Clean energy firms choose summer solstice to promote solar power

The summer solstice this year as a transition in the seasons, could be a turning point for the solar energy industry as well. The summer solstice on June 21, the longest day of the year, was chosen by a California utility company to announce a $ 100 million campaign to promote installation of residential solar power systems. As Congress debates climate and energy legislation, the summer solstice is also being used by clean energy companies to inform the public about the benefits of solar energy.

Article Source: Clean energy firms choose summer solstice to promote solar power by Personal Money Store

Solar power soars on summer solstice

In PG & E's summer solstice announcement, the company said the $ 100 million tax equity fund is the largest solar leasing pool yet. The New York Times reports that a growing interest in clean energy financing is underscored by PG &E's summer solstice fund announcement. In January, PG & E created a $ 60 million tax-equity fund for a Silicon Valley company called SolarCity that also leases residential solar power systems. And in May, President Obama chose to deliver an address promoting the climate and energy bill at Solyndra, a clean energy company in northern California.

Free solar panels for your home

The $ 100 million fund announced on the summer solstice is expected to finance solar energy systems for 3,500 homes in Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts and New Jersey. The program essentially provides free solar panels for your home. Homeowners sign a power deal with SunRun that fixes the cost of their utility bills for up to 18 years, instead of paying up front for a solar energy system costing as much as $ 30,000. SunRun handles installation, retains ownership of the system and keeps it running.

Solar energy attitudes

Applied Materials is a clean energy company that also chose the summer solstice to publish a survey that says two-thirds of those living in the U.S. think more solar power should be used for American energy. MarketWatch reports that three-quarters of those interviewed in the survey said more renewable energy and less foreign oil should be top priorities for the U.S.. The representative sample of 1,000 American adults also found that 67 percent of Americans would be willing to pay more for their monthly utility bill if their utility company increased its use of renewable energy, and 49 percent would be willing to pay $ 5 or more each month for an increased amount of renewable energy.

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