Example of California Friendly Landscaping

LADWP is increasing the cash rebate for switching from water-thirsty grass to California Friendly landscaping from $1.50 per square foot to $2.00 per square foot. With this rebate increase, homeowners can cover a significant part of their re-landscaping costs.

Start saving water and money today by visiting the California Friendly Program website.

SMA inverter with emergency back up power.

Yesterday we installed a state of the art SMA TL inverter with Emergency Backup power!

This allows for appliances to be used even when the power is out.

All you have to do is flip the switch below the inverter during a power outage and you’re free to use your refrigerator, coffee maker, cell phone charger or any other item in the house up to 1880 watts!

Check out our satisfied customer plugging in an appliance using solar power. As long as the sun is shining during a power blackout, you have power!

Client plugging in to power from her solar array.

We’re talking the green talk, but are we walking the green walk?

Unfortunately, not yet.  Well, maybe a little.

First, let’s take a look at the goals.

In Los Angeles, we’ve been tasked with generating 30% of energy from renewables by 2020.  According to LADWP, 39% of the utility’s power comes from coal, while less than 1% comes from solar.

On a macro level, CA is expected to be 33% renewable by 2020.  As of 2010, only 14.6% of generated electricity in the state was renewable.   Governor Brown will earn himself a name upgrade to Governor Green should he succeed in meeting this goal, but it’s looking unlikely.

Just 10 years away from our deadline, it’s obscene that a tiny fraction of our roofs are carpeted in solar in the “Golden State”.  There is enormous untapped potential in CA.  To unleash solar, drastic policy changes must occur, including inside the utilities where officials are slow to adapt.

The highly anticipated Feed-in Tariff program is a great start.  However, for a state using more than 59,000 MW at peak demand, the program’s pilot 10 MW is a drop in the bucket.

What good are mandates when policymakers are dragging in compliance?  We’ve elected these leaders expecting results.  It’s time to move.  The clock is ticking.

REMOVE THE 245

RESTART THE SOLAR PROGRAM NOW!

· Los Angeles-based solar companies and LADWP customers overwhelmingly want the solar incentive program (SIP) restarted on September 1, 2011.

· The revised LADWP solar program is a fair and workable plan that will allow Los Angeles-based solar businesses to continue selling and installing solar systems for Los Angeles homeowners and businesses.

· The lower proposed rebate levels extend the limited program funding allowing more solar systems to be installed. This enables a sustained solar business to flourish in Los Angeles.

· We have a lease product that works with the proposed program, now. This gives all consumers equal access to a solar powered home.

· The mega Solar leasing companies with huge overhead and overblown advertising budgets want to take a larger chunk of LADWP’s rebate money and spend it on fewer solar systems. This helps their profit margin, not the people of Los Angeles.

· Our employees want us to run a business that keeps them working. Los Angelinos are eager to invest in solar systems. Restarting the program now will maintain the health of local businesses, keep consumers happy and help LADWP meet its solar program goals.

· Any further program delays will cause more local jobs and income to be lost while we burn more coal.