Santa Monica

On Tuesday, October 26th, Solar Santa Monica presents, "Home Solar with No Money Down." The residential workshop is meant to answer the question many homeowners ask, “Solar – Should I Own or Lease?” through a panel discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of two types of solar financing –  residential solar leases and power purchase agreements (PPAs).  The event will be held at the Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium in the Santa Monica Main Library at 601 Santa Monica Blvd. in Santa Monica, CA, from 7 to 8:30 pm.

Santa Monica solar installation by HelioPower

Panelists for the event include Scott Gordon, Vice President Residential Sales, HelioPower, who offers both a lease and a PPA for homeowners through its affiliation with SunRun; Jesse Raynes, Southern California Regional Manager, SolarCity, who offers a leasing program for residential customers and James Brennan, Open Neighborhoods/Martifer Solar , who has recently announced a new residential leasing option.

Solar Santa Monica is sponsored by the City of Santa Monica. It is unaffiliated with any particular solar manufacturer or installer. Its goal: to provide solid information on all ways to get solar, to help homeowners make the best decision for themselves.

Space is limited, so RSVP now to Drew Lowell-Britt at (310) 804-8449 or email at dlowell-britt@ecomotion.us

Mark Your Calendars: Increased interest in solar throughout California has given rise to new financing options, some available to homeowners for the first time in 2008. Solar Santa Monica invites interested residents, brokers and solar installers to attend a FREE panel discussion on solar loans and PPA’s (Power Purchase Agreements) featuring representatives from New Resource Bank, Sun Run and Helio Micro Utility. The program takes place on Monday, June 16, 2008 at 7 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room at the Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd. in Santa Monica. Seating is limited so call to reserve your place: (310) 458-4992. Source: EcoMotion for Solar Santa Monica

Yesterday Solar Santa Monica announced the Preferred Providers selected to support the City-sponsored program, now in its second year. Preferred Providers install solar photovoltaic (electricity) and solar thermal (hot water) systems for homes and businesses at agreed-upon, fixed prices. HelioPower was selected to provide residential installations along with three other firms.

“We’re very pleased to be selected for this program,” said Steve LoRusso, VP of Sales for HelioPower. “Santa Monica is taking the risk out of going solar by pre qualifying each solar energy installation company.”

Firms were selected based on experience, prices for a fixed-price system, responsiveness, reputation and demonstrated interest in the program. The price they will offer for a small solar system is approximately $540 to $1,200 less than last year as a result of this competition.

“We want to increase solar activity throughout the City by offering a free Solar Service to residents,” said Susan Munves, who heads up Solar Santa Monica for the City. “The Service includes a site visit by a staffer to discuss energy usage and solar potential, before the referral to the Preferred Provider is made.”
Solar Santa Monica’s kickoff was in January, 2007. Since then hundreds of people have become aware of solar through meetings, advertising, and community outreach. And the amount of solar capacity in the City has doubled. The long-term goal of the program is to help move Santa Monica to energy self-sustainability by 2020.