How to Upgrade to Solar in Southern California for Less Than the Cost of Replacing Lightbulbs

Revolutionary solar power purchase agreements (or PPAs) are an easy and very inexpensive way for qualified homeowners to upgrade to solar.

Orange, CA (PRWEB) March 23, 2011

Upgrading lightbulbs from incandescent to CFL or LED is a great way to save money and be green. There is an easier way to have even more impact - by upgrading to solar power at no cost. Really.

Here are the requirements. 

• A homeowner in Southern California with either Southern California Edison or Pacific Gas and Electric.
• A flat roof or a pitched roof that faces East, West or preferably South
• Have enough square feet on your roof (about the size of a living room).
• The roof does not have trees or anything shading
• Good credit.

It’s possible ever since Southern California’s largest installer Verengo Solar has partnered with SunRun. SunRun won the 2010 Clean Tech Crunchies (http://techcrunch.com/2010/01/08/crunchies-winner/) for introducing the first residential solar Power Purchase Agreement (or PPA). A PPA is how residences currently buy electricity from their utility.

The traditional way to buy solar was to buy an entire solar power station - paying for everything upfront. What Verengo Solar and SunRun provide is a Residential Solar PPA that removes the upfront cost of solar. Instead of buying a whole power station, the homeowner - that meets the basic requirements above - will just buy the solar power they need by the kilowatt-hour, at a better rate than they are paying now. In effect SunRun is providing a solar power station on the residence for the privilege of being able to sell the solar electricity direct to the consumer. All the consumer has to pay for is the electricity they use from the system at a lower rate than they are currently paying.

Over five thousand people have already taken advantage of this revolutionary idea in California.

The advantages:

• Start for nothing or a small fee
• Pay only for the power consumed
• Control your electricity and cost
• Increase the homes marketability and value

Risk is removed because:

• They select the panels and equipment
• They install the system
• They monitor and maintain the system
• They insure the system, and guarantee its output

But it's not forever... 
Only progressive governments allow clean energy competition with traditional electricity providers make this possible, now. That could change. For example, the Arizona solar policy was created under the former Governor Napolitano. It is only a matter of time before it gets overturned.

What is the next step? 
Homeowners in Southern California can contact James Crossman of Verengo Solar by email jcrossman(at)goverengo(dot)com or fill out the Internet form at http://tinyurl.com/Verengo. He can provide a no obligation assessment of a consumer's home, power usage and site. If the numbers make sense to the homeowner, James Crossman and his team at Verengo Solar will handle all the paperwork and oversee the process. Most solar installations take less than 2 days.

So which sounds better some boring new light bulbs or decades of clean solar power from a shiny new solar roof? Because now there is a way go solar for less than the cost of upgrading a home to CFL or LED light bulbs.