. To learn more about solar water heaters and which kind is most suitable for your climate, visit the Energy Savers webiste.  This website also has links to other sites that can help you find solar water heater dealers.  And don’t forget to find out if your state offers any rebates.  On my roof, I’ve got a Heliodyne Helio-Pak closed loop solar water heater hooked up to a Rinnai tankless water heater that seems to be working just fine–that’s two tons less CO₂a year my home is generating.  How about yours?  Are you ready the join the revolution?

–Erica Etelson

Solar and your HOA

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One of the most common concerns I run across when I talk to folks about solar is “What about my Homeowners’ Association? I don’t think they’ll allow me to install solar.” With something like 60 million Americans living in 305,000 association-governed communities, it’s no wonder this comes up all the time.

For lots of folks, solar panels represent progress, however, other folks only think that the panels are an eyesore. This has caused some associations to try and block the installation of solar panels on homes.  Luckily, several states including CA and AZ have laws on the books that restrict Homeowners’ Associations from halting solar progress.

So, if you are considering home solar (which hopefully you are) and are concerned about a Homeowners’ Association, fear not, you should be all set.

-Nat Smith

Sungevity Expands SoCal Programs – Launches LA Solar Lease and Reaches for the Stars!

Customers of LADWP now have access to 20-year Solar Lease with no money down

OAKLAND, Calif., May 18 /PRNewswire/ — Sungevity, the leading online residential solar provider, today announced the Sungevity LA Solar Lease Program, which was designed by Sungevity specifically for residents of Los Angeles City and County who wish to save money on their electricity bills by going solar.

To help Angelinos see the benefits of going solar, Sungevity has estimated the savings for a number of celebrities from the Maps to the Hollywood Stars provided by People Magazine and other sources. Estimating the consumption of these stars and their families shows what a great deal it could be for them to go solar, based on calculations of their roof’s exposure to the sun and the electricity rates they are charged.*

In Los Angeles Department of Water and Power utility service area, where rates are different than surrounding counties served by other utilities, others who are less famous are still likely to experience savings from the sun. “The good news is you do not have to be a movie star to benefit from going solar,” said Danny Kennedy, President and co-founder of Sungevity. “Most Californians make money day one, when they sign for the Solar Lease. Nonetheless I am looking forward to getting a phone call from Justin or Jessica and seeing how we can help them get clean electricity straight from the sun! In the era of awful oil spills and rising energy bills it is good to have a solar option.”

“We are excited to be able to offer the residents of LA the opportunity to go solar with the best service in the business,” said Kennedy. “We have already sold more than 200 leases around California and have a long list of happy customers from the years before we offered the lease. Our mission is to make solar accessible and affordable for everyone, everywhere and the LA program marks an important step for us in making that happen.”

The financing for the lease will be provided by a U.S. Bancorp as part of a $24 million arrangement with Sungevity announced in March. The Solar Lease requires no money down with a 20 year term to maximize returns from the special rebate program within LA Department of Water and Power service area. Sungevity will guarantee any savings and provide free monitoring, free maintenance, plus free insurance for the solar system for the term of the Sungevity Solar Lease.

Sungevity has an easy online “iQuote” process, which enables Sungevity to use satellite images and aerial photography to assess customers’ roofs remotely and accurately determine the homes’ solar potential. This allows the company to furnish thousands of customers with a firm proposal to use solar power with no capital cost within 24 hours. Demand has been huge with over 1,000 iQuotes requested through www.sungevity.com in the last month alone.

The Solar Lease offer gives most customers savings from the start of their Sungevity Solar Lease. For many customers the electricity bill savings from the solar lease start immediately and increase significantly over time.

For more information about Sungevity please or to get a quote please visit: www.Sungevity.com or call 866.SUN4ALL (866.786.4255)