The LADWP Board of Governors met this morning to review proposed modifications to the LADWP Solar Incentive program scheduled to take effect on November 1st. Despite the remote San Pedro location, the meeting drew a strong and vocal turnout of stakeholders opposed to cutbacks to the solar rebate. Speakers include representatives of the Sierra Club, neighborhood councils, and solar companies.
After considering speaker comments the Board asked DWP officials to delay the November 1st solar rebate cut by 30-days to allow for more public input.
I had the opportunity to speak at the meeting — and invited LADWP representative Aram Benyamin to participate in our upcoming Solar Workshop at epOxyGreen in Venice this Thursday to hear firsthand from Westside homeowners and businesses who are counting on the solar rebate. Mr. Benyamin confirmed that an LADWP representative will attend the workshop to take questions about the proposed solar rebate cutbacks.
Mr. Benyamin informed the Board that solar panel prices have dropped significantly and that installers are not passing those costs on to homeowners — and said the proposed changes would slow down the solar rebate program until prices drop further for homeowners. Our experience at Open Neighborhoods is that solar installation prices have in fact dropped significantly — and Los Angeles now has one of the lowest costs of solar installations in the nation, with fully-installed solar panels available for under $5/Watt before incentives through our community program. By comparison, the Wall Street Journal reports a statewide average of $7.15/Watt for solar installations before incentives are applied.
The LADWP solar rebate program is becoming a successful model for helping the LA community make the transition to clean, renewable energy while bringing down the cost of solar installations. Rather than slowing down or cutting back the program, the solar program should be expanded to include solar installation for affordable housing projects — which would otherwise lose $1 million per year in allocated funding under the proposed changes.
Numerous solar companies spoke at the event and indicated that cutbacks to the solar rebate program would threaten their business in LADWP service territory, and ultimately reduce the number of affordable solar programs available to LADWP ratepayers. LADWP can best keep solar prices down in Los Angeles by continuing the solar rebate program and leading the nation in affordability of solar installations.
Come to the solar workshop this Thursday to voice your input on whether LADWP should cut the solar rebate program. With the current rebates, many commercial and home owners can go solar with zero down and receive immediate savings on their utility bill through the popular solar leasing option.
Thursday’s Community Solar Workshop is open to the public and will be be held at epOxyGreen eco-design showroom located at Venice/Lincoln Blvd.
Participants will also learn from local experts about solar rebates including a discussion on recent changes and understand affordable purchasing options. This community event is expected to attract both homeowners and commercial building owners, sustainable industry professionals and others interested in learning about their solar options. For those interested in attending it is recommended that you RSVP immediately!
Thursday, October 7th, 6pm-9pm epOxyGreen 2434 Lincoln Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90291 Hosted by Open Neighborhoods in partnership with Martifer Solar.
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