Solar@Work: Groupon-Like Solar Purchasing Program

July 15th, 2011 by Zachary Shahan

Solar@Work, an innovative group purchasing program for solar power, just launched in San Francisco this week.

The program is coordinated by the San Francisco Department of the Environment, targets local businesses interested in going solar, and uses solar panels from San Mateo-based SolarCity. It gives companies a number of options for going solar: 1) purchasing solar like normal — paying for everything at once; 2) solar leasing; or 3) getting loans for the installation. Of course, the program also helps you get federal, state, and local grants.

Th big benefit of the program is that building owners can get a discount by buying solar in a group. (I have to say, while SFGate calls this a “first-in-the-nation program,” the core value of the program — this group discount — is what our former owner, 1BOG, has been doing for over a year now…. Nonetheless, there is great potential in this model and I’d love to see more and more options like this sprout up across the country,… & the world.)

Currently, the goal of the program is to get at least 20 property owners to sign up in San Francisco and neighboring cities. SFGate reports that “the approach can yield 10 to 15 percent lower costs and save 75 percent of administrative time and fees” but the discounts will vary depending on the size of the system.

The program offers small- and medium-sized businesses the opportunity to pay less for electricity than they otherwise would while helping the planet, people’s health, and, thus, their reputation in the meantime. Businesses currently lag behind residences and government in installed solar capacity, so hopefully this program will help to light a fire under their _____.

Companies interested in the program can contact the San Francisco Department of the Environment at: renewables@sfgov.org.

About the Author

Zachary Shahan spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as the director/chief editor. Otherwise, he's probably enthusiastically fulfilling his duties as the director/editor of Solar Love, EV Obsession, Planetsave, or Bikocity. Zach is recognized globally as a solar energy, electric car, and wind energy expert. If you would like him to speak at a related conference or event, connect with him via social media. You can connect with Zach on any popular social networking site you like. Links to all of his main social media profiles are on ZacharyShahan.com.

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http://BuySolarPoweredLights.com Jill

Like to hear of this type of innovation regarding solar. Especially like the model of getting better deals by purchasing as a group.
Anonymous

There’s a program in LA called Open Neighborhoods which has been in operation for a while. They are arranging solar installed for $4.78/watt (before federal, state and local subsidies) and state that they can bring that price down to $4.22/watt if enough people sign on. They are also arranging zero down lease programs.

This looks to me as a way to get solar at a good rate. Material (panel, racking, inverter) prices fall significantly when one can purchase in volume. And by contracting with a single company to do the installations you’re hiring labor and not paying a lot of sales costs and inflated profits.

(Even at $4.22/watt we’ve got a way to go. Rooftop solar costs about $3.50 in Germany.)
- Anonymous
  
  cool, hadn’t heard of that. & yeah, Germany’s a few strides ahead of us
  
  some are turned off by this idea of leasing solar,.. but i think this is an option that needs to be in the mix. some people just won’t go solar without it
  - Anonymous
    
    I’ve got mixed feelings about solar leasing but the end result would be to get more panels on line and that’s a good thing.
    
    If a homeowner buys a system they’re almost certainly going to be much further ahead, especially after the system is paid off. Decades of no cost electricity.
    
    If the homeowner leases they are essentially renting out their rooftop so that someone else can make money. Not as good for the homeowner, but if they will settle for less then that’s their decision. And, as I said, more panels come on line.
    
    What I’d like to see is more of these ‘buyers clubs’ which bring large scale purchasing prices, installation contracts, and financing ease to an area.
    
    There’s no reason each homeowner should have to go it alone. There are too many shady characters hovering around home repairs/improvements and solar installations will be no different. There’s a lot of protection created when a group of buyers come together and share information and effort.
    - Anonymous
      
      totally agree on the group buying.
      
      & on the leasing, too. not a fan of systems like that where people basically make money on other people not having money,.. or buying beyond their present capabilities, but so many people in the U.S. live like this and in this case leasing would actually help the world and would actually hurt oneself (compared to getting electricity the traditional way).
      
      but more exciting to see group buying programs popping up