Solar Solutions

The California Solar Initiative (CSI), a program intended to spur widespread adoption of solar energy throughout the state, has led to massive growth in the industry. A report released in June 2013 by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) stated that rooftop solar installations rose 26 percent in 2012, as California homes added 391 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity. What makes this number remarkable is that it doesn’t include Los Angeles solar panels and other cities that are run by municipal electric companies, as CSI only applies to investor-owned utilities.

As of the end of the first quarter of 2013, the state has a total installed capacity of 1,629 MW of grid-tied solar energy “on the customer side of the meter”, meaning rooftop systems on homes and businesses. This does not include utility-scale projects like the recently completed California Valley Solar Ranch in San Luis Obispo County. The stated goal of the CSI in 2007 was to add 1,940 MW of solar generating capacity by the end of 2016.

Most of the funding for CSI has been taken, with the program having met 66 percent of its installation goals while another 19 percent of the goal is slated to be met with projects in development or under construction. What remains to be seen is whether the California legislature will extend additional funding to the program to encourage more solar power, as the state is hardly at its full capacity.

Even without the rate-payer funded CSI, there are still plenty of tax incentives and a federal renewable energy credit available to Southern Californians who want to make the switch to solar. For more information, contact AMECO Solar at (888) 595-9570 and speak to one of our solar energy experts.

2013 is off to a great start for the solar power industry, and you won't find better results than in California. According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, our state leads the nation in terms of solar electric system installation for the first quarter of the year.

Thanks to both federal and state-based subsidies, the U.S. added a collective 723 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic (PV) generation capability from residential, commercial and utility solar projects. California alone installed 408 MW of PV solar panels during the first three months of 2013. A large majority of the increase is due to installations conducted by utility companies, however the Los Angeles Times noted that residential PV installations did experience an incremental increase when compared to this same time period in 2012.

Rhone Resch, who heads the Solar Energy Industries Association, suggested in an interview that this year's developments are only just the beginning for the solar power movement.

"Obviously California has been a leader for solar energy for some time, but now we're seeing gigawatts installed on an annual basis. It is absolutely conceivable that solar will be installed on pace to replace San Onofre," Resch said, referring to the controversial nuclear power plant that is in the process of being decommissioned.

Californians hoping to take advantage of the eco-friendly benefits of solar power should reach out to AMECO Solar for the professional know-how and guidance that has defined our company for decades. We work with both homeowners and businesses to develop the kind of energy solution that best suits their needs. Contact our offices today to learn more.

The California Valley Solar Ranch (CVSR), a 250 megawatt (MW) solar generating station located in Eastern San Luis Obispo County, has been completed. Once fully operational, the facility will produce enough electricity to power 100,000 homes, almost the entire city of San Luis Obispo.

Energy generated by the CVSR will be transmitted over the PG&E grid, and will allow our Central Californian neighbors to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 333,000 metric tons per year.

California has a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) that requires utilities to derive 33 percent of the electricity they produce from renewable sources. The CVSR project will go a long way towards meeting that goal. It is currently the largest photovoltaic plant in the state, although GreenTech Media, a clean technology website, reports that a 550 MW capacity generating station will soon begin construction in the Carrizo Plain of Central California.

The CVSR facility covers 4,700 acres, but only about 1,500 of that is actually taken up by solar panels. The remaining 3,200 acres will be set aside for permanent conservancy, in order to support several species living in the area. According to the plant's website, it will inject $315 million into the local economy both during construction and operation, while generating $10 million in total tax revenue.

This development represents a major step forward for California solar energy, but you don't need to wait for your local utility to build its own large scale plant to take advantage of the financial and environmental benefits of solar power. AMECO Solar can design and install a solar electric system that will significantly lower your energy costs while improving air quality. Contact us today for more information.

Last month, the LADWP Board of Water and Power Commissions voted to approve changes to their Solar Photovoltaic Incentive Program that will go into effect on July 15, 2013. The most notable change is that the utility company will be lowering the incentive levels for the remaining steps of the program. The residential solar PV incentive for Step 8 will drop from $0.75 per watt to $0.40 per watt, Step 9 will drop from $0.65 to $0.30 and Step 10 will drop from $0.60 to $0.25.

The incentive program was originally launched as a way to encourage LADWP customers to go solar by rewarding them with a rebate that lowered the initial cost of a solar electric system. Incentive levels were designed to be paid in steps, meaning that as more people install solar systems, the amount of available rebate funding would decrease. At the moment, the program is currently in Step 8 of 10.

Once enough solar panels have been installed and the capacity of the program is reached, it will close and LADWP customers won’t be able to receive any rebates for their solar installations. Estimates by the utility company project that the program will last through 2016. However, many solar experts speculate that it may end earlier, possibly in late 2014 or early 2015 since there is usually an explosive increase in solar installations towards the end of a rebate program.

Many other rebate programs have already closed in other parts of California. The residential solar incentive programs for SDG&E and PG&E have both ended while SCE’s residential solar rebate program is currently in its last step.

If you have been on the fence about going solar and live within LADWP’s territory, there is no better time than the present to go solar while you can still take advantage of the rebate program and get money back on your initial solar investment. Contact AMECO Solar by calling (562) 633-4400 or emailing gosolar@th2.e81.myftpupload.com and we can assist you in going solar.