San Francisco Hits Solar Milestone with over 3,000 Installations
With 3,489 total solar installations, San Francisco’s solar capacity has quintupled in the last five years. This means the city of San Francisco has more solar capacity than 29 individual states!
Why are so many San Franciscans going solar?
“The culture of sustainability in San Francisco, coupled with new incentives and financing methods, has made it easier and more practical for our residents and businesses to go solar,” said Melanie Nutter, Director of the San Francisco Department of the Environment.
Simply put, many in San Francisco are going solar to save money and make a difference
Save Money: Solar helps residents and businesses save money by lowering their energy bills, increasing their property values, and buffering them from future utility rate increases. And now, solar is more affordable than ever: new financing methods, coupled with local, state, and federal incentives mean installing solar on your roof may require little or no money upfront.
Make a difference in San Francisco: Over 50% of our city’s greenhouse gas emissions come from buildings. By using clean energy at home and at work, we can make a big step toward reaching our greenhouse gas reduction goals, while growing the economy at the same time.
By investing in solar you:
- Help slow global warming
- Create market demand for new technology
- Contribute to the Bay Area’s green economy
- Help to keep San Francisco the Greenest City in North America, and a global leader in clean energy
Each solar installation makes our economy and environment more resilient. “Clean technologies like solar are proving that we can grow our economy while decreasing our carbon emissions and helping to ward off the worst effects of climate change,” said Nutter.
Take the next step
Here are three easy ways to get started on the path to a solar energy future.
- Estimate the financial return and environmental benefits of using solar energy on your home. Use SF Environment’s solar calculators to estimate the benefits of a solar electric system and a solar water heating system.
- Get bids from certified solar installers. First read more about selecting a solar electric and solar water heating installer. Then call to get bids on how much it will cost to put solar on your home. Note that you must use a GoSolarSF certified installer to use the local incentive for a solar electric system.
- Share with your friends. More than 3,000 San Franciscans have already installed solar, but we have the potential for so many more! Encourage friends and family to consider solar energy by sharing this page on Facebook or Twitter.
Photo: Luminalt
