Category Archives: energy retrofitting

California rooftop solar decision remains on hold

The next voting meeting for the commission is set for Thursday but once again, the agenda does not include an item regarding the fate of a controversial Net Energy Metering proposal that — if passed in its current form — would make major changes to the way solar customers are compensated.

Under Net Energy Metering, or NEM, when a rooftop solar system generates more energy than the homeowner or business actually consumes, the excess can be sent back to the electric grid and customers receive credits on their bills.

Net Energy Metering tariff that included:

  • Altering how much solar customers are paid when they send power back to the grid. Instead of receiving the retail rate of electricity, they would get paid at the “actual avoided cost,” which is much lower.
  • Creating a “grid participation charge” of $8 per kilowatt on the solar systems of residential customers. The typical rooftop system is about 5 to 6 kilowatts so the charge would come to about $40 to $48 per month for San Diego Gas & Electric customers. The charge would not apply to commercial customers.
  • Establishing a $600 million Equity Fund to support clean energy and energy storage programs for low-income Californians. Disadvantaged households would be exempt from paying the grid participation charge.
  • Provide a 10-year payback period for customers who add energy storage to their solar systems.

Read more at: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/energy-green/story/2022-03-15/rooftop-solar-decision-remains-on-hold

Need a new roof? Get one while helping with Global Warming

We need to say goodbye to the trend of having dark roofs that not only attract and retain heat and raise ambient street temperatures, but lead to astronomical electricity bills because of the need to cool homes.”

University of NSW Professor Mattheos Santamouris, who has had an extensive career researching urban heat, said so-called “cool roofs” could decrease the energy consumption of uninsulated buildings by up to 50 per cent.

read entire article: https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/blistering-temperatures-dark-roofing-banned-on-sydney-s-urban-fringe-20210820-p58kma.html

How to Strengthen Your Home Against Earthquakes

In the greater San Diego area, the Rose Canyon Fault runs through the heart of the city and along the ocean, presenting a major seismic hazard to the region. The San Diego area’s large population, coupled with the seismic vulnerability of its older homes, buildings and infrastructure systems, put the region at risk of significant damage from earthquakes.

Older homes, especially those built before 1980, are more susceptible to earthquake damage because they were constructed before modern seismic building codes were put in place. According to U.S. Census data, more than 53 percent of the housing units in San Diego County fall into that category of being built before 1980 and could be in need of retrofitting.

With a 99 percent chance of at least one major earthquake striking anywhere in California in the next 30 years, there has never been a better time to take action to strengthen your home against earthquake damage. As renowned seismologist Lucy Jones once said on CNN, “The earthquake is inevitable, but the disaster is not. The disaster is what the earthquake does to human structures. We change those human structures, we can eliminate the disaster.”

For many homeowners, the value of their property and the equity they have in it represent the lion’s share of their savings and retirement nest egg. A simple, relatively inexpensive seismic retrofit can significantly reduce the chances of an older home falling completely off its foundation — perhaps resulting in a total loss — even in a moderate earthquake.

One of the key self-help elements in strengthening your home is seismic retrofitting, a process which can be straightforward and often not as expensive as homeowners might think. Depending on the type of retrofit needed, the work can usually be done in a couple of days, with costs ranging from $3,000 to $7,000. And importantly, as we continue the practice of social distancing, homeowners can remain inside their dwelling as workers do the job without entering the residence.

Read more at: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/opinion/commentary/story/2021-06-24/opinion-how-to-strengthen-your-home-against-earthquakes