Why go solar?
March 13, 2015
Solar has come a long way since its first introduction to the mass market. Now it is more affordable than ever as new and innovative financing options emerge for homeowners.
When solar was first introduced to the U.S. market, it was seen as expensive and elite; and with good reason. As with any new technology, the cost of manufacturing and installing entirely new products was very high because there were few manufacturers, distributors and installation professionals. Thankfully, competition has changed the marketplace, making solar an accessible option for millions of homeowners and business owners. It's also a great investment in many California homes as it has been proven to lower utility bills and increase property values.
It isn't just the solar-related products that have improved over time. Since solar gained popularity and the demand has grown, public and private partnerships (like CaliforniaFIRST) have emerged to support the communities' needs. Renewable Funding, the program administrator of CaliforniaFIRST, pioneered the concept of Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE), an innovative program that provides upfront financing for energy efficiency, renewable energy and water efficiency improvements for your home or businessегand repayment plans through your property tax bill over the course of up to 25 years. Municipalities are well aware of the benefits the rapidly growing solar industry provides in their jurisdictions. Installing solar has become a way of not only relieving the financial burden of high energy bills, but also of supporting the community with quality jobs and reducing the impact each home has on the environment. And thanks to programs like CaliforniaFIRST, financing solar has never been easier. There are still, however, a lot of misunderstandings about solar and the financing programs that make them affordable for homeowners. It is our goal to make solar technology financially accessible and easy to install. Before PACE, solar was seen as unaffordable and often a luxury. But with low-interest programs like CaliforniaFIRST where the assessment is levied on the property, solar is more viable than ever for millions of Californians. The benefits are well worth the expense, and with CaliforniaFIRST, a property owner can design an efficiency project and choose a repayment plan that could extend up to 25 years at competitive rates.