On the Doings of the SF Solar Task Force
When the eco-friendly minded city of San Francisco began falling behind surrounding cities when it came to solar energy, it was time to seriously address the issue. Thus, the Solar Task Forcewas formed in February 2007.
The members represent a vast array of different businesses and agencies, ranging from environmental advocacy groups to state and government employees. The “Task Force’s” goal is to help make solar energy more affordable, faster, and easier to obtain for the residents and businesses of San Francisco. Here’s more on what the Task Force is doing.
- After spending the year of 2007 analyzing the needs and dynamics of the city, in December, the Task Force recommended a rebate program that works in conjunction with the State and Federal programs.
- In addition, it is negotiating a low-interest financial payment program.
- It has also worked to expedite the permit process for solar installation, along with removing any possible barriers.
- Finally, they have devoted much attention to marketing and promoting these programs to raise public awareness.
San Francisco’s city-wide goal, and the purpose behind the creation of the taskforce, is to have 10,000 rooftops with solar power by 2010. On June 11, 2008, the Task Force accomplished one of their biggest goals with their rebate incentive program finally being approved. In combination with the state and federal programs, the final cost to a homeowner will drop drastically from around $30,000 to $6,000.
Other cities should watch SF actions closely. They are an experiment in process, and it will be very interesting to observe how many homeowners are eager to switch to solar with a more options presented to them. As this article demonstrates, it can really pay to investigate what incentives are available in your area. Solar energy may be more affordable than you realize. Request free estimates from prescreened solar contractorsin your area.
Posted on July 29th in Going Solar by Anna.