You can imagine my surprise this morning when I saw on the front page of the
Los Angeles Times http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-brown-jobs-20101202,0,2842087. GREEN WON'T BE EASY FOR BROWN Liz Brown? No Jerry Brown! His plan is for California to generate one third of all its power from renewable resources by 2020, the bulk of which Gov. Brown wants to be produced in California.
The article emphasizes the high cost of the project. It is a daunting number in this economy but this project will put people to work and provide cleaner energy. The project is about investing in our state and lessening our dependence on coal. As homeowners we all need to not only think about the cost of energy but our consumption of energy. Before installing solar you need to look at your whole house
My philosophy is the whole home approach. What is the point of installing a roof of solar panels when your heating and AC ducts are leaking, windows and doors are drafty and you have no insulation or improperly installed insulation..All of this may sound overwhelming but if you first invest in an energy audit the auditor will prioritize your list of improvements for your budget. Check into rebates through your utility company.
Los Angeles DWP ,
Glendale Water and Power (GWP)
Many utility and solar companies offer free audits but they are not as complete as having a qualified energy auditor/rater. Check out
www.resnet.us Residential Energy Service Network for a certified energy auditor/rater and qualified contractors/builders. We can make our homes more energy efficient while Sacramento figures out how to implement alternative resources. Who do you think will be done first? I bet on homeowners.
