Rebate rule chills sales of solar

Wow, in California it might cost too much to go solar, any makers out there get hit with this?

California homeowners are rejecting new rebates for solar power equipment, saying the state has made installing the rooftop panels far more costly than expected.

As a result, Public Utilities Commission reports show a decline of 78% in rebate requests in the first three months of this year, compared with last year, and the solar installation industry says it is threatened with collapse across much of California.

Alfred Cellier had plans to install a $17,000 solar system at his Rancho Palos Verdes home until he penciled out the cost of the new state requirements and decided against it.

The retired electronics engineer said he was all for solar power “because it’s green and the right thing to do, but I don’t want to be treated unfairly.”

Embarrassed state officials are scrambling to fix the problem.

..”The fact that some customers may find themselves paying higher electricity bills if they decide to install solar … is unfortunate and indeed perverse,” California PUC President Michael R. Peevey said in a recent letter to legislators.

..”It’s sort of a screw-up,” said solar advocate V. John White, executive director of the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technology in Sacramento.

Rebate rule chills sales of solar – Los Angeles Times – Link.

Solar projects:

• Create Teeny Tiny Solar Robots – Make: Video Podcast – Link.
• Solar Robot Instructions – Make: PDFcast – Link.
• HOW TO – Make a homemade solar water heater – Link.
• Make a solar cell in your kitchen – Link.
• $6 Solar fan – Link.
• Building a solar generator – Link.
• More solar projects – Link.