Save with solar in Vallejo, California

Located on the northern side of the San Francisco Bay, and Vallejo has a population of over 116,000. The city was named after its founder Mariano Vallejo, who was a general and a member of the first California State Senate. Vallejo was the state capital of California for in 1852 and 1853.

From 1850 to 1993, Vallejo was home to the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, the first US Navy base ever established in the Pacific Ocean. While it operated, the shipyard was a cornerstone of the city’s economy, employing over 40,000 people during World War II. Currently, the economy of Vallejo focuses on healthcare and education.

In 2008, the city of Vallejo published its own Climate Action Plan with the goal of achieving a 15% reduction in city emissions by the year 2020, and a 20% reduction of energy consumption in city-owned facilities by 2035. Here are some of the major projects the city is undertaking to meet those goals:

• In 2014, a large-scale LED upgrade for public lighting was completed.
• Smart meters are being deployed in the city, with the goal of reaching 60% of residential buildings and 50% of businesses by 2020.

Vallejo is served by two utility companies. The Mare Island area is served by Island Power, and the rest of the city is served by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). Electricity from both utilities is expensive:

• PG&E charges above 20 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), and their rates increased by 5% between 2016 and 2017.
• Island Power rates start at around 18 cents per kWh for the first 300 kWh of monthly consumption, but increase to 35 cents per kWh at higher usage tiers.

Due to the high local cost of electricity, solar panel systems can yield significant power bill savings in Vallejo, especially if you have a high-consumption property on Mare Island.

If you would like to avoid the upfront cost of a solar panel system, Vallejo residents can take advantage of several attractive financing options, including a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) loan. PACE interest rates are low, and you can negotiate a repayment period of up to 20 years. A PACE loan allows you to deploy a solar panel system at zero upfront cost, and and you can pay off the loan with power bill savings.

All solar panel systems installed in the US before the end of 2019 are eligible for the solar Investment Tax Credit. If you invest in solar power for a residential or commercial property, you can deduct 30% of your expenses from your federal tax burden as soon as your file your next declaration. This tax deduction ensures you get back 30% of your investment in a year if you purchased your solar panel system upfront. If you purchase your system through a financing option, the 30% tax credit can help cover the cost of your loan payments. Installing a solar panel system in Vallejo is a great investment!