Solar Spark

Carmel approves California FIRST clean energy financing.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Carmel-by-the-Sea is among the first wave of local cities considering a program that could make green energy affordable for all homeowners.

On Feb. 2, the council unanimously agreed to sign on to the California FIRST municipal finance program, a clean energy revolving fund that would allow residents and business owners to install solar panels and other renewable/efficient energy infrastructure on their properties for very little money down. Bond financing covers the upfront costs, and the bond is repaid through a property tax assessment.

For example, a homeowner who wants to install solar panels on the roof could pay for them over time in small increments on her property taxes, rather than plunking down $20,000-$30,000 at once.

"This effectively removes the largest barrier to clean energy that most homeowners face," explains Jason Burnett of Marina-based financing firm Burnett EcoEnergy, who is also a candidate for Carmel City Council.

Burnett's vision is to initiate the fund as a regional consortium, with participation by local cities and counties, and administrative support from the nonprofit Ecology Action. Last summer, the mayors of 10 local cities signed a letter to the county Board of Supervisors, expressing their support for a local clean energy revolving fund. Fourteen counties, including Santa Cruz and San Benito, are now part of the consortium, Burnett reports. Similar programs have been successful in Berkeley and other cities.

"I think that we finally have a large enough group and have a competitive grant before the California Energy Commission (CEC) to cover the upfront costs," he writes by email."Let’s make Carmel a truly sustainable community because it’s the right thing to do, it’s what community wants, and because it will help in draw the next generation of visitors."