A city rich in culture, art, music, and wine, Santa Rosa is an enchanting example of Californian charm. Santa Rosa is also sunny and bright for most of the year, making Santa Rosa a prime place to go solar!
And you wouldn’t be the first! The city of Santa Rosa has shown its commitment to solar power by installing a photovoltaic (PV) system to power their wastewater plant. By utilizing an incentive program through PG&E, they saved the city nearly 50% off the cost of the system!
In addition to city planning experts, this excitement for solar is also shared by many of your neighbors: in 2002, fewer than 50 properties installed solar panels. In 2016, however, that number jumped to nearly 700, with the total number of solar installations in the city topping 4,200!
*U.S. average price of electricity in February 2017.
**Santa Rosa electricity price after an average baseline usage in February 2017.
The types of local, state, and federal incentives that encouraged Santa Rosa to invest in solar for the water treatment plant are also available for residents and commercial properties.
This is great news, especially for residents who are currently spending 8.79c/kWh more on their electricity than the rest of America!
If you’d like to see how much investing in solar may save you in your area, take a look at our Solar Calculator.
If the cost of installing a solar system is daunting, make sure to check on what local, state, and federal rebates and incentives are offered in Santa Rosa.
Locally, the Clean Energy Advocate (CEA) program is available to all Sonoma County residents. A CEA will assess the energy requirements of a property in order to advise on how best to proceed with renewable energy options.
Solar Sonoma County is a website created to help local residents and business owners understand solar. This non-profit site explains the basics on how solar works, community updates, literature, and FAQ. If you’re new to solar in Santa Rosa, this is a great place to start. Take that knowledge and see how that fits into some available financing options. Download our Solar Guide for consolidated, convenient reference. The more you understand about solar power, the better you’ll know if solar is the right option for your property.
State and federal incentives include the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC). This allows homeowners to apply 30% of their solar purchase to their tax returns. This only applies if the property owner buys the system rather than lease or use PPAs (power purchase agreements). Check our financing page to look over the payment options currently available, or our California Solar Incentives and Rebates page for details on incentives specific to California.
Another excellent resource is the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE). On this site, property owners can research state and federal incentives. In addition to the ITC, there are numerous tax credits and rebates to offset the cost of a PV system
There is also the Property Assessed Clean Energy program (PACE). This program will help reimburse for solar installation costs by paying the property owner back through property taxes.
Another exciting option, Santa Rosa residents can sell their extra electricity back to the city! This is called “Net Metering.” If your solar panels produce more power than you need, the city will pay you for that electricity, generally with credits on your energy bill. Not every city offers this, but Santa Rosa does!
PG&E is actively promotes and incentivizes going solar. Customers can apply to PG&E’s net metering program directly on their site! By investing in solar through PG&E’s incentives, the electricity usage of Santa Rosa has dropped by 361,393 kWh!
Clean, renewable energy benefits individuals, their communities, and the planet. It’s certainly worth taking a closer look at whether or not solar is your best option. Fewer power outages, less frequent brown outs, and fresher air: it’s a win-win-win.
Santa Rosa sees the advantages of solar, and they offer the financial incentives to prove it. Solar energy has been established as reliable and profitable for so many in Santa Rosa. Use our solar calculator to see how you could save with solar, and download our guide for more information on how you can join the solar revolution!