Environment California recently released a study comparing adoption of solar among California cities. As expected, big cities, San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Jose (respectively) came in on top for total number of installed systems, and total installed capacity. Environment California also analyzed small and medium sized cities, and installations per capita. That’s where things get interesting.

Of the 170 municipalities in California with populations over 50,000, Santa Barbara ranks 9^th in number of solar installations per capita (0.81 installations per 100 people). While we don’t fair quite as well in installed capacity per capita (19^th), we are by far above average in both categories.

The other cities in our region that made the list are Ojai, ranked 12^th in the small cities category with almost four solar installations per 100 people, and Paso Robles ranked 7^th in the large town category with 0.17 installations per 100 people.

We give credit for this accomplishment to a combination of forward thinking individuals and good government policies.

Ever since the 1969 oil spill, Santa Barbara residents have recognized the importance of moving away from our dependence on fossil fuels for environmental and economic reasons. By installing solar, residents have stabilized their energy costs and those with electric vehicles have switched to fuel supplied by the sun for their transportation needs. We at CEC like to think that we might have helped some of those people make the decision to go solar with events like CEC's Earth Day Festival and Solar SUNday, and our publications like Get Started with Solar (PDF).

The City of Santa Barbara also deserves recognition. Not only has the City has installed solar on government facilities; they have also created a streamlined permitting process for rooftop solar, allowing homeowners to get a permit in less than an hour. Streamlined permitting creates certainty and reduces costs for solar. CEC is proud to have helped develop that process years ago and continues to work with the City on further improvements to the solar permitting process.

Read the full study (PDF) >

And a big thanks to Environment California for collecting and analyzing the data. We look forward to next year’s report.

The days are getting shorter, but it's still bright and sunny in the solar realm. Both the City and County of Santa Barbara are working to make it easier for residents to get permits for rooftop solar arrays.

As with any construction project, solar permits are required for homeowners and businesses that want to install solar panels on their roofs. Processing time varies widely depending on the city or county where the permit is granted.

A new, expedited solar permitting process makes solar installations go more smoothly for all parties involved. This improved system lowers regulatory barriers for local businesses and simplifies the process for homeowners. It reduces the amount of municipal staff time needed to process the permits. It also cuts the amount of time solar companies spend on the process, which brings down the cost of solar overall. Solar that costs less, paired with a hassle-free process, makes it easier for Santa Barbarans to generate clean, local and renewable energy for our region. It's a good deal for our local environmental and economic health.

The City of Santa Barbara has lead the way for years with an over-the-counter permitting process that is quicker than most other cities. The City has recently revised their guidelines to make them even more user-friendly. With a little nudging from CEC, the County of Santa Barbara recently stepped up as well. They rewrote their guidelines for residential rooftop solar permitting to expedite the process (read the new County process). A process that used to take 2 to 6 weeks will now only take 2 days. We applaud the elected officials and dedicated staff who made these changes possible.

Now, CEC is working with the other cities in Santa Barbara County to take a second look at their permitting processes, as well as encourage expedited permitting for commercial projects.

On August 9th, 2011 I saw the wheel on my electric service meter go backwards for the first time, and it was a wonderful, almost giddy feeling. Finally, my house was using the sun's rays to silently create the electricity I would be using to run the lights, appliances, computers, and other plug-in components of my life. I couldn't be happier.

I've followed the development of solar energy's capability to create electricity commercially for a long time. I was so disappointed in the early days to see that alternatives to oil and gas couldn't get the funding necessary to get started – that petroleum companies couldn't or wouldn't embrace the opportunity of being energy companies and fund the research and development of alternative energy sources themselves.

My life and my jobs kept me moving around from place to place for many years, but finally, 15 years ago, I settled down in Goleta and bought a house. I considered investing in solar panels from time to time through the years since then. The cost was the main obstacle, but I also needed to investigate my alternatives so I could make the best choice. I also had the nagging feeling that if I waited, the technology and therefore the cost would make it more affordable and efficient.

In the meantime, I've done what I could to live my life with the conservation of our natural resources in mind and to limit my contribution to waste and pollution. I drive my car (a Prius) as infrequently as possible, opting for biking and sharing rides and just not going to some events that require driving. I have rain barrels and a compost bin, a worm bin, and a community garden – the garden is shared with friends who can't have gardens of their own. I wash and reuse plastic zipped-locked bags and cut paper towels in half down the middle (something my Mother used to do). I hang my clothes to dry on a line in the backyard and on nifty clothes racks. My light bulbs are the energy efficient kind, of course, and my Christmas lights are LEDs. And I've finally trained myself to keep cloth bags in my car and with my bike and take them with me into the grocery store.

The Community Environmental Council's (CEC) Solarize Santa Barbara program came along at the same time that I decided that it was a good time to get out of one of my mutual fund investments. With the CEC taking on the hard work of choosing particular solar panel contractors to work with and negotiating reasonable costs and a rebate, it was obviously the time for me to get serious about installing solar panels. The process of signing up and getting an initial estimate was so easy. I was able to review the estimated costs and projected savings and talk to a representative from the REC Solar, the company that I was assigned to work with.

During this preliminary step, I pondered seriously whether installing solar panels was worth the cost and whether the projected 13-year payback period was a show-stopper. I was finally convinced that it was the right thing to do – good for the environment, a way to support the solar service companies, and a better investment for my money than the stock market. The immediate rebate and the Federal Tax Credit for solar installations also factored into my decision.

The installation process was trouble-free. Two very nice and experienced REC employees spent about a day and a half installing the racks, inverter unit, the panels, and the electric conduit from the panels to the inverter and then to my fuse box. Even though it was a foggy day when it was finally hooked up, the electric meter was going backward right before my eyes! It was a wonderful thing to see! I'm so glad the CEC's Solarize Santa Barbara program came along at the right time for me and that I was smart enough to take advantage of it.

CEC's annual Solar SUNday event is this weekend – Sunday, July 17, from 11 am to 4 pm at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Why should you add it to your calendar?

1. Tons of solar information, all in one spot.
   With energy prices continuing to rise, the time to go solar is now. You don't have to go hunting around Santa Barbara for the information you need. It all comes together for you at Solar SUNday. Attend a workshop, talk to some installers and ask the experts all your questions.
   
   
2. Electric vehicles are making an appearance.
   The new Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf will be at Solar SUNday. Some Santa Barbara residents are plugging their electric vehicles into their home solar panels and are driving on sunshine – imagine the possibilities!
   
   
3. Kids love this event.
   We're offering two art projects and a Chumash storyteller, who will be telling Sun Stories throughout the day.
   
   
4. Museum is FREE all day, and the butterflies are back!
   Admission to the Museum is free all day, thanks to the CEC and our sponsors. Solar SUNday is the perfect opportunity to visit the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History's "Butterflies Alive!" exhibit – one of the most popular exhibits. Visitors stroll through a beautiful atrium with more than 1,000 free-flying butterflies fluttering around.

CEC's Solar SUNday introduces our community to the resources and experts in Santa Barbara that can help make our buildings, and lives, healthier and prosperous.

RSVP to the event on Facebook...

Watch this video from Solar SUNday 2009:

Until recently, when homes and businesses with solar panels produced more electricity than they used, the surplus went back into the grid, with no compensation to the building’s owner. Home and business owners were essentially donating free power to the utility company - not the fairest situation.

Almost two years ago, the California legislature passed a bill, the California Solar Surplus Act (AB 920), that required the utilities to pay homeowners for any excess electricity generation or to credit the account for excess generation, just like cell phone “roll over” minutes. While the bill does not allow solar owners to become power plants for their neighborhoods, does allow them to reap all of the benefits from their investment. Even though the bill passed, the dollar amount that the utilities were required to pay had not been determined. This effectively put the program on hold.

Good news

Finally, that has changed. Last week, California electricity regulators decided upon a price of approximately 4 cents/kWh generated. That price may rise to 5.8 cents/kWh depending on the value of renewable energy credits and the establishment of a tracking mechanism for those credits. Now, families and businesses with solar have a financial incentive to be more efficient and use less electricity so they can get paid for excess generation. For the Duncan family, that means they would have received $22 for the extra 555 kWh they generated last year instead of receiving nothing at all.

A win for the clean energy movement

Homes and businesses can now contribute renewable energy into the grid and get credit for it. While the price is significantly lower than the retail cost of electricity, it represents an important milestone in California’s efforts to get 33% of our electricity from renewable resources.

This month marks our one year solar power anniversary. Am I still a happy solar camper? You betcha!

Based on my calculations from the last year, we generated 555 kWh more than what we used. That's right -- we generated an extra half a megawatt hour. In the previous year we consumed 8,561 kWh. The year before that, 9,260 and before that, 9,779 (so year over year our consumption was decreasing as we became more energy conscious). For more information on kWh check out: http://www.carbonlighthouse.com/2010/08/kwh-vs-kw/

Enough KWH... How much money did I save?

We saved $1,357 dollars in the last year on electricity. Yes, we "paid" less than 20 bucks for electricity for the entire year. ("Paid" because our last bill ended up becoming a credit so we've been working off that credit.) We're now down to -$117, i.e. at 2 bucks or less we might not be paying a bill for a long while.

And guess what? The California Assembly passed a bill which was signed in 2009 (AB920) where we're going to be paid BACK by the Electric company for that extra 555 kWh we generated. Yep, we're going to bill the electric company! We just got a letter this week saying they are trying to figure this out... so we're not running off to Vegas with our extra cash just yet.

Upfront and Ongoing Costs

Upfront cost was $29K. After a $6.5k rebate from SoCal Edison we paid $23K out of pocket. This year we filed for our energy tax credit, which went smooth as silk. A 30% credit on the cost of the panels and installation (after the rebate from SCE).

$29,000 (Upfront Cost) - $6,500 (SCE Rebate) - $7,000 (energy tax credit) = $16,100 end cost

And an important point is we own these panels. They are ours forever. If we move, we can take them with us. Also, since we own them, they are officially an asset and increase the value of the house a good deal (either when sold or if we ever rent it out).

The only future project cost is that the inverter (which converts the DC from the panels into AC for the house) will need to be replaced in 10 years or so. Currently those run a couple grand. Who knows how much they'll cost in 10 years - hopefully less given that there should be a high volume.

Lessons Learned

In the end, it looks like we may have over-provisioned (i.e. got too many panels). Our installer offered a number of options (14, 16, 18 panels, etc.) and great guidance, but in the end it was up to me and I erred on the side of over vs. under and picked 18.

The goal is not to generate more. Or even 100%. The goal is to generate 80-90%. To generate enough to keep you in Tier 1, or worse case, Tier 2. Look at my bills below. You can see that I actually was charged less during months when we didn't over generate (by a dollar... but still). And fewer panels means much faster ROI.

Other tidbits

• We got a recall notice from SunPower (the Solar Panel manufacture/provider) for an inverter. That freaked me out and so I contacted our installer and they were Johnny-on the-spot. They replied right back that it wasn't actually my inverter, that SunPower sent a blanket letter to everyone of their customers, no matter what inverter they had. And they gave me the tips to prove that to my own satisfaction.
• We continued to have a great relationship with our installer, Sun Pacific Solar Electric, Inc. These guys kept in touch, checking in every so often and responding very quickly to any questions I had. And their work has so far stood the test of time.
• Keeping the panels clean is a little bit of a chore. Given our semi-arid environment, with constant winds, the panels get dusty during the summer/fall. All it takes is a quick spray every couple weeks to clean them, but still a little bit of pain. (Lucky they are uber-easy for us to get at)'
• After a session of some heavy rain and serious winds, there's no leaks, drips or roof issues. Yeah! :)

Now some eye candy.

This is from the solar panel company for the past year. Kind of neat that you can watch how much you generate over the day/week/year. If you're a new solar panel owner, you hit this site about every 10 minutes or so! But once the blush wears off, we've been checking it out every couple weeks. And what's nice is that if "something happens" like a sudden drop off in generation, they will send an email to our installers to let them know something is up. Like a tree grows and begins to shadow the panels, etc.

Here's our electric bill from the year before our panels (2009-2010); And this past year (2010-2011);

(See where the months we didn't over generate we were actually charged less? I had to laugh at that...)

So in the end would I do it again? In a minute. Even with all the credits, savings, rebates, etc, payback is still 7-10 years, so they are not a short term investment. If you plan to keep the property, they will pay off nicely in the long term. Think about how great they would be when on a fixed income/retirement!

We've been nothing but happy and the future is looking even brighter...

Read more about the Duncan Family's solar installation on Greg's blog:

• Solar Panel Installation - We're cooking with Solar!
• Solar Panel Installation Update - The Two-Dollar Electric Bill
• Solar Panel Update - Solar Power in the Southern California Winter - the $1 electric bill
• Our year in the sun... with solar power... (Original version of this post)

For more information on how you can go solar this summer, read more about Solarize Santa Barbara.

Solarize Santa Barbara makes it easier and cheaper to go solar. CEC’s Solarize Santa Barbara is a new group-purchasing discount program for homeowners who want to go solar – kind of like a “Groupon” for solar panels. CEC does all the up-front work and makes it easy for you to go solar. When you participate in Solarize Santa Barbara, CEC will connect you with a pre-approved solar contractor who will give you a great value for a great solar power system.

Get started by attending an introductory workshop.

We’ll explain the benefits of buying in bulk with your neighbors, describe how to participate, and provide an introduction to the Solarize Santa Barbara program. Workshops will cover the basics of energy efficiency and solar, with plenty of time for you to ask questions.

Highlights include:

• Introduction to Energy Efficiency
• Basics of Solar Energy
• Financing Solar

RSVP on Facebook for the Santa Barbara Workshop and follow our Facebook Page for program updates.

On May 1, CEC is launching Solarize Santa Barbara – a group purchasing program that makes buying home solar power as easy and affordable as possible. This pilot program is modeled after similar successful programs in cities like Portland, Oregon (which has 60 days of sunshine annually compared to our 300). Solarize Santa Barbara will reduce challenges that keep homeowners from going solar – like finding a contractor, pricing the right system, and permitting.
It works like this: as a Santa Barbara home or property owner, you sign up to be in the group. CEC does all the hard work: vetting and selecting a qualified solar contractor who will offer a group discount on a pre-selected solar energy system, and throw in technical help to get your new solar panels permitted. In no time, you’re generating your own electricity from sunshine.

Time is limited for this pilot program. Sign up today at our Solarize Santa Barbara page, and keep up with us on Facebook. Download CEC’s guides to Going Solar and Solar Financing for helpful information about home solar.