In the March issue of The New Spirit, we talked about the Community Environmental Council’s Million Solar Roofs program. In it we shared how more and more people on the South Coast are using solar energy to power their homes, and how they are overcoming obstacles such as price and permitting hassles to do so. Here are some of their stories.

Christa and Russ Crane have always considered themselves an environmentally minded family with a strong interest in solar energy. Nevertheless, living in a foggy mesa-top neighborhood in Santa Barbara, they questioned installing photovoltaic panels until they began planning a remodel of their 3-bedroom home.

Like many families on the South Coast, the Cranes are becoming increasingly concerned about our country’s dependence on fossil fuels, and have decided to lead by example by reducing their own energy needs. One of their first steps was to determine their baseline energy use by looking at their electric bills for a consecutive year. Rather than digging up old bills, they logged on to Southern California Edison’s website at www.sce.com and accessed their energy history. They learned that over the last year, their family of four had used about 6,100 kWh of electricity.

The couple then sought the assistance of their friend, David Coale, an experience solar installer in northern California who helped them determine the size and number of panels they needed. They settled on a 2.5 kW system, using 18 Kyocera KC 167-watt modules and a 2.5 kW Sunny Boy inverter — a system large enough to help them virtually eliminate their electricity bills. David ordered the panels and inverter at cost through his supplier, while Christa sent in an application reserving a rebate from the California Energy Commission and Russ applied for the permits.

Unlike most people who hire a solar installer to handle all the work on behalf of their clients — including the permits and rebates — the Cranes saved money by doing as much as possible on their own. One of the biggest challenges at that time in 2004 was getting a permit from the City of Santa Barbara, which was not up to speed on solar installations and was sending plans to San Diego to be reviewed. Most of those permitting headaches have since been addressed, and a standard building permit takes a couple of weeks.

When the permits came through, Russ and David spent a sunny July 4th weekend installing the panels themselves. By doing most of the labor, the couple was able to install the $15,000 system for about $6,000 after a $9,000 rebate from the state.

They are now seeing electricity bills of only $100 per year — in part because they feel compelled to make their meter spin backwards as much as possible by conserving energy. The family has virtually eliminated their electricity and heating costs by installing double-paned windows and adding insulation to their ceiling and outside walls. They also limit the use of their hot tub and recently replaced their 16 year-old refrigerator with an Energy Star, on which they expect to break even within a year.

Edith and Ray Ogella tell a similar story of having virtually eliminated their electricity bill. Edith runs a daycare facility out of their 4-bedroom home in the Turnpike/Hollister neighborhood of Santa Barbara. About three years away from retirement, the Ogellas are thinking seriously about how to control costs and prepare to live on a fixed income. While they cited environmental concerns as a factor in their decision to go solar, their primary incentive was to lower or eliminate a utility bill, on the assumption that “we know electricity costs are not going to go down in the future.”

About eight years ago they took the first step by remodeling their home with skylights and double-glazed windows, adding insulation to the ceiling and walls, and retrofitting with compact fluorescent lightbulbs. Even still, their electricity bills could climb up to $80 a month in the winter. While their heating system, stove and clothes dryer run on gas, Edith uses the electric washing machine daily in caring for five infants and toddlers. In the winter they also run electric heating pads for their elderly cats.

Installing solar panels seemed to be the next logical step. At a reception at the Santa Barbara Federal Credit Union, the couple was impressed with the credit union’s commitment to solar energy and considered going through its solar lending program, but then received an inheritance that allowed them to purchase a system outright. The cost was $28,000 for the complete installation, minus a $9,000 rebate — taking their out-of-pocket costs to $19,000. Virtually eliminating their electricity bill – as well as the $1,200 tax credit they received on their 2005 state income tax – made the expense worth it to them.

Working with REC Solar, the Ogellas chose a 4 kW system — enough to handle the 5,400 kWh per year the Ogellas had been using. When installing the panels, they considered adding an on-demand solar water heater, but were dissuaded by a contractor who felt the system was not as reliable as their current water heater. They’ve chosen instead to focus next on replacing their gas appliances with electric.

While overall they are happy with the decision to add solar panels, they were surprised to learn that when they generate more power than they use, they are not actually selling it back to Southern California Edison. “I had heard from several people and had even read in the paper that you get a check at the end of the year from the power company. This isn’t true. You are not selling back your extra power – you are donating it,” Edith said.

Nevertheless, she is enthusiastic about the system and recommends that others consider looking into solar energy. “Anyone living in sunbelt should have solar,” she says. “In fact, no builder in California should be allowed to build without it.”

GO SOLAR CHECKLIST
1. Assess the site.
Figure on needing 100 square feet per kilowatt (kW). A typical home installation is three kW, so you would need about 300 square feet for panels. Identify the location for your panels; you will need unshaded roof or ground space facing South, West or East.

2. Look at your utility bills.
There are many reasons to go solar, but from a purely economical standpoint, it can often pencil out if your electricity bill is over $65 a month, or if you consistently use more than the baseline amount of electricity and pay second, third or fourth tier rates. (If your electricity bills are low but your natural gas bills are high, you may benefit from adding solar and converting to electrical appliances.) Using your customer number on your electric bill, you can log on to www.sce.com and request a history of your electrical usage.

3. Talk to a contractor who specializes in solar installations.
Installers will help you assess your location and suggest the size and type of system that is best for you. We recommend getting bids from at least two established local contractors with proven track records. Some things to look for: local affiliations and memberships (such as the Santa Barbara Contractors Association and Better Business Bureau), proper licensing (go to www.cslb.ca.gov/ to check on a specific contractor) and certification from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners. Domestic hot water systems need to be certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC) – the national ratings lab for all hot water systems.

4. “Reserve” your rebate funding from the state.
As soon as you’ve decided to proceed, fill out a form applying for the state rebate program. Because the pool of rebates is limited to an annual cap, this allows the state to earmark your money. This reservation process can take four to six weeks or longer and is handled by most local installers. You will receive an approved reservation notice, which will guarantee your rebate as long as the system is installed within nine months.

5. Install the solar system and get your permits.
Both photovoltaic systems and hot water systems require a building permit, which would be handled by your contractor. Systems that are mounted on the ground rather than the roof also require a land use permit, which needs to be approved by the county or city architectural review board. Land use permits rarely face the kind of problems they did a few years ago, when architectural boards were less familiar with solar panels.

6. Claim your state rebate.
After the building permit has been signed off, claim your reserved rebate. Getting your check can take up to three months; however some installers will handle this application process for you and float the rebate, automatically deducting the rebate from your final bill.

7. Complete interconnection with the utility.
Once you’ve received signoff on the building permit, the utility interconnection process can be finalized. Within five to ten business days after the utility company receives a completed application, you get permission to operate your solar system. Your solar electric installer will handle this process.

8. Apply for your tax credits.
Under current tax code, when you file your federal income tax return you will receive a tax credit of 30 percent of your out-of-pocket, after-rebate costs for any solar system installed in 2006 or 2007. The tax credit is capped at $2,000 for homeowners, but businesses (including home-based businesses) can take the full 30 percent. You are also eligible for an exemption on your state property tax.

9. Watch your meter spin backwards as you receive fixed-price, pollution-free electricity!

For more information on getting Started with Solar Power in the Santa Barbara area, please visit R&M Technologies www.rmtec.net

Originally published in The New Spirit Magazine, May 2006
Sigrid Wright is Community Relations Director at
The Community Environmental Council in Santa Barbara