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NEW & IMPROVED
WEB SITE
Just as our program continues to develop, Solar
Santa
Monica's web site evolves as well. With its bright
new colors and dozens of quotes from solar owners
here in town, the web site paints a good picture of
Santa Monica's commitment to renewable energy and
energy efficiency.
Here's a resident's quote from the OUR VISION
page: "We installed our solar in 2002, in two
phases. Our first system was 1.8 kW. Then we bought
an electric car, so we added another 1 kW system.
Two different manufacturers, two different construction
companies. Solar is a tool that you can expand and
move around!" Paul Scott
More highlights and new features now
available on the web site include:
- NEWS: Not sure what your neighbor is up to?
Check out our map that shows all the solar
installations in Santa Monica. Today the map is static
but soon it will be interactive!
- NEWSLETTER: Sure, you're on our e-Newsletter
list, but maybe your co-worker or best friend
isn't. This page allows them to sign-up for updates
and view past issues in the archive section.
- SOLAR PROFILES: Interesting installations and
case histories with photos are on display in this page.
Don't see your project in there? Email us and make
your case. We'd love to add more!
- CONTRACTORS: Hands-down the most
requested and distributed piece of information. Our
Preferred Contractors are listed on this page. Coming
soon -- a list of Specialists, contractors having
expertise in roofing, windows, insulation, HVAC,
among other fields. If you have a favorite contracting
firm, be sure to remind them that they can sign-up for
this free listing.
Last, but certainly not least, the most important page
on the web site is found on our home page. A quick,
user-friendly questionnaire links your home or
business to the Solar Santa Monica program. Apply for your free Solar Site Check. Let us
show you how energy efficiency directly saves you
money, and if you're ready we can guide you in
intelligent photovoltaic decision-making.
Check out the new and improved Solar Santa
Monica web site now!
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Solar Santa Monica is administered by
the City of Santa Monica,
Energy & Green Building Programs
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| Ouch! It's Hot |
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Coming fast, 2009 will offer the best opportunity for
solar installations that we've seen during the course
of our program. The reason is simple: a 30% Solar
Investment Tax Credit. Additionally, buyers qualify for
a rebate from the CSI (California Solar
Initiative) that will cover another 20-25% of the cost.
If you're serious about solar, strike while the iron is
hot! Now is the time to start lining up your contractor,
finances and schedule. Solar Santa Monica is here to
help. We welcome you to take advantage of our
complimentary program.
Call our Energy Specialist, Michael Ware, to discuss
your situation: (310) 560-9273.
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| The Ideal Solar Candidate |
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For 2009, Santa Monica residents and businesses
are ideal solar candidates if they have:
- An electricity bill of $100 or more a month
- 200 sq. ft. of roof or ground space
- Southerly exposure (including SE or SW)
- And, 6-8 hours of daily and direct sunlight.
Another characteristic of the ideal solar
candidate is that you realize energy prices are not
going down. It's no secret that over the next 25 years
the price we pay for electricity will increase far above
what we pay today.
Join the Solar Santa Monica team and become a
Solar Champion. Together we can alter "business as
usual" practices and pave the way in healthier lifestyle
choices.
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| Solar Installation Guidelines |
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Solar Santa Monica (SSM) worked alongside the City's
Office of Building and Safety for well over a year to
formulate the solar installation guidelines, thereby
making installs easier for everyone during the plan
check submittal process.
"Our guidelines are really nothing more than a list of
the already-existing safety and electrical
requirements," says Brenden McEneaney, Green
Building Advisor to the City. "But by pulling them
together specifically for solar installations, we think
planning will be easier and the inspection process
will be quicker."
For your copy of the PV Solar Installation Guidelines,
download
a version from the SSM web site or grab a copy
the next time you're standing in line at City
Hall.
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| Feed-In Tariff for California |
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Susan Munves, Solar Santa Monica Program
Administrator, speaks at the "Solar
Cities" meeting held in the Santa Monica Main Library.
Santa Monica's City Council recently approved the
investigation of a Feed-in Tariff (FIT), which could
serve California as an additional solar incentive. A FIT
is the mechanism that propelled Germany to
becoming the world's number one solar country.
Spain, using the same model, is number two.
The FIT is a simple concept: the power your PV
installation generates is fed into the grid and (typically
for 20 years) you will receive a specific payment per
kWh for all energy you produce, irrespective of your
property's electrical usage. In Germany large solar
systems are built where there is no offsetting usage,
such as alongside roads, in fields and on top of
barns. People also band together to build and own
solar systems purely as investments.
A FIT in California would particularly benefit apartment
building owners by putting their large roofs
to profitable use. Renters could follow the trend in
Europe and build a PV system together, sharing the
profits. Schools, churches, community centers and
retail stores could use their roofs as income-
producers or create solar
covered parking areas. Cities could participate by
making space available to interested
citizens.
A half-dozen other states have their sights on a FIT
incentive structure, too. Solar Santa Monica is
committed to making solar an option available to all
its residents - so stay tuned for further
developments!
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| Upcoming Events |
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Farmers Markets: Jan 17 & Jan 24
What better place is there to eat delicious, local foods
and propound the merits of solar? Come by between
9 and 12 to say
hello, let us know if your meter is spinning backward,
and sign up for a solar site check if you've been
putting it off.
Jan 17 - Promenade (3rd & Santa Monica Blvd)
Jan 24 - Virginia Ave Park (Cloverfield & Pico Ave)
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