Rooftop Solar Systems in High Demand
Demand for rooftop solar systems reached a peak in September 2009 in Southern California. Southern California Edison utility receiving 547 applications for homes, businesses and apartment and condo complexes, according to the CPUC.
Combined applications for new solar installations received bySouthern California Edison, PG&E and SDG&E — through the California Solar Initiative program also hit a new high in the third quarter due to more generous federal income tax incentives that became available this year, a declining cost of solar systems and a consumer rush to buy solar systems before pending reductions in available rebates.
As of the end of September, the California Solar Initiative, which was enacted in 2007 to encourage development of solar power, resulted in the installation of 257 megawatts of new solar photovoltaic projects with capacity equal to about one half of an average coal- or gas-fired power plant, the commission said.
There are still 6,830 solar installations pending, which could create the capacity to generate an additional 141 megawatts in sun-produced power.
Rooftop Solar Installation
In August, the California Solar Initiative saw a 44 percent increase in residential applications from the previous record high in June. In comparing the cost of per watt of photovoltaic systems in the third quarter of 2009 compared with the third quarter of 2008, the commission found the cost of small systems had declined by 9 percent and the cost of large systems fell by 13 percent.
