Solar Next Year? Yes You Can!
September 9th, 2009Good news for solar-school hopefuls from Tom Kelly of KyotoUSA! KyotoUSA will conduct workshops in October to help schools and districts prepare to apply for financing for solar power systems. KyotoUSA stands ready to assist any school district in the state to learn
how to make it possible to move to clean, renewable, non-polluting
energy generation (and away from climate altering, fossil fuel
generated electricity) without putting additional pressure on their
operating budgets.
Workshops: SunPower Corp., MuniBond, and KyotoUSA are teaming up to conduct
workshops in October to prepare districts for next year’s applications
and to review other low-cost financing mechanisms. Districts are
encouraged to send Facilities Directors and Financial Officers to the workshops. More info: Contact Tom Kelly, KyotoUSA.
Background: Recent federal bond programs and a soon-to-be-announced low- interest loan program from the California Energy Commission can make it possible for school districts throughout the state to install a renewable energy system that
produces enough energy to pay for the system -- and also put a little
extra money back into the general fund.
KyotoUSA recently partnered with SunPower Corp. and MuniBond Advisors to assist school districts to prepare their applications for federally supported Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs) and Qualified School Construction Bonds (QSCBs). In most cases, renewable energy projects paid for from these near 0% bonds can make a renewable energy project cost-neutral or cash positive for the full term of the repayment period (15 years) at which point the electricity savings belongs entirely to the district. Although the CREBs and QSCB programs are over for 2009, they will return in 2010.
California received a $700M allocation of QSCBs this year. You can see the complete list of districts that will be receiving an award by visiting the HELiOS Project. If you see your district on the list, consider asking your board or superintendent if the allocation will be used for renewable energy projects. If they would like to see how renewable energy projects can pay for themselves from energy savings, they should contact Tom Kelly at KyotoUSA, or (510) 704-8628.