The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce's Sustainability Committee recently honored Sullivan Solar Power with the "Commitment to Sustainabilty Award" for the successful program that helped many residents of the city "declare their energy independence."
Sullivan's Solar Program resulted in 41 solar installations throughout the city that resulted in more than 210,000 watts of energy. It was the largest community campaign in the company's history, and led to a 5-percent cash-back to all program participants, or more than $65,000.
"This was a grassroots community incentive program for property owners," said Erica Johnson, the director of community relations for Sullivan Solar Power. "It was an extremely successful program, the largest collective deployment of solar power in the city's history … it exceeded our expectations."
Johnson said interest in solar continues to spike. The most recent motivator is the upcoming rate hike, in which some ratepayers who live by the coast will see their energy bills rise by up to 39 percent starting with their September bill. That development has kept Sullivan busy, and over the past 30 days it has received more than 1,600 calls of people expressing interest in their technology, Johnson said.
Johnson said the level of interest in installing solar energy systems is surprising, given that the state of California's rebate for property owners that installed solar power units was exhausted at the beginnig of the year.
"Despite what people think, the solar industry had grown by leaps and bounds," Johnson said. "We have a higher penetration of the market despite working with a non-existent rebate market."
Though the rebate is no more, Sullivan customers can still save. The company is offering rebates of 20 cents per watt. which is the same as the now exhausted state rebate.
"I really think we're out of that 'early adopter' phase when it comes to solar," Johnson said. "The market place is more educated (in the area) and people have already seen many of their neighbors and friends have solar installed."
Sullivan's Solar Program resulted in 41 solar installations throughout the city that resulted in more than 210,000 watts of energy. It was the largest community campaign in the company's history, and led to a 5-percent cash-back to all program participants, or more than $65,000.
"This was a grassroots community incentive program for property owners," said Erica Johnson, the director of community relations for Sullivan Solar Power. "It was an extremely successful program, the largest collective deployment of solar power in the city's history … it exceeded our expectations."
Johnson said interest in solar continues to spike. The most recent motivator is the upcoming rate hike, in which some ratepayers who live by the coast will see their energy bills rise by up to 39 percent starting with their September bill. That development has kept Sullivan busy, and over the past 30 days it has received more than 1,600 calls of people expressing interest in their technology, Johnson said.
Johnson said the level of interest in installing solar energy systems is surprising, given that the state of California's rebate for property owners that installed solar power units was exhausted at the beginnig of the year.
"Despite what people think, the solar industry had grown by leaps and bounds," Johnson said. "We have a higher penetration of the market despite working with a non-existent rebate market."
Though the rebate is no more, Sullivan customers can still save. The company is offering rebates of 20 cents per watt. which is the same as the now exhausted state rebate.
"I really think we're out of that 'early adopter' phase when it comes to solar," Johnson said. "The market place is more educated (in the area) and people have already seen many of their neighbors and friends have solar installed."