Sold out in nine minutes

Berkeley’s program to finance solar systems through property tax assessments is off to great start 5

The city of Berkeley, Calif. is pioneering a program to help homeowners finance solar systems through property tax assessments. How’s that working out?

The first tranche of funds sold out in nine minutes.

And on Friday, the first two checks were handed out to proud owners of new solar systems. Meanwhile, we were able to tweak the federal tax code to ensure that program participants can still use the federal investment tax credit (thanks, Speaker Pelosi). And we are working with partners in eight states and counting to get enabling legislation on the books to allow more cities to replicate the model.

Note that this program can be set up to fund more than just solar electric.  Solar hot-water and energy-efficiency upgrades can and should be included as well.

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  1. amazingdrx Posted 2:08 pm
    02 Mar 2009

    How about?Solar cogeneration, hot water and PV electricty from the same panels?  And ground source heating/cooling, and community garden biogas/organic fertilizer.
    Yep, it will all fit this excellent model!  More great green news!!

    http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin
  2. Delay And Deny's avatar

    Delay And Deny Posted 3:05 pm
    02 Mar 2009

    Sub Prime Energy Loans

    There's no rush to go solar.
    Every month the technology is better, cheaper and more flexible.
    All Berkeley is doing is making people buy systems that are obsolete the minute they leave the showroom and pay top dollar for them to boot.
  3. archigeek Posted 2:04 am
    03 Mar 2009

    ^^^heads upGotta start sometime. I'd be all over this program if it were available in MO. Especially since Ameren UE decided to go ahead with a 9 BILLION USD addition to it's Callaway County nuke station. The less I have to pay UE, the better. Read it and weep.   <http://www.stlbeacon.org/missouri_issues/will_nuclear_power_expand_in_missouri_how_will_it_be_paid_for_>

    The mellotron is your friend.
  4. davidzet's avatar

    davidzet Posted 2:06 am
    04 Mar 2009

    sounds like a waste of money......if demand is so great, Berkeley should direct the $$ to other green projects that "need" subsidies.
  5. Adam Browning's avatar

    Adam Browning Posted 3:55 am
    04 Mar 2009

    no subsidiesdavezet, no city subsidies involved.  this is just a financing program.  no cost impact to anyone but program participants.  

    Get Some Sun: http://www.votesolar.org

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