Tag Archives: solar

Storage may be a game changer for the grid

Posted on August 24, 2016 | Leave a comment

In a fast-developing industry teeming with technologies that promise to be the next big thing, energy storage appears to be the biggest.

Its supporters not only sing its praises but also tout what they say is its inevitability.

“We’re going to have 10 times as much energy storage on the grid by the end of this decade and that is going to impact every facet of the energy industry,” said Matt Roberts, executive director of the Energy Storage Association, an industry trade group.

But the electrical grid is a harsh taskmaster.

What is it?

Energy storage technology takes on a lot of different forms.

The most prominent is pumped hydro, in which water is pumped uphill behind dams and then released, with the ensuing rush of water generating power.

Pumped hydro is the biggest source of energy storage in the U.S., accounting for 96 percent of the industry’s total storage capacity.

But chemical storage — as in batteries — may be the source people are most familiar with, especially given the media attention that inevitably accompanies any announcement by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk.

Fed: VA and HUD hopes to expand solar

Posted on August 3, 2016 | Leave a comment

The Obama administration unveiled a plan Tuesday aimed at helping middle-class and low-income communities put solar panels on their roofs.

Homeowners could choose to harness electricity from the sun, buy energy-efficient water pumps and make other energy-saving upgrades at no cost upfront, eventually paying it back through their property tax bills.

Appraising energy-efficient and solar homes needs a qualified “green” appraiser and it is a USPAP violation for appraisers to accept appraisal assignments that they are not competent to appraise. Contact the appraisers at www.scappraisals.com known forerunners in green property appraisals.

While this type of clean-energy financing has existed for years, officials said backing by the federal Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Veterans Affairs should expand access to families who may not afford it otherwise.

The White House estimated the effort would bring solar power to about 250,000 middle-class and low-income homes by 2020.

“Solar panels are no longer for wealthy folks who live where the sun shines every day,” President Barack Obama said in a video message accompanying the announcement.

In recent years, technological advances have made it cheaper to install rooftop solar panels, Obama senior adviser Brian Deese said in a telephone briefing with reporters.

California Gov. Jerry Brown praised the effort, saying it would lead to more solar installations and energy-saving retrofits around the country.

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Seminar Explores Solar Home Real Estate Transactions

Posted on June 9, 2016 | Leave a comment

Rene Seabourne is one of the professionals that will be speaking at this event.

CSE is presenting a seminar on solar home sales for real estate professionals focusing on the realities of how solar may affect pricing and time on the market from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, June 13.

More than 79,000 single-family homes in the San Diego area, or approximately 10-15 percent, are outfitted with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, and the number continues to grow exponentially as solar contractors engage more customers with lease agreements. Known as solar leases or power purchase agreements, it’s a financing option typically offered with no upfront money and low-cost monthly payments while the solar installer or a third-party financing company owns the system. Nationwide, more than 70 percent of residential PV systems are sold this way.

While research conducted by CSE in 2015 shows leased solar has a minimal impact on home sales, either in terms of pricing or time on the market, buyers are often skeptical and unsure about how the lease agreement will transferred or bought out. The study showed that real estate agents play a key role in educating buyers about solar leases.

The real estate seminar will feature a panel of local and nationally recognized industry experts presenting on solar home valuations and real estate transactions in the San Diego area. Speakers will include experts on real estate sales, solar adoption, real estate appraisals, green building and financing – including solar loans and property assessed clean energy (PACE) loans.

Tag Archives: solar

Storage may be a game changer for the grid

Fed: VA and HUD hopes to expand solar

Seminar Explores Solar Home Real Estate Transactions

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