As planned our project ended on March 23rd. The final tally of participating homes is--drum roll, please--
36 systems for 136.5 kW!!!
The project was a huge success for all concerned. And I am thrilled because 3 homes on my block alone are now solar, having chosen to work with both REC and Sun Run. I get a warm fuzzy feeling when I drive past a home with our lawn signs proudly displayed. And I feel gratified to know that the Downtown San Jose Project, which was a grassroots volunteer effort with time donated from multiple people in out neighborhood, was so effective--and so appreciated.
While I am on the subject of the people who volunteered their time for this project, now is as good a time to name them and thank them, formally, once again:
Lynette Bunyard
Kit Flores
Steve Grant
Barbara Kempinsky
Joe Pambianco
Kirkwood Rough
And I would be totally remiss to leave out Sam Liccardo, our District 3 Councilperson. Sam personally participated in the project by becoming one of the 34 homes to adopt Solar. But as important, he assigned us one of his staff members to work with us on the project. Ragan Henniger was at every meeting, giving us invaluable input, and facilitating logistics for us every step of the way. Her help was invaluable.
When our project ended, I found myself suffering from what I started calling ‘post-solar depression’. Working with a team of dedicated people--both neighbors and the people from REC and Sun Run--was so important and fulfilling to me that I decided that I did not want the experience to end. The people that I met through this project were truly wonderful, and real ongoing friendships have been made with people I am honored to be associated with.
Because of these people, and also the relevance of this project in my life, I made a decision to become involved with the renewable energy movement on a professional as well as a volunteer basis. Therefore, I am pleased and excited to announce that for the past two weeks I have been the Community Program Coordinator for REC Solar. Onwards and upwards, and let the next project begin!
Yours Truly,
Marni Kamzan
REC Solar
Community Program Coordinator
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
March update
With 9 days left to go on this project, more installations are happening every day, and it is common to see the REC truck in the downtown neighborhoods. Steve's and my installation was finished at the end of February, and now we are waiting for PGE to complete the interconnect. We were very pleased with the work the REC install crew did, and how conscientious they were about doing the job well.
For the last few days my neighbors Colleen and Richard have been having their solar panels installed. They are as excited as we are to be so close to completion.
I am awaiting information on the latest number of houses and kilowatt hours participating in the project, but I do know that one of the people who signed up is Sam Liccardo! Sam has been helping us to host our meetings, which were too large for private spaces, and I am delighted that he has chosen to take part in the project personally as well. Way to go Sam--and thanks for everything you have done to help us promote solar energy in San Jose.
Marni Kamzan
For the last few days my neighbors Colleen and Richard have been having their solar panels installed. They are as excited as we are to be so close to completion.
I am awaiting information on the latest number of houses and kilowatt hours participating in the project, but I do know that one of the people who signed up is Sam Liccardo! Sam has been helping us to host our meetings, which were too large for private spaces, and I am delighted that he has chosen to take part in the project personally as well. Way to go Sam--and thanks for everything you have done to help us promote solar energy in San Jose.
Marni Kamzan
Sunday, February 24, 2008
It's ALIVE! First system switched on.
The PG&E interconnect process is complete and we recieved permission and instructions for turning on our system. We thought it would be fun to share the moment with a couple videos.
In the first one, we turn the system on. In the second one, you can see the meter running in reverse! Hooray!
In the first one, we turn the system on. In the second one, you can see the meter running in reverse! Hooray!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Great San Jose Business Journal Article
Hi All,
Below is the text from a very favorable San Jose Business Journal article that speaks to what makes this such a unique opportunity for the community.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Emma Ritch
Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal
www.sanjose.bizjournals.com
Neighbors don't wait for solar companies to come knockingSilicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal - by Emma Ritch A group of downtown neighbors recently flipped the tables on solar installers with an offer to let the companies compete for homes in downtown San Jose.Usually it's the solar installers trying to get groups of neighbors to sign on at once and so reduce the cost of solar systems.Solar companies don't expect this to be a new trend, with neighbors bringing their business to companies, but Marni Kamzan and the other members of the Downtown San Jose Solar Project say they've saved thousands of dollars after letting four companies submit bids on three houses as a way to win the business of the larger group.The winner was San Francisco-based Sun Run Generation LLC and installer REC Solar Inc., which have signed up 24 households for solar panel systems as of Feb. 20.Sun Run founder and COO Nat Kreamer says it was the first time the company participated in a consumer-driven competitive process to obtain the residential business. Kreamer says it's usually homeowners associations who approach solar companies, not a group of individuals."People said they wanted to do solar, but it wasn't economical before," he says. "There's some cost associated with selling. When people band together and say we're going to make this easier from the sales standpoint, you're able to pass on some of those savings."Kreamer says he doesn't expect this ad hoc group concept to become a dominant trend in residential solar because to date the market has shown that buying solar products is a personal decision.Other businesses, such as Sun Run's competitor Foster City-based SolarCity Inc., have been able to take advantage of group buying. The company has developed a reputation in the Bay Area for going into communities such as San Jose and Sunnyvale and offering discounts when people band together and sign up.Joe Pambianco, who served on the committee to choose the vendor for the downtown project, says the solar companies were all interested in competing for their business."SolarCity pioneered the community-program approach. We got a feeling from the vendors that they really wanted to play in that space too, and they were competing to do so, which put us in a much stronger position," he says. The downtown San Jose program has been expanded to include all District 3 residents, who have until March 23 to get systems with the negotiated discount of $420 per kilowatt.Kamzan, who signed on for a 5.32 kilowatt system that's due to be installed in the next few weeks, says the Downtown Solar project chose Sun Run because it works differently from other solar sellers. It offers power-purchase agreements, in which Sun Run owns and maintains the panels and sells energy back to the homeowner at rates lower than Pacific Gas & Electric Co. That allows for a lower up-front cost and the homeowner doesn't have to do maintenance or repairs.That was a big selling point for Lisa Jensen, whose 1.5-kilowatt system is scheduled to be installed in March on her 1,300-square-foot home."I wanted to do solar for a very long time but I'm a single woman so it's been too expensive to think about doing it," she says. "And the logistics of going through all the research, looking at all the companies, deciding who's going to install it, finding someone to do all the maintenance -- it's kind of overwhelming."Jensen will spend $11,000 for the system and to prepay for the electricity that the system generates over next 20 years. Installing the system will increase the value of her home, and Jensen will save money on her electrical bill if energy prices continue to increase.Pambianco and his wife opted to pay about $16,000 for their 5.07-kilowatt system and pay Sun Run $84 per month for electricity. It will cover 55 percent of their energy needs. They will still have a monthly PG&E bill but the couple will pay a lower electricity rate because they will use less energy. Pambianco expects to recoup his investment in less than 10 years.
-Emma Ritch
Below is the text from a very favorable San Jose Business Journal article that speaks to what makes this such a unique opportunity for the community.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Emma Ritch
Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal
www.sanjose.bizjournals.com
Neighbors don't wait for solar companies to come knockingSilicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal - by Emma Ritch A group of downtown neighbors recently flipped the tables on solar installers with an offer to let the companies compete for homes in downtown San Jose.Usually it's the solar installers trying to get groups of neighbors to sign on at once and so reduce the cost of solar systems.Solar companies don't expect this to be a new trend, with neighbors bringing their business to companies, but Marni Kamzan and the other members of the Downtown San Jose Solar Project say they've saved thousands of dollars after letting four companies submit bids on three houses as a way to win the business of the larger group.The winner was San Francisco-based Sun Run Generation LLC and installer REC Solar Inc., which have signed up 24 households for solar panel systems as of Feb. 20.Sun Run founder and COO Nat Kreamer says it was the first time the company participated in a consumer-driven competitive process to obtain the residential business. Kreamer says it's usually homeowners associations who approach solar companies, not a group of individuals."People said they wanted to do solar, but it wasn't economical before," he says. "There's some cost associated with selling. When people band together and say we're going to make this easier from the sales standpoint, you're able to pass on some of those savings."Kreamer says he doesn't expect this ad hoc group concept to become a dominant trend in residential solar because to date the market has shown that buying solar products is a personal decision.Other businesses, such as Sun Run's competitor Foster City-based SolarCity Inc., have been able to take advantage of group buying. The company has developed a reputation in the Bay Area for going into communities such as San Jose and Sunnyvale and offering discounts when people band together and sign up.Joe Pambianco, who served on the committee to choose the vendor for the downtown project, says the solar companies were all interested in competing for their business."SolarCity pioneered the community-program approach. We got a feeling from the vendors that they really wanted to play in that space too, and they were competing to do so, which put us in a much stronger position," he says. The downtown San Jose program has been expanded to include all District 3 residents, who have until March 23 to get systems with the negotiated discount of $420 per kilowatt.Kamzan, who signed on for a 5.32 kilowatt system that's due to be installed in the next few weeks, says the Downtown Solar project chose Sun Run because it works differently from other solar sellers. It offers power-purchase agreements, in which Sun Run owns and maintains the panels and sells energy back to the homeowner at rates lower than Pacific Gas & Electric Co. That allows for a lower up-front cost and the homeowner doesn't have to do maintenance or repairs.That was a big selling point for Lisa Jensen, whose 1.5-kilowatt system is scheduled to be installed in March on her 1,300-square-foot home."I wanted to do solar for a very long time but I'm a single woman so it's been too expensive to think about doing it," she says. "And the logistics of going through all the research, looking at all the companies, deciding who's going to install it, finding someone to do all the maintenance -- it's kind of overwhelming."Jensen will spend $11,000 for the system and to prepay for the electricity that the system generates over next 20 years. Installing the system will increase the value of her home, and Jensen will save money on her electrical bill if energy prices continue to increase.Pambianco and his wife opted to pay about $16,000 for their 5.07-kilowatt system and pay Sun Run $84 per month for electricity. It will cover 55 percent of their energy needs. They will still have a monthly PG&E bill but the couple will pay a lower electricity rate because they will use less energy. Pambianco expects to recoup his investment in less than 10 years.
-Emma Ritch
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Newest participant numbers
The newest numbers are in--24 homes in San Jose are going solar by participating in the Downtown San Jose Solar Project. These homes will be producing 99kW in electricity.
I asked REC Solar to give me some information about the long term impact of this project so far, and this is what they say:
24 systems in San Jose with 99kW in capacity will produce 3,560,000 kWh over the systems’ lifetime and will offset, according to today’s current fuel mix, 5,055,861 of carbon dioxide.
I am so excited by this news, and I am just astounded by the success of this project!
Marni Kamzan
I asked REC Solar to give me some information about the long term impact of this project so far, and this is what they say:
24 systems in San Jose with 99kW in capacity will produce 3,560,000 kWh over the systems’ lifetime and will offset, according to today’s current fuel mix, 5,055,861 of carbon dioxide.
I am so excited by this news, and I am just astounded by the success of this project!
Marni Kamzan
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Street Closure information for February 20th Meeting
All,
This was just forwarded to me, and it may affect some people's getting to the Solar meeting tomorrow night at 7 PM:
FYI – The Amgen Bike Race is rolling through town tomorrow. The City Hall garage will be open tomorrow, but there are street closures downtown, so you might want to allow extra time getting to City Hall. Santa Clara Street from Fourth to Seventh will be closed from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Santa Clara between Second and Fourth, and Third Street between St. James and San Fernando will be closed from noon to 6 p.m. Look for detour signs to get into City Hall garage.
http://www.mercurynews.com/localnewsheadlines/ci_8302319
If you do choose to park at the City Hall garage, your ticket can be validated at the meeting.
Marni Kamzan
This was just forwarded to me, and it may affect some people's getting to the Solar meeting tomorrow night at 7 PM:
FYI – The Amgen Bike Race is rolling through town tomorrow. The City Hall garage will be open tomorrow, but there are street closures downtown, so you might want to allow extra time getting to City Hall. Santa Clara Street from Fourth to Seventh will be closed from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Santa Clara between Second and Fourth, and Third Street between St. James and San Fernando will be closed from noon to 6 p.m. Look for detour signs to get into City Hall garage.
http://www.mercurynews.com/localnewsheadlines/ci_8302319
If you do choose to park at the City Hall garage, your ticket can be validated at the meeting.
Marni Kamzan
February 23rd meeting for Community--and next Community Leaders
Our last planned Downtown San Jose Solar Project (DSJSP) meeting, as of this posting, is scheduled for February 23rd at 10 AM. The location is the Martin Luther King Library, Lecture Room 255/257 (150 E San Fernando St.).
This meeting will be held in two parts. At 10 AM, we will hold a community meeting which will introduce people to the project and the companies who were chosen to be the installers for the Downtown San Jose neighborhood.
At 11:30 AM, by popular request, the DSJSP steering committee will meet with the next generation of community leaders, from other communities, to talk about the project process in more depth, and help other people form their own community groups. This meeting should go on for about an hour, and hopefully many new neighborhood projects will be in the works afterwards.
I hope to see you at one of the next meetings!
Marni Kamzan
This meeting will be held in two parts. At 10 AM, we will hold a community meeting which will introduce people to the project and the companies who were chosen to be the installers for the Downtown San Jose neighborhood.
At 11:30 AM, by popular request, the DSJSP steering committee will meet with the next generation of community leaders, from other communities, to talk about the project process in more depth, and help other people form their own community groups. This meeting should go on for about an hour, and hopefully many new neighborhood projects will be in the works afterwards.
I hope to see you at one of the next meetings!
Marni Kamzan
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