rebates | Solar Forward

Panel Cleaning System

admin — Sat, 27 Jul 2013 01:04:21 +0000

This is a panel cleaning system we saw at Intersolar 2013. Your panels will be clean and shiny, but surprise surprise, it’s more expensive than the panel itself.And it has lots of moving parts so it probably won’t last as long as our 25 year warranty panels!

LADWP Increases California Friendly Residential Landscaping Rebate

admin — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 22:21:44 +0000

If this past weekend was any indication, we’re in for a scorcher of a summer. This means potable water will be an extremely precious resource and LADWP is incentivizing customers to conserve water through appropriate landscaping.

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.

Where is the Sun?

admin — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 06:11:00 +0000

The sun is not in the ground. It may not be obvious, but Solar energy requires no invasive surgery on our planet. Every day we look below the Earth’s surface for energy. Why are we drilling and fracking when we know there are huge environmental costs?

BP has spent over $10 Billion on Deep Water Horizon and the checks are still being written.

These are long term liabilities that cause us more then just financial harm. Pollution is preventable disease.

The adolescent failures of the solar industry have zero environmental impact. When Solyndra imploded it didn’t leave a pile of goo and almost kill off an entire ecosystem.

The sun is a clean billion year energy source. Unlike companies, the sun is not susceptible to failure. Solar companies may come and go, but they will not prevent the sun from shining or create an environmental tragedy.

Look up, the sun is shining in the sky.

LADWP is lost in the sun

admin — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 06:00:00 +0000

To LADWP,

RE; RES # 1065430

Muhl 13858 Weddington St

This job has been in the hands of LADWP since 2010. The job passed LADBS final in March 2011.

The paperwork has been lost by three departments at various stages and now it seems to be lost again. This seems to be an issue with jobs over 10 Kw.

We are willing to do anything possible to enable the completion of the ESR process but we can’t get anything done when there is a total lack of communication. We can not fax a 11×14 sheet and we have been advised in the past that 8 x 10’s are not acceptable. This paperwork was submitted and approved, for the second time in the spring. This would be the third review of the paperwork.

Andrew Hoesly has been attempting to resolve this for two weeks and has spent over 15 hours restarting an inspection request – after I was informed it was inspected five months ago.

The Muhl family deserves decent service and we are doing our best to provide it. I fail to see how a third submittal of the paperwork via fax, is going to resolve anything.

We need prompt email communication and confirmation that the requirements have been met. And we need cell phone numbers for inspectors that only return calls in the early morning – if they have time. This just drags things on for days, weeks or months.

The appearance is that there is no oversight and no concern for the time line that clients and contractors are forced to deal with.

I look forward to suggestions and a completion of this interconnection approval.

Sincerely,

Mark Smith

Solar, Bankers, Coal and a lease deal in LADWP land

admin — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 06:08:00 +0000

Solar Forward supports starting the LADWP solar program as it is proposed in two weeks – we all want a sustainable solar business in Los Angeles.

LA residents are eager to go solar but are handcuffed by the rebate programs roller coaster ride.

Some greedy solar leasing companies want to take LADWP’s rebate money and move it to their bank account as fast as possible, as easily as possible. They are able get double dip on the tax breaks compared to the average consumer and the federal government ends up picking up the tab. Why do they want LADWP to pay for a cheaper solar system owned by an out of state banker?

The bottom line is the solar business will continue to be successful here in Los Angeles based on the solar program that LADWP has presented to the the people of Los Angeles.

We even recommended making the rebates 10% lower to stretch the funding even further and help avoid another shutdown.

Of course, everyone would like more money in the solar program but we know that the funding is limited at this time.

The real story is we can sell a leased solar system (with the new lower rebate levels) and still make it work! Sunpower has a great product! So the old school solar lease companies need to stop crying.

Please do not delay in restarting this solar program. It may not be perfect, but we feel that LADWP has made an honest attempt to improve and streamline the program and we can and will make it work.

Any hesitation today will delay the program by at least a month causing more local jobs and income to be lost – and the burning of more coal.

Solar Forward supports working with the proposed LADWP solar program – we have customers that are ready to go solar!

We need to start installing more solar systems in Los Angeles as soon as possible. The greedy bankers can work on a better financial product while we put people to work installing solar systems and stop burning coal.