Berkeley moves ahead with solar-financing program
BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA - The city of Berkeley has made a big step toward starting a pioneering program to provide city-backed loans to homeowners who install rooftop solar-electric systems.
The city council approved a new tax district that residents can join to finance solar energy systems through their property taxes.
Under the plan, the city will provide money for installation and material costs, which homeowners would pay back at a fixed rate over 20 years.
Residents would pay about $180 a month through their property tax bills for a typical $22,000 solar-electric system, but they should eventually recoup the money through lower electricity costs.
Next, Berkeley officials will select a lender to provide financing for the program. The city also plans to start holding workshops for interested homeowners.
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Saskatchewan to credit solar panel owners, but not as much as old program did
REGINA - Saskatchewan has unveiled a new program that credits electricity customers for generating their own solar power, but it won’t pay as much as an older program did or reimburse them with rebates for their costs to buy and install equipment.
The new net metering program takes effect Nov. 1, and customers will be able to use solar to offset their own power use at the retail rate.
But they will only get 7.5 cents per kilowatt hour credit on their bills for excess energy they put back into the grid, rather than the 14 cents in the previous program.
Dustin Duncan,…
