SOLAR POWER GETS EXTRA HEAT IN CALIFORNIA

There are now 434 companies registered to install solar systems by the California Energy Commission, which installed just under 50 megawatts of solar electric generating capacity in 2006 (the most in a single year.) As reported in a January, 2007 article in The New York Times, the shift began in earnest

a year ago, when the state legislature approved the California Solar Initiative, one of the world's most ambitious solar programs. The law offers homeowners a rebate on top of the federal tax credit of up to $2,000 that has been available nationwide since 2006. The theory is that the 10-year, $3.2 billion program of rebates would stimulate development of solar installations. As planned, the program will stimulate installation of 3,000 megawatts of solar electrical generating capacity in the state over the next decade - equivalent to 30 natural gas fired power plants. According to The Times, other states are watching California's program closely with plans to modify their support.

Unlike the do-it-yourself tinkerers who once comprised much of the home photovoltaic market, current buyers are interested in basic service from companies like NextEnergy. This firm supplies homeowners with a package that includes system design, permit applications, rebate processing, installation, maintenance and warranty. Power companies are legally required to credit their customers for the excess power they produce. At the end of the year, credits for solar power added to the grid are applied against charges for power taken from it, "helping homeowners zero out their electricity bills," adds The Times.