Sun Light + Power News

Solar News


Sun Light + Power is pleased to announce that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has introduced a program of incentives for commercial or residential customers who install Solar Hot Water (SHW) systems.
The program, called The California Solar Initiative Thermal (CSIT) Program, is $305.8million in incentives for new solar thermal systems. The program uses $250 million in funds collected from gas rate payers (pursuant to Assembly Bill 1470), as well as $100.8million in funds collected from the existing CSI program, earmarked for solar thermal customers by Senate Bill 1, to provide incentives for new SWH systems in California.

The program aims to lower the cost of solar thermal systems by increasing the solar thermal market in California and increasing accessibility to information about the market. Projections from the CPUC foresee California residents who take advantage of the incentive program displacing 585million therms of gas use and 275.7million kWH of electricity by the year 2017. The program will also include energy efficiency audits that allow the system owner to see how they can make small changes to aid in conservation.

Follow these links to see how it applies to your system:
Commercial/Multi-Family System Incentives
Residential System Incentives

Crescent Park, the largest affordable housing solar installation in America
Nov/Dec 2009 – Solar Today by Mary Murtagh
Sun Light + Power was pleased to work with EAH, West Coast Contractors and architects Okamoto Saijo on Crescent Park in Richmond, CA. The project is the largest affordable housing solar installation in America.
[Read More...]

U.S. Solar Powered Affordable Housing
September 14, 2009 – “U.S. Solar Powered Affordable Housing,” Berkeley, EAH
Gary Gerber, President of Berkeley’s Sun Light + Power said: “I am honored and pleased that EAH chose Sun Light & Power to build America’s largest affordable housing solar project here at Crescent Park. Sun Light & Power’s engineering expertise and our 33 years of experience designing and installing solar systems made us a great match with EAH, who clearly recognize that solar electricity must play a pivotal role in providing the renewable energy this country needs to reduce our environmental impact and stabilize our future energy costs.”
[Read More...]

Sun Light + Power wins a 2009 Green Dot Award for Service
The Green Dot Awards received over 500 entries from 18 countries. The purpose of Green Dot is to reward those who practice excellence in environmental responsibility and to promote forward-thinking businesses that create environmentally friendly products or services, and to reward revolutionary green business plans and proposals. Sun Light + Power was recognized as the Winner in the Services category. Other noteable Winners included Parducci Wine Cellars in the Products category and Coca Cola Enterprises in the Entertainment & Culture category.

Sun Light + Power receives SunPower’s Intelegant Award
October 26, 2009
Sun Light + Power Receives SunPower’s Intelegant Award for an exemplary residential solar installation. The Intelegant, a combination of intelligent + elegant, project is located in the town of San Mateo, California. The award was presented at the Annual SunPower Dealer Conference on Monday. Accepting the award for Sun Light + Power were Gary Gerber (President), Martin Pedley (COO), Blake Gleason (Engineering Manager), and Eric Nyman (Sales Manager). The criterions for the award were an exemplary residential SunPower installation based on customer satisfaction, aesthetics of installation, and technical perfection of installation.

Cheap Hot Water? Just Add Sunshine.
January 28, 2010 – Wall Street Journal by Gwendolyn Bounds
Bill Banack doesn't fancy himself an environmental "fanatic," but his showers, dishwasher and washing machine all use renewable energy these days. The source: three slim solar panels perched atop his 2,200-square foot Hadley, Mass., home. They don't provide electricity—they send him heat for hot water. "I'm not belittling the green movement, but mostly we wanted to save money," says Mr. Banack, who now shuts off his gas boiler in the summer except during stretches of cloudy days. Mr. Banack estimates his heating-fuel bills have dropped at least 25% since adding the system, which cost about $6,000 after tax credits. "This is a form of independence," he says.
[Read More...]

Nonprofits find path to affordable clean energy
December 14, 2007 – by Elizabeth Browne, San Francisco Business Times
Bay Area nonprofits are rethinking their missions to include solar power. Churches, theaters and community centers are among the groups striving to cut their energy bills and make an impact on the environment through solar installations.
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Bay Area Performing Arts Group Going Green
February 25, 2008 – by Robert Hurwitt, Chronicle Theater Critic, San Francisco Chronicle
The Shotgun Players' Ashby Stage became the first theater in the Bay Area - and possibly in the nation - to convert to solar power. It's part of being a good neighbor in south Berkeley. "We address these issues in our art, but we wanted to find a way to pay them more than lip service."
[Read More...]

David Brower Center and Oxford Plaza win ABAG Award
The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) gave WRT | Solomon's David Brower Center and Oxford Plaza a 2009 "Building a Better Bay Area - Urban Design" award. The award is a new category in ABAG's Growing Smarter Together awards program, which is in its third year. The award was one of five given out this year by ABAG, which is a regional planning agency incorporating various local governments in California's San Francisco Bay Area. The David Brower Center and Oxford Plaza, a competition-winning design for downtown Berkeley, builds upon the inherent richness of the city with a combination of affordable housing, environmental education, and a venue for art and the arts community.
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After Six Decades of Slumber, Solar Water Heaters to Wake Up in California
January 22, 2010 – by Michael Kanellos
Will rebates ignite the market finally? And could it even help PV sales? The California PUC has approved a $350 million dollar program that will encourage state residents to install solar thermal water heaters. Homeowners will get up to $1,500 in rebates for swapping out their existing heaters for solar ones. Like the credits for installing photovoltaic systems, the rebates will diminish over time so start early. Commercial buildings and multifamily dwellings will also qualify for benefits. Solar thermal hot water heaters were big business in California in the 1920s and 1930s, particularly in Santa Monica, Berkeley, and Los Angeles. Approximately 75 percent of the homes in the U.S. could take advantage of solar technology, said Jane Davidson, a professor at the University of Minnesota and the director of the Solar Energy Laboratory.
[Read More...]

California to Subsidize Solar Water Heaters
January 22, 2010 – by Todd Woody, The New York Times
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Sun Light + Power Interviewed About Green Jobs
Read the interview with Sun Light & Power’s Eric & Heidi.
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Sun Light & Power wins Build It Green award
December 16, 2009 – by Robert Gammon
Berkeley-based Build It Green recognized some of the leaders in the world of green construction at an awards reception last week in downtown Oakland. The East Bay award winners included Berkeley-based Sun Light & Power, which has been doing solar installations since the late 1970s. "They've been a leader in solar power for thirty years," noted David Myers of Build It Green.
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Yun Lee is the newest Contributor to SolarPro Magazine
February/March 2010 – “Design and Engineering for Pitched-Roof PV Arrays” by Yun Lee, SolarPro
Yun Lee, Sr. Design Engineer at Sun Light & Power, joins Engineering Manager, Blake Gleason as a Contributor to SolarPro Magazine. Lee’s article is featured in the cover story. His article explains that with a systematic approach, it is possible to overcome pitched-roof PF monitoring design challenges to provide an efficient and cost-effective system that will perform well for decades.
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Gary Gerber is interviewed in AltenergyMag
October/November 2009 – “AltenergyMag Interview, Installing Solar Systems”
As a recognized solar industry pioneer, Gary is President of CALSEIA – the California Solar Energy Association, using his three decades of knowledge to grow the solar industry for all companies.
[Read More...]

Green Inc.: Do Green Jobs Create Greener Americans?
October 29, 2009 – by Liz Galst, GreenInc
Green-job training programs, designed to transition low-income workers to join the nascent clean-tech economy, may be churning out citizens with a higher environmental consciousness. Most “green job” training programs aim to teach low-income workers the job skills necessary to join the nascent clean-tech economy. “I’m getting greener,” declared one recent graduate of a San Francisco-area program that trains solar-panel technicians. Consider, for example, Wayne Gatlin, who graduated in the spring of 2008 from Solar Richmond, a San Francisco-area group that prepares low-income adults for jobs in California’s burgeoning solar industry. “I’m getting greener,” said Mr. Gatlin, who earns far more as a photovoltaics installer for the Berkeley-based Sun Light + Power than he did working security or selling shoes at an Adidas retail store. “These programs provide participants with a different understanding of what’s happening in their own back yard,” Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, the chief executive of Green for All, a national organization working to give low-income people access to the opportunities represented by the green economy Ms. Ellis-Lamkins said in an e-mail message. Green-job training programs allow “people to feel connected with something larger than themselves, and to directly change the face and future of their neighborhoods,” she said.
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B Stands for 'Benefit'
Continuing in its leadership, Sun Light + Power is proud to announce that we have become a Certified B Corporation ™. B Corporations are a new kind of corporate designation which uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. They are the foundation of a new sector of the economy that communicate with the amplified voice of other like-committed sustainable businesses. In this era where many are merely adding the word “green” to their names, Certified B Corporations must meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and most importantly, accountability. Sun Light + Power has met the stringent B Corporation performance standards as measured by our impact on our employees, suppliers, community, customers and the environment.
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Sun Light + Power's Engineering Manager, Blake Gleason, featured on the cover of SolarPro. 'Photovoltaic System Commissioning'
SolarPro Magazine, October/November 2009 -- System commissioning is a way to formalize quality control of installed PV systems and a process that ensures that systems are safe and high performing. Commissioning encourages integrators to be responsible....
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Sun Light + Power installation, 'Ironhorse at Central Station' featured in GreenPoint Showcase Tour
October 4, 2009 -- Sun Light + Power is proud to announce the inclusion of 'Ironhorse at Central Station' in this year's GreenPoint Showcase Tour co-hosted by Build It Green and KTVU Channel 2. The project features 153.92 kW of PV (832 Mitsubishi 185's, solar electric) and 32 Heliodyne Gobi 410's (1280 square feet solar thermal water heating) and earned 116 points on the GreenPoint scale. Building owner Bridge Housing, General Contractor J. H. Fitzmaurice, and David Baker + Associates Architects are also to be congratulated on this project which will provide 99 apartments for families earning up to 50 percent of area median income. 'Ironhorse' stands at the center of Central Station, an exciting reintegration of approximately 29 acres of unused industrial land into the surrounding residential neighborhood. .
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Solar Power and Your Business
September 18, 2009 -- LA Business Technology Examiner, by Lindsay Holloway. The California Legislature has been abuzz. Among the topics being discussed and voted on were several environmental issues, including the push for more solar power in California. Despite the impending concern for improving the economy's current state, legislators showed that the environment is still a top priority. One of solar adoption's biggest deterrents is the upfront installation costs. However, while costs for other energy sources continue to rise, experts say the costs for solar materials and installation are on the decline. "Since the 1970s when the solar energy market was virtually nonexistent, the industry has seen 100-fold price decreases," says Gary Gerber (President and founder of Sun Light + Power, Berkeley, CA), who's been in the industry for more than three decades...
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Solar-Powered, Affordable Housing Community Nears Completion
September 14, 2009 -- Solar Buzz. Richmond, California. Crescent Park is largest solar-powered affordable housing community in the America. Gary Gerber, President of Berkeley’s Sun Light + Power said: “I am honored and pleased that EAH chose Sun Light + Power to build America’s largest affordable housing solar project here at Crescent Park. Sun Light + Power’s engineering expertise and our 33 years of experience designing and installing solar systems made us a great match with EAH, who clearly recognize that solar electricity must play a pivotal role in providing the renewable energy this country needs to reduce our environmental impact and stabilize our future energy costs.” Further Sun Light + Power would like to commend general contractor, West Coast Contractor and Okamoto-Saijo Architects for their work on this outstanding project.
[Read More...]

Sun Light + Power shows Community Committment
September/October, 2009 -- Solar Today by Zoey Burrows. Sun Light + Power applauds the work of Solar Richmond, a solar training and placement program that offers skills and a new life to at-risk residents. Several graduates of the program have become installers at Sun Light + Power, including featured installer, Wayne Gatlin.
[Read More...]

Berkeley Bowl West Get PV
September/October, 2009 -- Solar Today -- Berkeley Bowl West, an extension of the iconic supermarket in Berkeley, CA, opened in July powered by a 111kW solar electric system installed by Sun Light + Power. Page 24.
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Plant Cafe 'Cooks Food with the Sun'
August 23, 2009 -- The San Francisco Chronicle recently spotlighted The Plant Cafe in its weekend review. In addition to a restaurant review, The Plant Cafe's solar array, a Sun Light + Power installation, was noted.
[Read More...]

Sun Light + Power Nominated for Green America's 'People's Choice Award'
August 6, 2009 -- Through the month of August, America is voting for the Green Business of the Year. Sun Light + Power has been formally nominated to receive the award. You can help by going to the Green America's nomination page and voting for Sun Light + Power.
[Vote Here]

Branson School Going Solar-Powered
August, 2009 -- The Branson School in Ross in Marin County, California will have a new solar energy system installed by Berkeley's Sun Light + Power; to produce 22,854 Kilowatt Hours per year. The campus is already high-tech, with a fully integrated, fiber optic and wireless network linking all academic classrooms, administrative, arts and athletic buildings to one another and to the internet. Sun Light + Power is installing an array of (138) SunPower 230 modules on the student commons and the science quad.
The building partners are Herrero Contractors as the general contractor. Allied Irish Bank is the construction lender. The architect for the job is Turnbull Griffin Haesloop of San Francisco.

Sun Light + Power listed as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America
Inc. Magazine, August 12, 2009 -- Sun Light + Power has once again made the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. With this accomplishment, Sun Light + Power joins the rarified company of enterprises that have appeared on the list multiple times, many of which have grown to become national icons. Inc. recognizes the creativity, dedication and hard work that have gone into building Sun Light + Power into what it is today.

Daylight Robbery
San Francisco Business Times, July 24-30, 2009 -- Solar Panels popular-with thieves. Enterprising thieves are snatching a a growing number of solar panels from Bay Area wineries, school, homes and municipal land, leaving solar installers scrambling to add theft deterrent measures to their systems.
[Read more...]

Bay Area Solar Installations (BASI) Report
BERKELEY July 15, 2009 -- New 2008 BASI Report finds continued strong solar growth in Bay Area Region in line with California Solar Incentive Goals (CSI). Over 31 Megawatts of solar photovoltaic (PV) were added in the Bay Area in 2008 representing 28% of state total and a 26% growth over 2007. In 163 Bay Area cities and 10 Bay area counties, 3,630 new installations were added representing 11% growth in the number of installations over 2007. Commenting on the news in the report, Gary Gerber, President of Sun Light + Power in Berkeley said: "This new Bay Area Solar Report is a key measure of the growth of solar in the Bay Area, providing energy independence for homes and businesses while reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases." The data tables and PDF report may be downloaded from the NorCal website.
[Read more...]

Berkeley Bowl West celebrates grand opening
BERKELEY, July 13, 2009 -- The new Berkeley Bowl West uses 636 solar panels installed by Sun Light + Power to produce 149,633 kWh of electricity per year. The solar-powered Berkeley Bowl West, an extension of the iconic Berkeley Bowl supermarket will have a grand opening as a new branch store on Monday, July 13 at 920 Heinz Street in Berkeley. The building's energy needs includes the lighting and extensive power demands from refrigeration and other electrical needs.
[Read more...]

Berkeley Bowl Opens Sister Location Powered by Solar Energy
July 13, 2009 -- Progressive Grocer. The new store, called Berkeley Bowl West, worked with local green design firm Sun Light + Power on the project. The Sharp 175 PV panels installed by Sun Light + Power are expected to generate 149,633 kilowatt-hours every year and eliminate 179,560 pounds of carbon dioxide that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere to power a facility of its size.
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Sun Light + Power Leads by Example
March 20, 2009 -- Matter Network - Green Technology and Sustainability News and Ideas News and ideas for a sustainable world. Sun Light + Power Goes Beyond Solar. There are companies that attempt to greenwash by giving lip service to their environmental practices. And then there are companies that are awash in truly green technology. Sun Light + Power is a great example of a company that has integrated clean technology and energy efficiency throughout its organization.
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Sun Light + Power Engineering Manager, Blake Gleason, authors article about electrical test equipment
SolarPro Magazine, February/March, 2009 -- Of the many tools you use to install and maintain a PV system, electrical test equipment may not be your first priority. But....
[Read more...]

Sun Light + Power helps LJ Kruse achieve LEED Status
BERKELEY, February 22, 2009 -- LJ Kruse applies for Platinum LEED status, citing solar panel installation as integral to their green commitment.
[Read more...]


SLP’s Gary Gerber Reelected to CALSEIA presidency
December, 2008 (California): Gary Gerber, co-founder and president of Sun Light + Power was reelected President of the California Solar Energy Industries Association (CALSEIA) for his second annual term.
Gary has been involved with CALSEIA since shortly after its formation in 1977. For the past two years he has been chairman of the Policy Committee, addressing:
• Issues related to determining the industry position on the many provisions of the California Solar Initiative (CSI) and the New Solar Homes Partnership (NSHP)
• The rate design and Time of Use policies,
• The shading calculations for the Estimated Performance Buy-down Program, and
• The federal Solar Tax Credit extension and the state Solar Thermal rebate program, among other activities.
• Most recently Gary has represented CALSEIA and small solar contractors in a meeting with the governor’s staff and the CPUC regarding improving the CSI; he has worked with the CALSEIA team in months of regular meetings with the CA state Fire Marshal regarding state-wide design guidelines; and has traveled to Washington DC to lobby for extension of the solar ITC and elimination of the residential $2,000 tax credit cap.

Gary feels that the major challenges facing CALSEIA and its members include:
• Continuing to improve the CSI, NSHP and EPBB rules and policies,
• Continuing to lobby for the federal Solar Tax Credit extension,
• Helping to create a viable feed-In tariff for California,
• Working with the State Fire Marshal on a statewide guideline for solar system design,
• Creating a CALSEIA-branded solar installer training program.

Bright days ahead for solar in California
Today the California Air Resources Board approved state standards that will push utilities there to use less fossil fuel for generating electricity. The express reason for the new, tougher anti-emissions regs: combat global warming.
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Marin leads Bay Area in use of solar energy
Marin has the highest number of solar energy systems per capita among the nine Bay Area counties, according to data from a new report on sun energy in the region.
[Read more...]

Berkeley Mayor Announces Plan To Make Solar Energy Financing Easier -
BERKELEY, Calif. Oct.23, 2007 (BCN) -- Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates today announced a plan for his city to be the first in the nation to allow property owners to pay for energy efficiency improvements and solar system installations as a long-term assessment on their individual property tax bills.
[Read more...]

San Francisco Food Bank - working to end hunger; now fed with green energy
The San Francisco Food Bank collects and distributes most of the food that local human service agencies use to fight hunger.
[Read more...]

Crescent Park is Largest, Solar-Powered, Affordable Housing Community in the U.S.
EAH Housing, a nonprofit affordable housing developer and manager based in San Rafael California, has announced the dedication of this, the largest affordable housing solar installation in the U.S. serving all 24 buildings and 378 family apartments for this large community on nearly 25 acres.
[Read more...]

GoSolarSF
NEW Solar Energy Incentive Program -- The City of San Francisco is offering residents and businesses new financial incentives to encourage them to install solar power on their properties. The incentive program, GoSolarSF, together with the California Solar Initiative (rebate program sponsored by the State of California), and federal tax credits, could equal half the cost (or more) of a solar power system installed in San Francisco.

Benefits
GoSolarSF offers residents up to $4,000, and businesses up to $10,000 to install solar power. Low-income residents can qualify for an additional $7,000. For the first year of the program, non-profit organizations and multi-unit, non-profit residential buildings can also qualify for substantial payments. San Francisco incentive payments will not be more than the net cost of a solar installation after federal and state incentives.

For Example

In San Francisco, a typical 2.5 kilowatt (kW) residential solar installation would cost about $25,000. Depending on the level of incentive, the cost of this system could be cut in half. Low-income residents could save 60% - 70% and pay between $7,000 and $10,000 for solar power. Businesses and non-profits could save well more than half the cost of their systems. Low-income residents and non-profit, multi-family residences may qualify for more.

Information
To find out more about GoSolarSF and how to apply for the program go to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or call (415) 554-3289. You may also contact a Sun Light + Power representative at (510) 845-2997 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

SLP Milestone
Installation Underway On Largest Solar Powered Affordable Housing Community -- On Tuesday, June 10, EAH Housing, a non-profit, affordable housing developer, dedicated what will become the largest solar-powered affordable housing community in the U.S., at Crescent Park in Richmond, Calif. Their Crescent Park community has been undergoing a complete renovation, including the installation of solar energy.
On hand were representatives of Sun Light + Power Company, installers of the solar energy systems, including president and CEO Gary Gerber, who delivered a memorable address outlining the vision and historical events that has led to the growth of renewable energy. Also on hand was City of Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin, a representative sent by the governor’s office, several parties involved in the development, design and construction aspects of the project, as well as numerous community residents, including those sitting on the project’s board of directors.
The 24-building, 378-unit complex will feature a 900 kiloWatt solar installation. The system will consist of 4,285 SunPower 210 Watt modules and 192 SunPower M Series inverters. The general contactor for the Crescent Park redevelopment is West Coast Contractors.

Energy Award to San Francisco Zen Center
December 12, 2008 (Berkeley, CA): San Francisco Zen Center has earned an “Energy Oscar” for its efforts to use renewable energy. As part of its efforts, the center utilizes a photovoltaic system designed and installed by Sun Light + Power. The award was one of several presented by California Interfaith Power & Light (CIPL) to its member organizations. The CIPL unites almost 500 congregations statewide who are dedicated to addressing global warming within the faith community. Since its founding in 2001, CIPL has mobilized religious support for landmark legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in California, educated hundreds of thousands of congregants, and worked with every major religious denomination in the state. CIPL member congregations have reduced CO2 emissions in their own houses of worship by over 20 million pounds.

In August 2005, Sun Light + Power (SLP) completed the design and installation of a photovoltaic (PV) system that would provide significant energy but not disrupt the building’s original architecture, as designed by Julia Morgan in 1922. Mounting brackets to support the PV modules were installed close to the roof, so that the profile of the array is not visible from the ground and does not contrast drastically with the historical architectural style of the building. Power is provided by 120 Sharp 175-Watt modules and three Sunny Boy 6000 Inverters producing 21 kilowatts of peak power
As of March 2007, the system had produced over 400,000 kWh of electricity and offset the release of over 499,000 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

CIPL: http://www.interfaithpower.org/
Zen Center: http://www.sfzc.org/zc/display.asp?catid=1,5&pageid=1