ENERGY SAVING TIPS
Looking for ways to save energy? Check out the top 8 energy efficiency tips that every homeowner should try. | Infographic by Sarah Gerrity, Energy Department. Updated January 2, 2014.
THE DOOR IS OPEN FOR PACE in ALAMEDA
One new and exciting opportunity for homeowners is now they can finance a Solar System through their property taxes! Now available in Alameda county and in most counties in the Bay Area the PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) program gives you the ability to finance certain energy upgrades to your home without having a credit check, no money down, and no banks. The payments will show up as another line on your property taxes and thus are 100% tax deductible! Also, if you decide to move down the road the payments will transfer to the new homeowner! This is a very exciting opportunity and a huge upsurge in Solar generation is expected to take place with more awareness on this financing program. Feel free to visit Californiafirst.org for more details and give us a call for FREE SOLAR ESTIMATE.
- No CREDIT CHECK
- NO Money DOWN
- NO Banks
Net Metering - What is it?
What is Net Metering? When your solar system generates energy it offsets the cost of your power usage through your utility company.
How it works:
When your system is generating more power than you use, it flows back into the utility grid making the meter ‘run backwards' and creating a possible credit to your account. When you use more energy than your system generates, you take energy from the utility grid. A specific meter will be installed to measure the energy used by your home.
Net Metering allows customers with solar systems to cut down on energy costs and can even zero out their rates. It also is a great way to measure your energy usage and performance stats of your solar system.
In the Bay Area, PG&E is the major energy provider. They currently provide two ways to apply Net Metering;
- Standard Rate Schedule: cost per kilowatt is a set number and will not change by time of day
- Time-of-Use Rate Schedule: cost per kilowatt varies by season per day. Peak Hours apply.
To read more about these schedules click here
With a Net Metering agreement with your utility company you can elect to receive a monthly bill for your net usage or ‘settle’ your account after a 12 month period.