Put up or shut up

Editor: The city of Healdsburg was quick to jump on the “In
favor of alternative energy sources green list” recently by
publicly declaring Healdburg as the 6th most Solar Powered city in
the U.S. (per capita) and growing. Solar power is a great concept.
It’s a very clean and renewable source of energy, and if we ever
put enough systems in place it is sure to lower our future needs
for additional power plants or retooling and upgrading existing
ones. However it is also one of the most expensive kilowatts per
hour system to install. It pencils out well for large commercial
uses but for most of us private citizens it is still very
expensive. Recently the federal government has stepped in with
rebates, incentives, as well as PG&E and the city of Healdsburg
which until now has followed their lead. Depending on your usage,
most private residents can expect a system to cost between $20,000
and $50,000. When incentives and rebates neared the 50 percent
factor I decided it was time to put up, do my part, and jump
in.
Before you make that same decision you may want to take a closer
look at some of our cities so called “pro-solar” city policies.
Nowhere in your required city Inter-commitment Agreement, does it
tell you that we alone are the sole Sonoma County city with a newly
adopted policy requiring you to not install any Solar panel within
three feet of you roof’s edge. This may sound like a good policy at
first but I assure you that it is extreme overkill and not
necessary. It is an enormous area to dedicate for fire safety,
ladder or man access or space to axe a release vent are poor
excuses and require far less space. For starters, this Healdsburg
only policy eliminates many Healdsburg residents from going solar
as it would not leave enough surface area to instal the average
number of solar panels needed to do the job. Even if you do have a
larger home with sufficient space it is most likely to cause you to
use less effective areas requiring more costly panels to be
installed or cause some serious tree trimming expenses to bring
more sunlight to your now reduced and less efficient areas.
Secondly no one will tell you that you will need to install a
newer and more expensive city meter. Although currently Healdsburg
will install one at no-charge on your request. Currently most used
meters do run backwards with any accuracy. It is fact that on
average they will record about 40 percent in error, not in your
favor of course. And then there is the billing policy, city policy
is to send you a monthly statement showing you where you stand. If
you produced more energy than used the balance is simply applied to
your next billing until the year’s end when you square up and start
over again next year. Stealing may be a better word, given the fact
that any excess energy you produce goes into the grid and is billed
to others for their use. I don’t say that the city should be forced
to pay our excess energy, but it would not cost them a dime to
carry over any excess energy to the following year as PG&E has
finally decided to do. True it is primarily because a recently
passed law says that starting in January of 2011 power companies
must compensate you for any excess energy you produce. That being
said even the long time anti-solar PG&E, has jumped on board.
It seems very odd that our (pro-solar) city has now decided NOT to
follow their lead as has been historically, and although it is
imminent they will have to do so very soon. Even so they currently
have no plans to compensate you for your excess energy nor do they
currently have it on an agenda for consideration. Given all the
above it is hard to see the Green or Pro solar the city was quick
to associate with and take credit for. To that I say if you have a
solar panel system or are planning to install one. It most likely
will cost you more if you live in Healdsburg. I would encourage you
to call the city, ask questions, and recommend they follow
PG&E’s lead. When it comes to city policies, or being pro
solar, I say put up or shut up.
Larry Biagi
Healdsburg