New laws increase solar availability

A new law signed into effect at the beginning of the year allows consumers to take advantage of solar panel energy, even if they do not have solar panels on their property.

Existing California law requires publicly-owned electric utility companies to finance solar initiative programs that further the state's goal of installing 3,000 megawatts of photovoltic solar energy in the state.

According to California Assembly Bill 1947, authored by Paul Fong and Brian Jones and passed in August, these utility companies can finance programs exempt from the same-premises program requirements, which allows residential and business customers to have access to electricity generated elsewhere by solar panels.

In other words, publicly-owned utility companies can lease out solar power produced on existing solar plants to individuals unable to install, for whatever reason, solar panels on their own roofs.

The bill is also intended to provide monetary incentives to electricity customers who want to make a switch to solar power.

Sea Bright Solar, a Redlands-based installer of solar panel, has done several installations in Redlands, according to Steven Sabel, the director of sales and marketing.

"There is a big push on the local government level to create a clean source of renewable energy," said Sabel.

To install solar panels, Sea Bright Solar first does an energy analysis of a home, and designs their system based on

the resident's annual use of electricity. The goal, Sabel said, is at the end of the year to have produced as much energy as the home has consumed.

Sabel added that in addition to city governments, many school districts have looked into installing solar panels, which takes advantage of the buildings' often-spacious roofs. Citrus Valley High School is one example of a local school that has installed solar panels.

"Most of us rely on solar power every single day without realizing it," said Sabel, adding that from solar calculators to the cell phone signals, solar power plays a large role in daily electricity use.

Yucaipa has already begun work on a solar canopy at the Community Park on Oak Glen Road. According to a news release from the city, "the system will provide solar energy to the Community Center as well as the ball field lights, reducing energy costs to the city and the carbon footprint of the associated facilities."

The city obtained funding through a rebate from the State California Solar Initiative Program, funded by Southern California Edison, as well as an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The Redlands City Council recently approved a contract to install a photovoltaic system at the Wastewater Treatment Plant, which used some of the same grants as Yucaipa's project.

Interested parties should contact their current electricity provider to find out if they can participate in the solar energy programs.

"As long as the sun is still burning, we're in good shape," Sabel said.

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