Solar and Energy Efficiency District
To help reduce Bay Area homeowners' energy costs and carbon footprint, ABAG is exploring the feasibility of a San Francisco Bay Area region-wide Solar and Energy Efficiency District (SEED), in partnership with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). A description of the proposed SEED concept and updates provided to the ABAG Executive Board are provided below. Since SEED is in the development phase, information is subject to change.
Program Concept
As currently envisioned, SEED would offer a "one-stop shop" for Bay Area residents to take advantage of property-based financing to pay for bundled energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, such as upgrading to high-efficiency air conditioning units and solar or tankless water heaters. SEED would maximize available state and federal subsidies and work with existing PG&E incentives.
The program would arrange in home surveys for private property owners and assist with financing the costs of solar installation and energy efficiency retrofits. The cost of the improvement would be repaid as part of the homeowners’ property tax bill. Property owners would then be spared the upfront cost of the installation and improvements.
An additional benefit of SEED is the ability to spread the financing cost over a much larger market area — the entire nine county San Francisco Bay Area — making the program more economically feasible, thus encouraging broader retrofit participation for solar and energy efficiency improvements.
Staff Reports
The initial SEED concept was outlined in a staff report for the March 2009 ABAG Executive Board meeting. This staff report and program updates can be downloaded by clicking on the links below.
Feedback or comments on the program concepts outlined in these reports are requested and encouraged. For more information, contact Ezra Rapport, ABAG Deputy Executive Director, 510/464-7927 or ezrar@abag.ca.gov.
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