Category Archives: energy savings

Solar firm study: Cost to install in San Diego reasonable

Posted on May 12, 2016 | Leave a comment

When it comes to the often sizable expense that homeowners face when it comes to installing solar panels, San Diego is holding its own among other regions in the state.

Will solar add value to your home? Contact the appraisers at www.scappraisals.com. Southern California’s forerunners in Green Property appraisals.

But if you’re thinking about pulling the trigger on a rooftop system, don’t be afraid to drive a hard bargain with an installer.

“There’s so much competition, there’s no reason not to get better deals,” said Ryan Willemsen, founder and CEO of the startup Solar to the People.

Based in San Diego, Solar to the People just released a study detailing the costs of residential solar in 12 regions across California.

The Central Coast region came in with the lowest average cost in the state at $16,212 and the Redding and Shasta/Cascades area had the highest at $20,698.

But Willemsen said the best way to determine a good deal is to look at the cost per kilowatt because it gives consumers a chance to evaluate the amount of energy production they’re getting per dollar.

“That allows for an apples to apples comparison of bids across installers, because installers almost never propose the exact same size systems,” Willemsen said.

By that measure, Redding and Shasta/Cascades turned in the lowest average, at $3,178 after incentives.

The state average per kilowatt was $3,395 and San Diego finished a few dollars below that figure —$3,378. Orange County averaged $3,430 while Los Angeles and Ventura counties averaged $3,537.

Overall, Willemsen said San Diego is “doing a pretty good job” when it comes to consumers getting a fair deal but he expects prices to drop.

After all, it’s estimated there are more than 100 solar contractors in the greater San Diego area.

“The California solar market is more mature and competitive than other states like New York,” Willemsen said in a telephone interview with the Union-Tribune. “San Diego is maybe the hottest solar market around.”

The Solar for the People study of installation costs did not include savings solar customers can get through net metering or the costs to lease a system.

“The company (that leases an installation) owns the panels and vacuums so they set up a monthly payment with the consumer that can be fluctuating,” Willemsen said. “It’s actually pretty complicated.”

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San Diego: County Program to help Homeowners Makeover Landscaping

Posted on May 7, 2016 | Leave a comment

drought

When newcomers to the San Diego County Water Authority’s WaterSmart landscaping program tackle the prospect of giving their yards a water-saving makeover, their first questions aren’t about what they should tear out and what they should plant instead. It turns out their first questions are much more basic. Primal, even.

Will drought tolerant landscaping add value to your home? Contact the appraisers at www.scappraisals.com

“Who can do this for me? Who can I hire? Can I really do this myself?” said Joni German, assistant water resources specialist for the San Diego County Water Authority. “I think people just don’t know where to start. They don’t know that there can be a well-defined planning process to evaluating their landscape, thinking about what they’ve got and what they want.”

While San Diego’s water-savings numbers rebounded in March after a backsliding February, the WaterSmart program is still all about getting residents started on the path to drought-friendly efficiency. And that path just got a whole lot easier to navigate.

In addition to the existing three-hour workshop and four-class series (both of which are free), the WaterSmart Landscaping Makeover menu now includes a new Video On Demand series. The 17 videos, most clocking in at 3 to 8 minutes, allow you to traverse the makeover thickets at your own speed and in your own time. They cover everything from drawing up a landscaping plan to picking plants, retooling your irrigation and dumping your turf for good.

Get this (garden) party started

You will find the video series on the water authority’s WaterSmart Landscape Makeover page (landscapemakeover.watersmartsd.org). There are two introductory videos, followed by a six-step program that starts with “Identify Your Landscape Target” (how much water do you want to save and what types of plants and irrigation systems will get you there) and ends with “Care for Your WaterSmart Landscape.” (Hint: There will be weeding.)

The videos are short, but they are packed with information, so binge-watching is not recommended. (Although if you can keep track of the “Game of Thrones” hierarchy, you can probably handle “Toss Your Turf” and “Irrigate Like a Pro” in one sitting. Clearly, you rule.)

If you want to dip your toes in the knowledge pool, start with the two introductory videos, “WaterSmart San Diego County” and “WaterSmart Course Overview.” The former guides you through the features of a water-saving design, and the latter briefs you on what to expect from the upcoming course. There are also reassuring reminders that you don’t have to re-do your whole yard to make a difference.

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Higher Water Rates Likely Due to Mandate

Posted on May 5, 2016 | Leave a comment

drought

This is the time of year when water utilities set their rates, which almost inevitably go up. But this year, the rate hikes are likely to be higher than usual, as water utilities cope with the unexpected impact of mandatory conservation on their budgets.

Will this effect the value of your home? Contact the appraisers at www.scappraisals.com for your value questions.

On April 12, Metropolitan’s board of directors is scheduled to vote on its prices for 2017 and 2018. These prices will be passed down to customers like the San Diego County Water Authority. In turn, the Water Authority sells to retail agencies that sell to the ultimate residential, business and agricultural customers.

The act of balancing supply, demand, expenses and revenues for this bucket brigade is complicated enough in normal times. But Gov. Jerry Brown’s 2015 order for an average 25 percent reduction in potable water user upset financial calculations.

In general, most costs of water utilities are fixed, and their revenues are tied to sales to varying degrees. Circumstances differ among agencies, but in many cases they can only make up the shortfall by dipping into reserves or raising rates even more than they otherwise would do. That doesn’t go over very well with customers, who may feel that they’re being punished for doing what they were asked to do.

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