California Center for Sustainable Energy

In This Issue

New SDG&E Tariffs Available

Simplified Installer Eligibility Form Now Available

CSI Applications Robust in 2008

CSI Program Improvements Reduce Environmental Impact

SCE Issues Request for Proposals for Statewide CSI Single-Family Low-Income Program Manager

RD&D Program Manager Proposals due May 20, 2008

April CSI Public Forum Documents Posted Online

Trigger Tracker Snapshot for May 20, 2008

Call for Photos of CSI-Funded Solar Projects

Useful Links

California Center for Sustainable Energy

Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Southern California Edison

California Public Utilities Commission 

Go Solar California Web site

CSI Handbook

Greetings,

New SDG&E Tariffs Available

May 1, 2008--SDG&E has released a suite of new electricity tariffs for residential and commercial customers. Since net energy metering plays a significant role in a solar system's rate of return, the addition of these new options can make a significant impact on payback. Notably, the new commercial AL- TOU- DG-R tariff provides much lower demand charges in exchange for higher per kWh charges -- perfect for commercial systems where the system covers a substantial portion of the building's kWh consumption. On the residential side, changes have been made to the DR and DR- TOU, as well as the introduction of the new DR-SES specifically available for residences with solar energy systems.

>> click here for additional information on the tariffs.

CCSE will work with solar customers in SDG&E's territory to understand how solar interacts with these new tariffs.

Simplified Installer Eligibility Form Now Available

As a consumer protection and safety measure, eligible companies that install solar systems must be listed with the CSI Program Administrator in order to participate in the CSI Program. Eligibility must be renewed every year by March 31, along with any updates to previously reported information. Until now, the CSI Program Handbook directed solar installers to renew their eligibility through their regional CSI Program Administrator, while retailers of solar equipment used the California Energy Commission's form NSHP-4. To consolidate paperwork, CSI Program Administrators have adopted the same NSHP-4 form for solar installers.

>> click here for the form.

>> click here to send completed forms to the CEC and the Program Administrators.

CSI Applications Robust in 2008

CSI Program Administrators report robust demand for solar incentives in 2008, siting 40.7 MW of new applications in the first quarter alone. Of the 249.3 MW of project applications received by the CSI Program so far, 33.4 MW are fully installed, including 14.2 MW of projects completed in the first quarter of 2008. Last year, 19.2 MW of new solar energy was installed through the CSI program. The active applications in the California Solar Initiative are worth an estimated $649 million of solar incentive payments. One program administrator, PG&E, paid customers more than $23 million in CSI incentives from January to April 2008, exceeding the $21 million it paid in all of 2007.

>> click here to view these and other statistics from the CSI April Staff Progress Report.

CSI Program Improvements Reduce Environmental Impact

CSI Program Administrators are continuing to develop ways to simplify the interconnection process and reduce paper flow between the utilities and the hosts/applicants. Streamlining efforts and internal process improvements have reduced required CSI program application documents by 30 percent, the amount of paper by up to 57 percent, and the number of signatures by 50 percent. "The goal is not only to improve processing times, but also to reduce the environmental burden," stated PG&E Senior Manager Chuck Hornbrook. "We used to have checks come from our Sacramento office to San Francisco to be copied and sent to the applicants and hosts. Now, based on feedback from our customers, the checks are sent directly from Sacramento, decreasing the time the checks get to the applicant, reducing paper and reducing the carbon footprint of that check."

SCE Issues Request for Proposals for Statewide CSI Single-Family Low-Income Program Manager

April 16, 2008 -- Southern California Edison, on behalf of the California Solar Initiative, issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a statewide Program Manager for the $108 million Single-Family Low-Income Program. Proposals are due May 28, 2008.

>> click here to find the CSI Single-Family Low-Income Program Manager RFP.

RD&D Program Manager Proposals Due May 20, 2008

April 1, 2008 -- PG&E, on behalf of the California Solar Initiative, issued an RFP for a Program Manager for the CSI program's $50 million Research Development and Deployment Program. Proposals are due May 20, 2008.

>> click here to find the CSI RD&D Program Manager RFP.

April CSI Public Forum Documents Posted Online

>> click here for presentations and minutes from the April 2008 CSI Public Forum, hosted by SCE in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.

Trigger Tracker Snapshot for May 20, 2008

The California Solar Initiative Trigger Tracker provides an indicator of when the CSI incentive levels are expected to drop by showing the reservation and review status of all incentive classes. This snapshot compares the megawatts remaining in each step with the megawatts under review, so that users can estimate how close the incentives are to declining. When there are more megawatts under review than remaining in the step, then it may be probable that any new applications will be at the next (i.e. LOWER) incentive step level.

>> click here to view today’s Statewide Trigger Tracker

Call for Photos of CSI-Funded Solar Projects

This month's featured installation comes from FedEx Freight's Whittier facility, a 236- kW system installed by BP Solar. Representatives from SCE attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 22, 2008, with keynote speakers Doug Duncan, president and chief executive officer of FedEx Freight Corp., and Tom Markin, vice president, government & public affairs-West for BP Solar.

Calling solar shutterbugs! The CSI program is seeking photos of solar systems installed under the CSI program, which may be used in future newsletters or other CSI-related publicity. When submitting your solar PV system photos, please provide the following: name of photographer; name of installer, seller or system owner; system size and location; and full permission to use photo in CSI-related publicity.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to submit your CSI-funded solar system photos.

Mark Your Calendar

PA Trainings and Workshops

Southern California Edison Installer Training
May 28, 2008
8:00 a.m. - noon

6090 Irwindale Ave.
Irwindale, CA 91702

To register, please call: (800) 336-2822 ext. 42537

>> click here for maps and directions.

PG&E Monthly Installer Workshop
June 20, 2008
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

851 Howard St.
San Francisco, CA

>> click here to register.

>> click here for maps and directions.

CCSE Monthly Solar for Homeowners Workshop
May 29, 2008
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

8690 Balboa Ave., Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92123

>> click here to register.

>> click here for maps and directions.

Special Event

4th Germany California Solar Day in San Francisco
May 27, 2008

San Francisco, CA

>> click here to register.

Solar Power 2008
October 13-16, 2008
San Diego, CA

>> Solar Power 2008

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CCSE | PG&E | SCE | ©2008 California Solar Initiative