Solar Developers Install Solar Panels On Roofs Of Others

Many businesses and homeowners cannot afford the upfront cost required to purchase a solar electric system. However, solar developers are installing solar systems on the roofs of others if the building owner agrees to a 10 year contract to purchase the electricity generated from the solar panels.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/
20061022/news_1b22solar.html

California PUC Approves Solar Power Incentives - $3 Billion

This year, California homeowners will be eligible for a $2.80 rebate for each watt of capacity installed. Installation of a typical 2,500-watt system costing $20,000 would receive a $7,000 rebate. The rebate amount will decrease about 10 percent annually over 11 years. The smaller rebate amounts are expected to be offset by falling solar costs. The rebate drops to 25 cents per watt by 2016.

More details are available at the following link:
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/01/13/
news/state/15_04_491_12_06.txt

SDGE to Buy and Distribute Solar Generated Electricity

The project with Sterling Energy Systems will be built in Imperial County and will initially generate up to 300 MW of electric power. See article in:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20050908-9999-1b8solar.html

Plug-In Hybrid Cars Provide Alternative

A standard hybrid car has an electric engine powered by batteries and an optimized on-board gasoline engine. The only source of electricity for charging the batteries is the gasoline engine. In a plug-in hybrid vehicle, an additional source for electricity for charging the batteries may be an AC wall plug while the vehicle is parked in the owner's garage, or a solar panel on the roof.
See article at:
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/08/14/
business/news/81305180123.txt

The government will be cool to plug-in hybrid cars because the current highway financing scheme is based on gasoline taxes. Additional energy paths for charging the batteries of a hybrid car bypass the gasoline tax.

Nevertheless, automobile manufacturers should be encouraged to add equipment allowing the use of additional electricity sources in hybrid cars.

California Wants A Million Solar Roofs

The California State Legislature is considering a "Million Solar Roofs" bill. The bill and its status can be found at the following link:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?
bill_number=sb_1&sess=CUR&house=S&author=murray

I hope this passes.

My Blog

I have been planning to set this up for a while. Lately, I have been looking at the issues related to the construction of a new hospital in Escondido California to replace Palomar Medical Center. See:
http://esco1.blogspot.com/