California Set To Give Solar Panels To Low-Income Families For Free

California is the best state in the country if you want to go solar – but only if you are rich enough. Due to the steep initial cost of $ 15,000, only the middle to high-income families can afford to install solar panels. An original initiative is, however, seeks to change that. This new project aims to help disadvantaged communities see the sun in a different light.

Using the money collected by the government to help combat global warming, GRID Alternatives project aims polluting companies to pay to put solar panels on the roofs of those who can not afford them. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the plan is to use the money from cap and trade proposed by the state of the companies that have to pay per ton of carbon dioxide emitted. The cost for disadvantaged families: nothing.

GRID Alternatives Project Manager was $ 162 million solar homes affordable individual (SASH), the first solar system in the country dedicated discounts for low-income families the project. They want to install solar panels to more than 1,600 homes by the end of next year. The use of professional programs and donations of solar companies, their goal is to keep costs as low as possible. While it is free for families to settle in their homes, it is not required that families are the supply to feed the crew or help to install the panels.

The California state government will use $ 14.7 million raised by the system of cap and trade designed to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, to be used to install solar panels. In general, the system of cap and trade has totted up to an impressive $ 1.6 billion.

Plowing at least 10% of this money on solar energy, the project aims to kill two birds with one stone – low-income families to save money, while large polluters of fossil fuels contribute to the reduction of emissions for the state power even more.

Anyone who is currently living in an area in California which is classified as disadvantaged qualified to apply for the cards installed. Grid Alternatives predicts that individual households could save up to $ 1,000 a year, waiting time could be spent on other essentials such as food. The sun sets on the initiative in 2021, so if you live in the state, you may want to jump on board soon.