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Going Solar

By the Numbers

By Martha Ross

As concerns grow about global warming and rising fuel prices, solar panels are becoming an increasingly popular roof adornment on East Bay homes. While most communities are stepping up efforts to reduce the cost of installing solar power systems, some are clearly ahead of others.

477

Number of new homes in Danville, Pleasanton, and San Ramon with solar panels. The number of existing homes that went solar increased 74 percent between 2006 and 2007.

29

Number of megawatts that can be produced by solar power systems currently installed in the East Bay, enough to power 21,750 homes.

20,000

Cost in dollars for an average home to go solar, taking into account a $7,000 state rebate and a $2,000 federal tax credit.

290

Amount in dollars that Danville charges for a permit to install solar panels—the highest in the East Bay suburbs. This past year, the town reduced the fee from $850.

20

Number of years given to Berkeley residents to repay the city for lending them money to install solar panels on their homes, the first such program in the country.
This article appears in the July 2008 issue of Diablo Magazine

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