Opposition to commercial solar in the Morongo Basin has consistently been accompanied by support for rooftop solar on existing buildings. Dan Stork says there will be a local opportunity to learn how to do it, this month…
Third District Supervisor James Ramos has announced a free, public expo, “Solar Options for Homeowners,” on Saturday, April 26, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Joshua Tree Community Center, 6171 Sunburst Ave. in Joshua Tree. The Solar Options for Homeowners expo aims to bring area property owners together with solar power companies, contractors, installers, consultants, and lenders. According to a press release from Ramos’ office, plans for the expo came partly in response to a report from the Basin Energy Assessment Team and recent actions opposing large-scale solar developments by the Morongo Basin Municipal Advisory Council. While some will want to purchase panels outright and take advantage of big tax incentives, for others a lease agreement can be most economical. In those cases, the solar power provider may offer free installation, low payments and signup bonuses, and keep the tax incentives for themselves. Representatives from the County’s Home Energy Renovation Opportunity (HERO) program will be on-hand with financing options for solar, and for a variety of home energy upgrades. They can explain how financing through HERO can be more economical than a conventional loan at a lower rate. To make the best use of time, homeowners who have already determined they want to switch to a solar system will want to bring to the expo their electric bills from the last 12 months. For more information or to request a free vendor space, email [email protected] or call 760-449-4048.