Think home solar is still a pipe dream? Not so, say the folks at SunRun Solar Financing, a solar financing company that installs whole systems for as low as $0 down. Companies like SunRun not only make solar affordable, but literally spin the meters backwards for homeowners across the country.
Intrigued? We sat down with SunRun director Grayson Morris to talk solar, pricing, affordability and more. Take a look. (more…)
If you haven’t discovered SolarMax yet, now is your chance. 
In an industry full of beginners, SolarMax Technology, Inc. has been breaking ground for 10 years running, offering some of the best deals on solar installations that we at CalFinder have ever seen. The company makes it a point to excel at every link of the solar chain, from panel manufacturing to turnkey service.
That excellence shows in the impressive list of SolarMax partnerships. SolarMax was the first company to be approved as a solar vendor for Home Depot, helping to found the store’s solar department and becoming their full sales and integration partner. “It’s all about relationship-building with Solarmax,” said Sales Director Guillermo Santomauro. “Working with industry leaders allows us to pass those advantages on to homeowners.” SolarMax has also been working with BP Solar for eight years now and is one of only 25 vendors of the acclaimed SunPower panels. (more…)
The Sonoma County Energy Independence Program has brought a flood of solar companies into the area with an outstanding solar program. It works like this: Sonoma funds the initial installation, and from there, property owners pay off the system with property taxes. This format has been gaining popularity with municipalities throughout California, and for good reason. It saves the homeowner money up-front, helps meet renewable energy and carbon reduction goals, and is an excellent way to give the taxpayers what they really want: greener options.
Real Goods Solar of Hopland and San Rafael; Sequoia Solar of San Diego; and Solar Universe, California’s first solar installer franchise, are three newcomers to the Sonoma market. Sequoia Solar completed 15 projects in six weeks and is already looking to expand its presence in the area. Most Sonoma sales are residential and SCEIP-funded at an average of 5 kW of production per installation.
Solar Universe is based in Livermore and works just like a franchise, something heretofore unheard of in the solar installer business. The Sonoma branch of Solar Universe already has six employees, all local, and with solar installation experience among them.
Sonoma has even attracted start-ups like Westcoast Solar Electric, founded by two former project managers for Akeena Solar. Shortly after it was formed, Santa Rosa’s Akeena team jumped ship as well, and Westcoast Solar now has 14 employees. According to one of the founders, Westcoast Solar was profitable the minute it opened its doors, even though the Sonoma consumer base tends to research its purchases well before committing to an installer.
Perhaps the biggest advantage for Sonoma County, as a whole, are the jobs being created by the SCEIP. This is a big part of the dream for renewable energies – to provide a new and expanding job base for a job-starved economy. Sonoma County and a few other California areas, are proving that it’s more than just a dream. I expect this type of program to continue gaining popularity nationwide and to make it easier than we anticipated for the country to overcome heavy investment in fossil fuels.
* It’s important to note that many current residential solar panel installers have prior roofing or electrical experience. In fact, many of these business are the ones making the switch to solar installation because they have many of the same skills under their belts.
Source: NorthBayBusinessJournal.com
Photo Credit: 1BOG & Daily Apple
