Thanks to the new tax credit, our Energy Analyses now show residents locking in solar power for as little as 14 cents/kWh. Paybacks are down to 10- 12 years, and return on investment is at 15-16% . Naturally, each installation differs, depending on electricity usage, system size, etc. Contact Solar Santa Monica to request a new, or updated, analysis of your property.

Mayor Ken Genser describes features of the compact apartments at 1001 Olympic Blvd., developed by NMS Properties as affordable living for professionals, students and seniors. The 30 watt PV array on the roof, installed by PermaCity, helps keep costs low.

You may see Michael Ware and Drew Lowell-Britt offering the FREE Solar Santa Monica service at a variety of venues in our community. Here they are at the Sustainability Quality Awards, co-sponsored by the City of Santa Monica, the Chamber of Commerce, and Sustainable Works.

Without question, 2007 was a "banner year" for solar. Total solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity doubled in Santa Monica, rising from 350 kW to over 700 kW citywide. In a single year, as much PV capacity was installed as had been installed in Santa Monica in 16 years. A highlight of 2007 was the City's biggest installation, the 181 kW Civic Center Parking Structure.
This past year, 2008, must be recognized as "the year of the pipeline." Good news: Residential systems increased, as did commercial systems and capacity. PV capacity now totals over 1,000 kW (1 MW) in Santa Monica. And look at what's in the pipeline! In addition to 226 kW of capacity actually installed -there are over 2.3 MW of PV projects in the City in this pipeline.

Susan Munves demonstrates progress towards a Solar Corridor in Solar Santa Monica.

Los Angeles County created the Los Angeles County Solar Map, a tool to help the public calculate solar potential per building. These estimates utilize satellite terrain and elevation data to then estimate solar electric potential for every 25 sq. ft. Taken into account is tree shading, nearby obstructions, and roof protrusions.

Solar Santa Monica used this new GIS program and identified ideal solar rooftops on commercial buildings along Olympic Boulevard. Each "good roof" building owner is being contacted and informed of available solar incentives and financing options. Please stop by our office and view the Olympic Corridor map up close (1212 Fifth Street, Ste 100; at Wilshire & 5th).

If you too would like an assessment of your building's solar potential, whether in the Corridor or not, contact Solar Santa Monica for a free Solar Site Check.

Solar Santa Monica and Southern California Edison will co-host a 90-minute, non-technical, easy-to- understand homeowner solar information session on Saturday, May 30, 2009.

The session is FREE of charge, but due to limited space, pre-registration is required. To register, call the Solar Santa Monica office at (310) 458-4992 or call SCE at (866) 970-9221.

Date: Saturday, May 30, 2009
Time: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Location: Santa Monica Public Library,
Multi-Purpose Room, Second Floor
601 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Parking: Enter underground parking structure on 7th Street
Event number (for SCE): 15-053009

Feed-in tariffs represent an exciting new opportunity for solar in California. The tariffs are sets of prices that electric utilities are required to pay for power that consumers "feed into" the grid.

The prices per kWh make sense for investors, thus they are used as a policy instrument to stimulate markets for solar and other clean energy forms. The aim is to accelerate the uptake of renewable energy and catalyze the development of solar industries and markets. Feed-in tariffs are working in Europe (Germany and Spain in particular), recently taking off in Gainesville, Florida, and so much so that they are hard to ignore.

In fairness, California does have a feed-in tariff for small renewable energy systems (up to 1.5 MW). Its prices are based on utility avoided costs, and thus its payments are too low to attract participants.

Solar Santa Monica's Advisory Board has put this policy issue front and center: If the City of Santa Monica is to reach its energy and greenhouse gas emission reduction goals, solar must be a sound and predictable investment for property owners, especially apartment building owners. And this will require leadership to invest in clean and green energy today, and policies like feed-in tariffs to make it happen.

Solar Santa Monica's Advisory Board has been working with our elected officials here and in Sacramento to advocate for the adoption of a solar feed-in tariff for California that would provide a return on investment sufficient to amortize the cost of the system and provide a reasonable return over 20 years. With less than 10,000 single family homes, and 40,000 apartments, California's net energy metering requirements simply don't work. Going virtual only complicates an already complex solar deal. A feed-in tariff allows for a building owner to maximize solar on the roof and to earn a return totally separate from the building's power use. Feed-in tariffs increase the value of all rooftops.

To make this new solar deal a reality, the Advisory Board's FIT Subcommittee has drafted a bill that is now in the form of SB 523, fostered thus far by Senator Fran Pavley. It would provide for a solar feed-in tariff for small systems in the urban environment, enabling cities to take action to invest in a sustainable infrastructure and to protect the climate.

Santa Monica is currently seeking support from its "solar cities alliance," from a broad coalition of advocates of clean, decentralized power for its multiple benefits, and from labor, to promote a form of power generation that puts power in the hands of the people, creating tens of thousands of jobs throughout our neighborhoods.

If you are interested in learning more about feed-in tariffs please read a white paper on the subject by Solar Santa Monica. Contact Susan Munves with your questions and comments.