solar power

CPUC DELAYS ACTION ON CONTROVERSIAL ROOFTOP SOLAR RATE CHANGE

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: rooftop solar, CC via Bing

January 21, 2022 (San Diego) – The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) unveiled a proposal on December 13 that would take away most financial incentives for homeowners or businesses to install solar power.  But after backlash from outraged consumers and elected officials, the CPUC has postponed action.


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5 WAYS TO INCORPORATE SOLAR LIGHTING INTO YOUR EXTERIOR DESIGN

By Barb Ambrose

Photo:  source 

October 19, 2021 (San Diego) -- Sunny San Diego is the perfect spot to harness the sun’s power and light up your home’s exterior. Why go solar? Because solar lights are energy-efficient, economical, and free you from electrical outlets. They also add beauty while saving you money on your electric bill. Here are some ideas for using solar lighting to help your home’s exterior shine.


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WHY WAIT TO GO SOLAR? SOLAR EXPERIENCE SEPT. 7 IN RANCHO SAN DIEGO

By Megan Lacy
 
September 4, 2019 (Rancho San Diego) - Join your East County neighbors for a powerful Q&A with nationally certified energy practitioners and nonprofit experts to find out how you can go solar and secure the 30% federal tax credit in 2019 before it sunsets. Learn the latest technologies, how solar works, if solar will work for your home, battery storage and integration, available state and federal incentives and much more.

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SOLAR EXPERIENCE WITH THE EAST COUNTY CHAMBER SEPT. 25

By Miriam Raftery

September 4, 2019 (El Cajon) – You’re invited to join the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce at a “Solar Experience” lunch and learn on Sept. 25 from 12 to 1 p.m. at the Chamber’s Business Resource Center, 201 S. Magnolia Ave. in El Cajon.  


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THIRTY PERCENT FEDERAL TAX CREDIT FOR SOLAR SUNSETS AFTER 2019

Learn about key details to legally claim your tax credit next year

East County News Service

Image via Pixabay

August 2, 2019 (San Diego) - The solar investment tax credit has proven to be one of the most important federal policy mechanisms to incentivize clean energy in the United States and it is scheduled to sunset in the coming months. Those who have yet to go solar are now rushing to take advantage of this federal incentive before it reduces in 2020, then disappears shortly after.


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LAKE MORENA RESIDENTS ORGANIZE TO OPPOSE SOLAR FACILITY

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

May 26, 2019 (Lake Morena) – A petition signed by 301 area residents opposed to a Forefront Power’s proposed utility-scale solar energy facility in the Lake Morena area of Campo has been submitted to Supervisor Dianne Jacob this week.  


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REAL ESTATE REALITY: THE SOLAR REVOLUTION—INVESTING IN SUNSHINE

 

 

By Maryanne Jackson. Real Estate Broker CNE, CPRES.

March 13, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) -

Dear Maryanne,

My spouse and I will be getting a substantial refund this year from our income taxes.

We both agree that the refund should go into improving our home. We really want to install a solar system. Is this an improvement that would get us a good return on our investment?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

--Jannine S. Crest, CA.


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SYRIAN REFUGEES AND MILITARY VETERANS JOIN GROWING SOLAR INDUSTRY

 

Refugee uses GRID training to launch his own solar installation company; other trainees meet top solar employers at graduation ceremony 

Source: Grid Alternatives San Diego

October 11, 2017 (San Diego) -- This month, GRID Alternatives San Diego, an affiliate of America’s largest nonprofit solar installer GRID Alternatives, introduced Syrian refugees and military veterans to the multi-billion-dollar solar industry through its Solar Installation Training Program. Attendees at the program graduation included refugee and long-time GRID volunteer Mohamed Hauter, who recently launched his own solar installation company and now employs several graduates of GRID’s training program.


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BOULEVARD CONSIDERS IMPACTS OF FUTURE GREEN ENERGY PROJECTS, INCLUDING REVIVAL OF EX-SOITEC SOLAR SITES

 

Two proposed solar projects have been revived under new owners

By Paul Kruze

Photo: Map shows site of Boulevard Solar, one of the two former Soitec projects back in the planning pipeline.

September 22, 2017 (Boulevard) -- Boulevard, CA is a small rural community located about 50 miles east of downtown San Diego on Interstate 8,  nary half-an-hour to the Anza Borrego Desert State Park.  While residents – a mix of retired people and younger people who work in San Diego but want to experience rural living – are able to experience the best of both worlds, the stark realities of modern life do punctuate the overall quiet and serene quality of this hamlet.

This was apparent at the Sept. 7th meeting of the Boulevard Planning Group, where the dominant topic was the main threat to the area’s rural atmosphere – the development of alternative energy projects, including the revival of two former Soitec Solar projects now moving forward under new ownership.


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CLEAN ENERGY MILESTONE: 100,000TH PRIVATE SOLAR ARRAY CONNECTED TO SDG&E’S POWER GRID



 

More than 75 percent of new solar customers using “Fast Track” process

Source: SDG&E

December 6, 2016 (San Diego) - As of November 30, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has connected more than 100,000 private rooftop solar systems to its reliable power grid. This milestone comes as the company reports in November it connected 1,942 residential customer rooftops.


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SUPERVISORS APPROVE JACUMBA SOLAR POWER PLANT

 

By Gig Connaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

October 19, 2016 (Jacumba) - The County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a permit Wednesday to build a solar farm in Jacumba that could generate enough electricity to power 5,000 homes.

Proponents and County staff said the plant fit the guidelines of the County’s general plan, would help the region meet state goals of producing one-half of all electricity from renewable sources by 2030, and cut greenhouse gas emissions.


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READER’S EDITORIAL: BLM SHOULD FINALIZE WIND AND SOLAR LEASING RULE FOR PUBLIC LANDS

 

By Ryan Alexander, president, Taxpayers for Common Sense



September 19, 2016 (Washington D.C.) -- The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is expected to release its Wind and Solar Leasing Rule in the next few weeks.  The rule would create a system for competitive solar and wind energy development on federal lands. It would also establish megawatt (MW) capacity fees for wind and solar energy projects in order to capture a fair market value (FMV) and a fair return for taxpayers.  View the BLM proposal here.


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SDG&E INVENTION SAVES TIME, MONEY FOR NEW PRIVATE SOLAR CUSTOMERS

 

$3 million+Saved by customers installing solar panels

Source: SDG&E

April 24, 2016 (San Diego) -- Over the last eight months, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) says it has helped nearly 3,000 private solar customers collectively save more than $3 million on the costs to go solar. August 2015 was when SDG&E first announced its Renewable Meter Adapter invention, a technology that was developed as an alternative for expensive and time consuming electric panel upgrades that are often required to accommodate solar.


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BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS' SANTEE CLUBHOUSE TO RUN ON SOLAR POWER

 

East County News Service

April 8, 2016 (Santee) - The Boys and Girls Clubs of East County (BGCEC) has announced installation of a solar power system has been completed at its Santee clubhouse, 8820 Tamberly Way. San Diego-based Empowered Energy Solutions said its solar system costing $184,000 to install will save the Santee clubhouse $338,000 in utility costs over the next 10 years and $824,000 over the next 25 years.


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JOURNEY COMMUNITY CHURCH IN LA MESA COMPLETES SOLAR CONVERSION: WILL CUT NEARLY 80,000 POUNDS OF CARBON A YEAR

 

 

By Francine Phillips

 

January 4, 2016 (La Mesa) -- Journey Community Church in La Mesa is bringing new light this year to the community. This month Journey has completed one of the largest solar conversions in East County, San Diego. The church on Center Drive owns a seven-acre campus of buildings, including offices, meeting rooms, classrooms, a thrift store, and a food bank as well as commercial businesses that rent space. Overall, the 207 kilowatt system carbon reduction is the equivalent to 4,302 cars being removed from the road, 3,658,582 gallons of gas not being used, 26,484 trees being planted and could power 5,951 homes or 453,489 light bulbs.

 


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SOLAR POWER PROLIFERATES IN SAN DIEGO

 

By Leon Thompson

March 30, 2015 - (San Diego) - Dan Jacobson, Program Director for Environment California states,“San Diego is one of the country’s brightest stars when it comes to solar power.”

The results of a study done by the Environment California Research & Policy Center found San Diego ranks second in the nation overall in solar photovoltaic installations and fourth in the amount of megawatts of solar power generated per capita.


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SOLAR ROADWAYS MOVE CLOSER TO FEASIBILITY

 

By Miriam Raftery

April 15, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – In 2012, we reported on a potentially promising new technology to build roadways out of glass capable of producing solar power.


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THE NEW GREEN DEAL COMES TO SAN DIEGO

Mayor Filner announces major solar initiatives

By Hugh Moore, Treasurer, San Diego County Green Party

March, 8, 2013(San Diego) -- When Dr. Jill Stein ran on a platform for President of the U.S. calling for the New Green Deal , I doubt that she imagined her platform would be the newest initiative of the Mayor of San Diego or the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. San Diego having a long history of being more than a little to the right on the political spectrum a shift to the left would have seemed unlikely just a few months ago.

However, Mayor Bob Filner just announced his new solar initiative, planning to put solar panels on every city building within five years. And this is not the end of the initiative. Mayor Filner wants the whole County to become the leader in alternative energy production with a goal of ending up with all the power used in the County being produced by solar and other renewable sources. This initiative is being supported by two of the five San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Dianne Jacobs and Dave Roberts).


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SOITEC PROPOSAL FOR 1,400 ACRES OF SOLAR MEETS WITH OPPOSITION IN RURAL BOULEVARD

By Miriam Raftery

December 20, 2012 (Boulevard) –Soitec Solar has applied for amendments to the Boulevard Community Plan in order to build for commercial/industrial-scale solar projects totaling 8,938,000 square feet  (over 1,400 acres) of  concentrating solar PV. The “super modules”, each 30 feet tall, would track the sun to produce renewable energy.  The largest of the projects, Rugged Solar, is proposed for property owned by Hamann Companies of El Cajon.

At a meeting with county staff in Boulevard on December 18, about two dozen people braved cold and stormy weather to attend.  “None of the local property owners supported the projects,” Boulevard Planning Group Chair told ECM after the meeting.  “They were in shock when I distributed copies of the attached photos.”


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THE FUTURE OF THE SOLAR INDUSTRY

 
By Leon Dale Thompson
 
August 1, 2012 (San Francisco) -- The future for solar power is bright—based on the exciting innovations at the InterSolar North America conference for solar energy professionals. Consumers can also look forward to solar that’s more affordable than ever before, thanks to advances exhibited at the world’s largest trade show in the heart of North America’s biggest solar market.

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MEGA-MILLIONS LOTTO WINNER IN LAKESIDE REVEALS HOT PLANS

 

By Sonny Power

April 1, 2012 (Lakeside) – “It’s a miracle!” Milt Cyphert, co-founder of the East County Community Action Coalition and winner of the Mega-Millions Lotto told East County Magazine. Cyphert purchased the winning ticket while on vacation in the Midwest to escape the Sunrise Powerlink construction by his home in El Monte Valley.  

Asked what he plans to do with his new-found wealth, Cyphert grinned, then shared an exclusive news scoop. 

“We bought stock,” he revealed. “Now my wife, Laura, and I are the majority owners of Sempra Energy-- and SDG&E.”


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READER’S EDITORIAL: WHEN GOOD IS BAD

 

By Jim Bell

December 12, 2010 (San Diego)--Here we go again, justifying doing something bad to do something supposedly good.

 


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READY TO GO SOLAR? “ONE BLOCK OFF THE GRID” RETURNS TO SAN DIEGO , PARTNERS WITH HELIOPOWER TO OFFER GROUP DISCOUNTS FOR HOMEOWNERS

 

By Miriam Raftery

 

November 10, 2009 (San Diego) - One Block Off the Grid (1BOG), the nation’s largest solar buying collective, today announced launch of its second solar community buying campaign to help San Diego County homeowners and small business owners purchase solar energy at group discount rates of $5.29 per watt from now through February 12, 2010.

 


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