Solar Solutions

Mark Ferron, an outgoing commissioner on the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), voiced strong support for California solar incentives in a farewell letter he sent on his final day in office. Ferron is stepping down due to an ongoing fight with prostate cancer.

In his letter, he urges the commission to resist efforts by the state’s utilities to curb the growth of distributed generation (DG) and instead represent the interests of solar customers and renewable energy in general.

CPUC Regulates Utilities and Solar Rebates

The CPUC, which regulates our state’s investor-owned utilities (including Southern California Edison), is tasked with determining the rates that customers pay for their power. They are also in charge of approving incentive programs that are designed to encourage the growth of DG resources.

Utilities companies must first ask permission of the CPUC in order to increase their rates or change the types of rebates they offer solar customers.  Because of this, the CPUC plays a pivotal role in determining whether solar power will continue to grow in California.

Ferron’s Opinion on AB 327 in Relation to Solar

Ferron urged caution in dealing with AB 327, a new law that gives the CPUC authority to determine whether utility companies can charge a flat fee to all customers (including solar customers) and set guidelines for the California’s Net Energy Metering program (a program that allows solar panel owners to make solar energy and sell it back to the utility company).

“…Recognize that this is a poisoned chalice: the Commission will come under intense pressure to use this authority to protect the interests of the utilities over those of consumers and potential self-generators, all in the name of addressing exaggerated concerns about grid stability, cost and fairness,” Ferron wrote in his letter. “You – my fellow Commissioners — all must be bold and forthright in defending and strengthening our state’s commitment to clean and distributed energy generation.”

Ferron Stresses Importance of Solar Moving Forward

Utility companies have generally been reluctant to support rooftop solar power because they believe that solar customers are not paying their fair share of the “soft costs” of operating a grid, namely transmission and maintenance. However, solar industry advocates have made the case that solar rate payers are in fact providing positive benefits for the grid by allowing the utility companies to spend less on building more plants.

Solar advocates also point out that utility companies have been relatively slow when it comes to construction of new solar panel plants. If California is to meet its renewable portfolio standard (RPS) — which requires the state to derive 33 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2020 — it’s going to need more rooftop solar generating capacity.

By allowing electric companies to slow the growth of this technology, Ferron argues, it will make it less likely for the state to accomplish its RPS goals. Hopefully, the CPUC takes Ferron’s letter to heart and protects California’s environmental and economic future by backing California solar rebate programs.

It’s been a record-breaking year for solar energy. In the past twelve months, the United States installed an estimated 13 gigawatts of solar energy across our 50 states. That’s enough to power 2,000,000 homes!

Not to mention, the solar industry is now employing almost 120,000 people at more than 6,100 companies. Solar panel installation is not just good for your pocket book, it is also great our economy.

There’s no sign that the solar industry will slow down. Many project that 2014 will be even more successful! More great facts are at SEIA’s America Supports Solar website.

The Solar Energy Industry Association (also known as SEIA) invited solar enthusiasts across the country to celebrate by posting photos of their support online. Some of our employees joined in the fun and took photos with our signs of solar support. Check out our photo galleries on the AMECO Solar Facebook page.

Location: Westminster, CA
System Type: Solar Electric (PV)
System Size: 6.09 kilowatts
System Details: 21 LG Solar Panels with 21 Enphase Microinverters and Online Monitoring
Year Installed: 2013

Electric Bill Before: $389
Electric Bill After: $155
Bill Reduced by 60%!

Each year Yvonne and Tim’s neighborhood turns into a holiday wonderland where all the homes are decorated with elaborate Christmas light displays. Though they loved getting in the holiday spirit and putting up their own lights, they did not like receiving their electric bill afterwards. Sometimes their holiday bill would run as high as $375 or more!

Though they had looked into solar a few years before, a close friend convinced them that it was a good time to consider solar panel installation again. They began looking for a solar installer in the early fall and found AMECO Solar.

Requiring High Standards for their Solar Contractor

Being a contractor herself, Yvonne had high standards for her solar contactor. AMECO was able to meet her requirements by showing proof of the necessary insurance and workmen’s comp, using trained solar panel installers instead of hiring sub-contractors, and backing up our solar technology with competitive warranties. Both she and Tim were also impressed by the fact that our company has been installing solar panels since 1974.

Shortly after meeting with Todd and listening to his informational, no-pressure presentation, they signed a contract and scheduled the solar installation. Since they wanted to power their holiday display with solar energy, they asked that the system be installed and working by December 15th.

Organized and Efficient Solar Installation

“The installation process was very organized and went smoothly,” said Tim. He enjoyed working with David, our Operations Manager, who was flexible and very responsive whether by phone or email.

By December 9th, their solar system was turned on and feeding solar energy to their home. Just in time for the holidays!

Solar Savings = Holiday Savings

Since the solar system was turned on, they have enjoyed logging onto the online monitoring system to check in on the energy production. “We chose to install microinverters so that we could track the efficiency of each solar panel and make sure that it is performing as expected,” Tim shared.

So far, their solar panel production is off to a great start. The panels have produced enough solar energy to bring their electric bill down to only $155. Compared to past bills of $389 or more, this is a significant savings! And so, Yvonne and Tim end the holiday season differently than most — with more money in their pockets than expected.

In December, AMECO Solar reported on  Environment California’s campaign to convince government officials that solar energy should be a priority for Los Angeles. We’re proud to announce that just one month later their efforts have been recognized by Mayor Eric Garcetti and solar energy will become more abundant in Los Angeles.

Mayor Garcetti Makes Solar Announcement

A few days ago Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti called on the city to raise its amount of solar-generated power to 20 percent of peak demand by 2020.

His statements indicate that he is firmly committed to the growth of the city’s solar resources, which currently meet about 2 percent of its total electricity needs. Garcetti is hoping that Los Angeles can install 1,200 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity, a little less than one-fifth of the 6,100 MW of peak demand that the city experiences in the summer.

Garcetti’s statements come at an uncertain time for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). The agency is currently looking for a new general manager after Ron Nichols stated that he will be stepping down for personal reasons. The hope is that the new General Manager of the utility company will prioritize the growth of solar energy so that Mayor Garcetti can meet his ambitious 20 percent goal in six years.

Benefits of Solar Panels for Los Angeles Residents

“Southern California is practically a synonym for sunshine,” Emily Kirkland of Environment California said in a statement. “But here in Los Angeles, we’re still getting less than 2 percent of our power from the sun. Mayor Garcetti showed tremendous vision in calling for 20 percent local solar power by 2020 last January. Now, it’s time for him to make that promise a reality.”

The source reports that adding 1,200 MW of generating capacity will create 32,000 jobs and offset the carbon emissions created by over 1 million cars.

Importance of LADWP Solar Rebate Program

The LADWP currently has an incentive program that provides a lump sum payment to customers who decide to switch to a home solar system for their electricity needs. The program had a declining incentive payout, meaning that as more solar energy systems come online, the incentive goes down and those who receive funds are given a smaller per-watt rebate.

Currently, the LADWP rebate program is in its eighth tier (out of ten), with an incentive of 40 cents. This means that for the typical four-kilowatt system, homeowners will receive a lump sum payment of $1,600.

These rebates don’t include the Federal Renewable Energy Tax Credit, which covers 30 percent of the cost of installation for qualifying systems.

In order to reach Mayor Garcetti’s goal, the LADWP and federal government need to continue these programs and help homeowners realize savings on their solar installations. Doing so will not only benefit their individual’s household finances and the economy, it will also help the region become more sustainable and less reliant on fossil fuels.