FOR SAVVY ENERGY CUSTOMERS

The American Solar blog is a resource for the savvy homeowner, business owner, and non-profit administrator, to stay current on your energy options in the Bay Area. A wise approach to buying energy in the Bay Area can save thousands of dollars in as little as one year, so we would surmise that the matter could elicit the  .

California has the second most expensive energy in the United States, only topped by Hawaii. Last time we checked, Hawaii was an archipelago far out to sea that had to ship over every last drop of oil and gas they use. California on the other hand is still reasonably well connected to the rest of the continent, and produces plenty of fuel within the state boundaries. Both oil companies and public utilities seem to have the somewhat cheeky attitude that energy—be it gasoline, natural gas, or electricity—can be expensive in the Bay Area, because people have a lot of money, and why shouldn’t they get their share of it?

Well, the solar installers here would like to have a say in the matter, for starters. Solar can save businesses and homes alike up to 70% on their energy bills, depending on how one chooses to pay for it. Pay cash, and save 70%. Put it on your property tax, without going a penny out of pocket, and save 50%. The possibilities are rather attractive.

There is more to energy in the Bay Area than what you buy, and from whom. We live in a place that is frequently under sway of Mother Nature: there are earthquakes, floods, droughts, windfalls, and fires, to name but the natural causes of adverse events to our energy grid. Add the legions of backhoes and earth movers that are out there, and their perverse attraction to buried power cables, and you have even more bad stuff waiting to happen. In the cases when power goes out, some solar PV systems we offer provide some relief. Beyond that, there is energy storage and battery back-up. Although they are not cheap, they are excellent insurance against the slings and arrows of Mother Nature.