Firm Helps Ease Solar Savings

One Block Off the Grid kicks off its campaign this week to encourage Coachella Valley residents to go solar.

The San Francisco-based firm — known as 1BOG — organizes buying blocks of 100 or more residents in an area and hooks them up with a vetted solar installer that commits to offering low rates to all members.

It has announced that HelioPower of Murrieta will be the installer for the buying group of desert homeowners it hopes to create.

A for-profit company, 1BOG makes its money by charging the installer a marketing fee based on the amount of electricity that can be generated from the panels it installs.

For all Coachella Valley cities, including Thousand Palms and Sky Valley, HelioPower’s basic pricing will be $5.49 per watt, the lowest rate 1BOG has ever negotiated, said CEO Dave Llorens.

That means a 4 kilowatt system, about 20 panels, will have a net cost of about $10,857, after state rebates and the federal tax credit for solar energy, said Scott Gordon, HelioPower’s vice president for residential sales.

The package will also include computer monitoring of the system so any maintenance problems are detected quickly, Gordon said.

For Coachella Valley residents, the break-even point for such a system could range from five years to 12 years, depending on their energy use and their power provider, Gordon said. Southern California Edison customers, who pay tiered rates, would get a quicker return on their investment than east valley residents in the Imperial Irrigation District service area, who pay lower rates, he said.

Random calls to other solar installers in the area found per watt prices running $7 to $8, depending on the system.

Llorens said 10 installers were invited to bid for 1BOG’s Coachella Valley drive, with six actually submitting proposals.

Steve Fleischman of Rancho Mirage, who bought a solar system from HelioPower four years ago, gives the company high marks, even without a discount. Fleischman got bids from five or six other companies, but he said “(HelioPower) was the one that came forth with the right information. Their analysis was correct; what they said is truly happening.”

Residents have until Dec. 12 to sign up on 1BOG’s Web site, www.1bog.org. HelioPower will contact all members for a solar evaluation by Jan. 12.