Wrap up of January’s Solar Saturday: “Is Free Solar Really Free?”

On Saturday, January 14^th, 2012, California Green Designs, a locally owned and operated solar installer serving Los Angeles for over 25-years, held a seminar set to answer this question.  Daily radio ads in LA repeat a promise of “Free Solar” over and over and many people think it is a scam.  How can something that has cost tens of thousands of dollars in the recent past and that was thought to be only for the ‘rich’ all of a sudden become free?  It is a fair question.

“Considering the recent political accusations that special government loans and grants were given to failed companies such as Solyndra in return for campaign donations, now is a time for solar advocates to exhibit the highest possible integrity,” says Sevan Varteressian, owner of CA-Green.

At the seminar, Sales Manager, Dan Burtt shared examples and gave explanations that cleared up the inaccurate statements being made in the radio adds.  “Solar is not free – however, special financing programs enable people with good credit to have solar installed with no upfront fees; and as long as their solar payment is less than their utility payment, they can obtain solar without adding net cost.  In some cases, depending on the client’s situation, their net monthly costs will even go down by adding solar to their home. “  Dan finished with, “Make no mistake – it’s not free; but it is a savvy way to save money and the environment.”

California Green Designs is hosting a series of seminars on the Second Saturday of every month that are specifically designed to dispel rumors and myths about solar.  For more info on the next Solar Saturday, “Are Solar Rebates Still Available? Why 2012 is the year to take the plunge.” click here:  Solar Saturdays

Tags: alternative energy, energy, free, Los Angeles, radio ads, solar

New in 2012: Solar Saturdays

California Green Designs is proud to present Solar Saturdays a new series of free seminars hosted at California Green Designs offices in Tarzana the second Saturday of every month.

Saturday, January 14, 2012, 10:00 AM

Free Solar: “$0 Down Solar – Are the radio ads real, or is it a scam?”

Come to our Solar Saturday in SFV on Jan. 14 at 10am and find out what all talk about Free Solar, the frequent topic of solar ads flooding the air waves of California, are they real? Is there a catch?.

This is the first of our ongoing series of free seminars on solar.

The presentation will last around 45 minutes We’ll also provide some refreshments and set aside some time for Q & A, have question about solar? Our Energy Specialists are here to answer them.

Checkout our Facebook Event Page for more details, or call to RSVP at (818) 705 3474

Saturday, January 14, 2012, 10:00 AM

Free Solar: “$0 Down Solar – Are the radio ads real, or is it a scam?”

California Green Designs

18226 Ventura Blvd, Tarzana, CA

We’re across the street from the Encino Library, the corner of Nestle and Ventura.

 

Read the Wrap Up

 Next Month: “Are there Still Solar Rebates in LA?”

Tags: free solar, lease, Los Angeles, SFV, solar electricity, Solar energy, solar power, solar saturdays, Tarzana, zero down

Season’s Greetings from all of us at California Green Designs

Wishing you a festive holiday season and a great 2012!

 

The office will be closed Monday, December 26th and Monday, January 2nd.

7 Reasons Why You Should Get a Solar Powered Charging Station for Your New Electric Car

1)    Reduce air pollution Energy and Transportation are the top two causes of air pollution.  Air pollution contributes to diseases including cancer and asthma.  It irritates our eyes, makes us feel tired throughout our day and gives us headaches.  2)    Gas prices at $5.00   Gas prices are still on the rise & Electricity rates climb at an average of 6 to 7% per year.  These two costs combined will increases an average family’s monthly expenses by more than $300 per month within the next few years.  Will you be able to afford this? 3)    Stop supporting foreign oil The greatest threat to US national security occurs when unfriendly nations can afford to fund attacks.  The greatest transfer of wealth in the history of mankind is from the US to the Middle East for oil – and it continues. Do your part; Power your car from here. 4)     High electric rates Californians have some of the highest electricity rates in the country, and they are currently on the rise.  The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power officials say the utility needs rate increases of at least 15 percent over the next three years. SCE is proposing a 7.2% increase in 2012 alone. And while the utility companies have started shifting towards cleaner sources of energy, the makeup still includes coal, nuclear, and natural gas. A solar electric system can give your car almost complete independence from these non-renewable forms of energy.   5)    You don’t need much power Even a small 2.5 kW system can keep the average drivers’ electric car all charged up, all year round. You may not even need to have the cash, look into leasing your solar electric system.  6)    Collect energy during the day, charge at night A solar electric system can generate electricity and then be “stored” on the grid, come home at night and power the car.  7)    The solar panels for your car don’t need to be on your garage They can be anywhere on your roof, you can have a car port, or even place the panels in your backyard. EV and PV, almost seems like a match made in Carbon Footprint Heaven.

Tags: carport, electric cars, Los Angeles, solar, solar power

Have you starting thinking about your taxes?

TAX TIME IS HERE – from a solar perspective anyway!

September is a month that always seems to go by fast – isn’t it?  It takes 6 to 10 weeks to maneuver the solar permitting and utility interconnect process; if you want to get a 2011 tax credit for your solar installation, now is time to ACT.

 

To make this even easier for you, from now until November 11^th, California Green Designs is offering 6-Months, SAME AS CASH on all Sunpower solar purchases along with other Great Financing Offers.

Tags: solar, solar benefits, tax credit, taxes

Join us this Weekend at the Los Angeles Home Show

Join California Green Designs this weekend at the LA Convention Center for the Los Angeles Home and Garden Show, now under new management, the show has blossomed and is now much more organized.

Come by and engage our experts on any and all questions solar. Prices on panels are down, the LADWP rebate may have finally stabilized, find out about solar energy production in fall, and why it’s so high. Don’t forget we now have a no money down lease option that actually is in favor of the homeowner.

Show Hours

• Friday, September 30             Noon-8pm
• Saturday, October 1               10am-6pm
• Sunday, October 2                  10am-5pm

Show Location

The Los Angeles Convention Center is located at 1201 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, California 90015

South Hall K

Admission is free and open to the public.

Visit losangeleshomeshow.net for more information.

Tags: alternative energy, home expo, Los Angeles, los angeles home show, solar expo, Solar Los Angeles

AltCar, the most Addicting Green Show in Los Angeles this Weekend

Join California Green Designs this weekend for AltCar in Santa Monica, California at the Civic Auditorium on Friday Sept. 30 and Saturday Oct. 1. We’ll be there showing off our solar wares, and ready to take all your questions about the new pricing for panels (they’ve dropped!) what’s happening with the solar rebate throughout Los Angeles, and how you can make a difference in your community by hosting a solar party.

You can also test drive the Leaf, Volt, Prius V, iMiEV, CT200h, HS250h, Camry Hybrid, and over a dozen other hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles, and  small cars (i.e. Smart Car).

Altcar is the most addicting green show in Los Angeles, the speakers and their topics are great, the attendance high and excited, and everything on display interesting and high quality. This is the show you don’t want to miss.

The event is free and open to the public!

Free Bike Valet.

Visit www.altcarexpo.com for more information.

Tags: Altcar, alternative energy, alternative transport, Santa Monica, solar, Solar Los Angeles

Be a Solar Advocate: Refer-a-Friend

Have you given any thought to Going Solar? Perhaps you’ve even gotten a few quotes, maybe even have a solar installation. We all want to see more people going solar, become one of our Solar Advocates and encourage your neighbors and friends to also consider what solar can do for them. If anyone signs up we’ll give you a generous referral fee.

Here’s 4 ways to Spread the Word

1. Host a Solar Party -  This is one of the best ways of spreading the news, host a solar party at your home, school, church anywhere you like. We’ll bring some wine and cheese, set everything up and print/email invitation, all you to do is invite everyone over, we’ll even give a check for $250 just for hosting. See below for more details.

2. Talk to your Friends and Neighbors  -  Why not spread your knowledge, and let your friends take advantage? If anyone signs up we’ll give you a generous referral fee.

3. Fan us on Facebook  - Show solar and us your support, and click Like.

4. Write us a Review  - Did you have a good experience with us? We’d love a review on Yelp or Find-Solar.org, or Both!

Solar Party Details

Invite your friends over and Host a Solar Party, learn more about Solar Energy, and earn a little money either for yourself or for your school, church or other venue.

Lease or buy? Roof or ground? What about shading? Spend the afternoon getting to know everything and anything involved in a solar installation from our Energy Consultants.

We’ll create an invitation, provide the wine and cheese and everything that comes with it from water, to silverware to tables and covers, etc…

Just for hosting a party, we will give you or the venue $250 (the party should ideally have a minimum of 5 interested parties attending).

PLUS for every sale generated from your party we will also give you or donate to the venue $1000.

Ready to set up your Solar Party? Call us at (818) 705 3474. Or email us at contact@ca-green.com.

Tags: Alternative, Los Angeles, party, solar, solar advocate, Solar energy, solar party

Solar Increases Home Sale Prices by $17,000

New research by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory finds that installing a residential solar energy system increases a home’s value by an average of $17,000 or $5,500/kW.

The study analyzed 72,000 California homes sold between 2000 and mid-2009, almost 2,000 of which had solar energy systems. It found that homes with solar sold for an average of $17,000 more than comparable non-solar homes.

Homes with solar power attracted higher offers from buyers who wanted to save money on utility bills and reduce their impact on the environment. The increase home sale prices was comparable to the average cost of system installation, and solar homeowners also enjoyed the benefit of dramatically lower electric bills.

Tags: home-prices, lease, Los Angeles, real-estate, sales, solar, solar lease

How to choose a Solar Contractor

California Green Designs is one of many solar installers in the solar installation market, we want to make sure you feel comfortably entrusting your home with us. This can be a tough decision, as you have to balance factors such as price, qualification and experience. Solar PV energy systems themselves are expensive, complex, and could even be dangerous if installed incorrectly – which is why you should use a licensed contractor with their own full time installation teams. Here are 5 things to look for in a solar contractor before investing in solar.

Researching your Solar Installer:

1. Do they have good references from other homeowners?

Word of mouth is priceless and references from past customers can be hugely important in selecting the right solar contractor. Ask them for referrals and do a background check. Also we recommend do a quick check with the BBB and make sure they have a high standing.

2. Is your Solar Installation Company Licensed and Bonded?

Is your Solar Contractor fully bonded and licensed by the State of California, if so, what is the status of the license and have any complaints been filed against the license holder. This information can also be obtained from the Contractor’s State License Board of the State of California.  Also make sure that your contractor has both a Contractor’s General and Professional Liability Insurance policy, and a performance bond (typically $100,000).

2. Has the Company been around for a while?

You’re going to be entering a relationship with your contractor, they should guarantee their work for ten years. If they haven’t been around for more than a couple, how can you be sure they will be around in 7 years time. Make sure your solar company has a long history in solar to back up their work. This is why it’s also important for the installer to do it’s own installation, and not hire a subcontractor. A sub may or may not have done many solar installations in the past, and this is someone who will be making holes in your roof and working with electricity.

4. Do they Provide you with a Free on Site Estimate?

Each solar electric system is unique. Differences in roof type, orientation, possible shading, electrical interconnection options and customer requirements mean that there isn’t a “one size fits all” solution to solar. A good contractor will not hesitate to offer you a Free Estimate and a custom solar proposal for your home. He or she will also take the time to answer all your questions about a solar pv system that is custom designed for your needs.

5. Read the Contract

Be sure to read the contract carefully,as questions and be especially mindful of a lease contract if you are leasing your solar pv system. Ask your solar contractor to explain lease terms thoroughly, go through other lease options, and make sure you understand the escalator clause and other lease terms. Also make sure buying the system doesn’t make more sense for your situation.

By doing your homework and comparing various contractors, you are more likely to hire an excellent solar company.

Tags: bbb, installers, lease, Los Angeles, referrals, solar