Saving Money by Going Green: Knowing Your State’s Incentives

Did you know that many states are now offering incentives to residents for energy-efficient upgrades to their home? To determine what’s available in your state, one great resource is the online Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (http://www.dsireuse.org). This website continuously updates their listings, so check it often to see what programs and rebates you can benefit from.

From the DSIRE homepage, click on your state for a comprehensive list of state policies and incentives. For any particular rebate, it’s important to consider the available details. Click on the name of the rebate program to review the specific terms, deadlines, and application procedures to make sure that you can get the most money back for your conservation investments.

With all of the incentives out there, choosing the best energy-efficiency investment decisions and green product purchases can be a challenge. Making sure to follow the correct steps in obtaining your rebate can also be overwhelming. Your local Green Irene Eco-Consultant is the perfect local resource to help you make sense of your state incentives and determine the best path for you to follow on the road to energy efficiency. Your Eco-Consultant can also introduce you to Green Irene’s full line of green products, including products that qualify for local rebates! For instance, there is currently a rebate available in Arizona and Nevada that offsets much of the cost of the low-flow shower head that Green Irene offers. Contact your Eco-Consultant today, and take advantage of your local energy-efficiency incentives while they last!

Cities That Help You Buy Solar Energy

Commentary: As you may know, it isn’t enough to purchase solar panels without cutting your energy use. In fact, if you do not cut your energy use first, your home solar system will in fact be more expensive. The way to cut your energy use is through energy efficiency and conservation practices, and that’s where Green Irene is ready to help. A Green Home Makeover will help you implement specific steps to begin saving energy and go green. Not only will you save money on reduced energy costs, but you it will also lead to a cheaper solar system in case you will be purchasing one. It will also help you Go GREEN in other ways by reducing waste, improving indoor air quality, and making better use of water. Find your Local Eco-Consultant today to get a Green Home Makeover!

Despite advances in technology, falling prices for raw materials and an ever-growing number of installations, solar PV panels are still not affordable for most families. Typical setups for even mid-sized homes can come in at well over $20,000 before rebates and incentives.

Fortunately, local, state and federal government agencies are continually adding programs that bring solar PV panels ever closer to affordability. Net metering programs allow you to sell excess electricty back to your utility. Many agencies offer rebates that cut from 30-50% off of the total cost of a system. The Obama Administration recently announced changes to the federal tax code that remove a cap on renewable energy tax credits. And, private companies have stepped into the fray offering a variety of innovative financing and group purchasing programs.

What’s next? Well, new loan programs are springing up (now in California, and hopefully elsewhere soon) that allow you to finance the full price of your solar installation and then pay it back (with interest) via your annual property tax payments.

Several cities are already out of the gate and running:

• Berkeley launched a pilot program in November with funding of $1.5M. The program sold out in NINE minutes, and 39 homeowners signed up. A bit of pent-up demand, perhaps?
• Palm Desert launched its program in August 2008 and has already funded over $7.5M in projects. The Palm Desert program is also open to energy efficiency projects and upgrades.
• San Diego and other California cities and counties in the planning phases.

How expensive are these loan programs? Interest rates for the programs launched so far are in the 7% range, which compares favorably with current home equity loan rates (if you can even get one).

The crazy oversubscription rates demonstrated by the Berkeley and Palm Desert programs clearly show that there’s huge demand out there, so we hope that more governments and companies step in to fill this need!

Excerpted from Low Impact Living.