Southern California Edison

Housing Authority of San Bernardino Marks Completion of Solar Power Installation Built by HelioPower to Benefit Low-Income Families with Free Solar Energy

Southern California Edison (SCE) awarded its first and largest Multifamily Affordable Solar Housing (MASH) Track 2 Grant of $1,840,000 to The Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino (HACSB) yesterday at a “70 & Solar” celebration.  The presentation took place at the Maplewood Homes affordable housing community, home to over 1100 residents.  The event focused attention on the innovative “green” project which incorporates solar retrofits atop 100 of the community’s rooftops, green job training and creation as well as ongoing solar production monitoring and green outreach.

65 residents, community members, and representatives of SCE, HACSB, San Bernardino city council members and HelioPower, the solar

Southern California Edison awarded its first and largest MASH Track 2 Grant ($1,840,000) to the Housing Authority of San Bernardino for the Maplewood Homes solar power system installed by HelioPower. From left to right: Maurice Camp (Project Manager, HACSB), Susan Benner (President/CEO, HACSB), Gustav Joslin (Chief Operating Officer, HACSB), Aileen Lagbao (SCE MASH Administrator), John Bogardt (Project Manager, HACSB), and Tom Millhoff (VP Business Development, HelioPower). Source: HACSB.

installation firm on the project, all gathered in the community center to applaud the completion of the “green” project and HACSB’s 70^th anniversary.  The celebration included the presentation of a $1,840,000 solar program rebate check by SCE to Susan Benner, HACSB’s President/CEO.

“We extend a warm welcome to the Housing Authority into the solar community,” said Aileen Lagbao, Program Manager, MASH & Solar Thermal for Southern California Edison, as she presented the grant check.

“The MASH Track 2 award has provided employment for our residents and local businesses.  Families at the site have also been learning about conservation measures including the benefits of solar power and conserving energy,” said Benner.

100% of the clean energy generated from the solar power system will benefit residents at this affordable housing community.  An average family at Maplewood Homes spends $572 annually on electricity. Community-wide the average cost saving from the solar power generated energy will be $166 per unit per year, or about 30%.

HACSCB worked with HelioPower in the development of the grant proposal, engineering and construction of the solar power system and development and delivery of the educational, training and Internet components of the program.  A solar and energy efficiency seminar was presented to residents as part of the program by Tom Millhoff, Vice President of Business Development at HelioPower.

“This is part of a larger more comprehensive strategy the Housing Authority is developing for energy management.  It’s our intention to reduce energy and water use across our housing portfolio, which today includes over 3,000 units of affordable, market rate and senior housing,” explained Benner.

This project is the first of many solar installations that the Housing Authority is pursuing to show its’ commitment to implementing green initiatives not only to increase sustainability and save energy, but also to provide employment opportunities for its residents in the growing green-building industry.  HelioPower hired two residents and one community member giving them the opportunity to learn a new trade and gain solar industry expertise.

The California Solar Initiative MASH Track 2 funds supported the installation of a 302 kilowatt (kW) DC solar photovoltaic facility at Maplewood Homes. The 100 solar power systems were engineered and installed by HelioPower.

The MASH Track 2 funds supported the installation of a 302 kilowatt (kW) DC solar photovoltaic facility on 98 residential homes and 2 community buildings at Maplewood Homes.  85% of the clean energy production will go to residents and 15% will be channeled through common area energy savings to help fund on-site employment.  The solar facility will offset over 1500 kilowatt hours (kWh) per unit annually.

Maplewood Homes is an affordable housing community located at 1738 West 9^th Street, San Bernardino, CA.  It was built in the late ‘40’s and has undergone several renovations.

“I lived here on 10^th street and played here as a child. The transformation at this community is marvelous,” said San Bernardino Councilmember, Rikke Van Johnson in his event presentation.  “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

HelioPower ‘s Tom Millhoff said, “HACSB’s demonstrated outstanding initiative, creativity and financial savvy in developing this solar project in conjunction with a major energy efficiency retrofit and property upgrades at the affordable housing community of Maplewood Homes.  The result is substantially improved living environment for residents, reduced living expenses, and a shining legacy that sets the ‘green standard’ for other Housing Authorities.”

If you received a letter and selection form recently mailed from Southern California Edison’s (SCE) to Net Energy Metered (NEM) customers, as required by AB 920, this information if for you.  On October 11, 2009, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Assembly Bill 920 (AB920 – Huffman – Solar and Wind Generation) into law.  This law addresses several aspects of renewable energy in California.  One provision of the law that directly affects SCE NEM customers is a requirement that SCE offer customers compensation for any net surplus electricity generated over a 12-month period.

AB 920 also requires that the California Public Utilities Commission set the compensation amount for surplus electricity by January 1, 2011.  The compensation amount will be used to pay eligible customers for net surplus electricity generated during their relevant period ending in 2011.  SCE will notify customers of the compensation amount as soon as it is established; then, they will have the option to either receive payment for their surplus electricity, or have the surplus electricity credited towards their electricity usage in their next relevant period.

Note that although SCE is automatically enrolling its NEM customers in the compensation option beginning with customer's next relevant period, customers have the option to end their current relevant period now and start a new relevant period for tracking their surplus energy.  To do this, SCE customers are encouraged to fill out the form which was mailed to them in January and return it to notify SCE of their choice.

When available, the revised NEM tariff will be posted online at: www.sce.com/schedulenem.

SCE is available to assist with any questions regarding these new options. Please feel free to contact SCE Customer Service:

Residential NEM Customers
(866) 701-7868

Business NEM Customers
(866) 701-7869  

California Solar Initiative (CSI) rebate levels have now moved to Step 4 for residential solar electric systems in the Southern California Edison territory. The Step 4 rebate is $1.90 per AC watt.
 
New CSI applications will be processed at the $1.90 rate. As an example, a 4.2 kW AC system (4,200 watts) would now receive a maximum rebate of $7,980. (Rebates are diminished slightly if the solar array is shady or not aimed in the optimal direction.)
 
The Step 4 rebate level will last until the capacity goals are met, most likely sometime next year. It's always better to work with your solar contractor to get a rebate reservation in sooner rather than later. Reservations may last up to one year.
 
The 30% uncapped federal tax credit still applies to the balance of the system cost after rebate.

Sources:
California Solar Initiative
Solar Santa Monica, June 2009 Newsletter

Nearly 200 people showed up in Redlands, Ca last night to hear Southern California Edison (SCE) representative, Javier Burgos, talk about the California Solar Initiative (CSI).  Called Homeowner Solar Information Sessions (HSIS), this SCE educational series about solar has been, according to Burgos, “our most successful outreach effort.” 

Along with the overview of the CSI program and its intention to jumpstart solar adoption in California and basics on solar technology, Burgos hit a sobering thought for those looking to the CSI program for a large rebate check this year. 

The EPBB or Expected Performance-based Buydown rebate incentive is a one time, lump sum, up-front payment which is currently at $2.20 per watt, or step 3 of the CSI program for residential customers.  That incentive paid in dollars per Watt is about to go down significantly said Burgos.  Step 4 is a reduction per Watt to $1.90. 

Solar power system in Redlands, CA installed by HelioPower

“In a typical 4 kW system the current rebate is worth $8,500 of a total average system cost of $34,000,” explained Burgos. As the incentive level drops that initial incentive would go down to $7,400 taking other factors into consideration.  “Now is the time to get your incentive in place,” he said, urging attendees to contact solar contractors now to insure the best returns on a solar power system.

In Burgos’ example, the same 4kW residential system would qualify for a 30% uncapped Federal Tax Credit of $7650, resulting in a nearly 50% reduced price of $17,850.

In a town of only 71,000 people solar in Redlands is a big deal. According to the Climate Action Task Force, a green visioning group organized by Mayor Jon Harrison and Chairwoman, Jan Hudson of The Inland Empire Labor-Management Cooperation Committee, Redlands has over 1 megawatt of solar installed.  795.675 kW was installed in 63 installations through the end of 2008.  In 2009 the city went over the one megawatt marker with the installation of 533 kW installed on the headquarters of ESRI, the city’s leading commercial enterprise. 

Burgos, who has been with SCE five years, is an entertaining and informative speaker, managing to make a pretty technical subject, solar power, humorous and engaging.  Upcoming  HSIS sessions include Santa Monica May 30 and Palm Springs, June 4.  For more information, click here.