Which City Will Run On Solar Power
The Foggy City of San Francisco?
It doesn’t seem like an ideal place to promote solar energy, but foggy San Francisco has come up with an ambitious plan to encourage businesses and homeowners to tap the sun’s power for their energy needs. The program announced Tuesday would offer companies and residents government-funded loans and rebates to offset the costs of installing solar panels, city officials said. Many states, including California, offer tax credits or rebates to encourage solar power, and some small utility companies provide financing incentives. San Francisco’s program may be the most ambitious because it couples refunds and loans.
Under San Francisco’s proposal, which must be approved by voters and legislators, businesses would be eligible for rebates of up to $10,000. Residents would receive $3,000 to $5,000 off the cost of installing solar panels depending on whether they use a local contractor and are working on property in a neighborhood near a power plant. About 660 homes and other buildings in San Francisco already have solar installations. Officials said they hope to bring the number up to 10,000 over the next decade by cutting property owners’ out-of-pocket costs by half, if not more.
