Company to start marketing solar systems in Inland area
June 11, 2010
By Leslie Berkman
A San Francisco company plans to launch a campaign Monday to convince Inland Southern California homeowners that when it comes to going solar, they can find strength in numbers.
The company, called One Block Off the Grid, says it has arranged a 15 percent group discount for those who sign up in the next three months to have rooftop solar systems installed by HelioPower, a Murrieta firm.
Dave Llorens, chief executive of One Block Off the Grid, said his company’s goal is to put solar panels on 50 Inland homes. The marketing program will kick off Monday evening with an informational event in Rancho Cucamonga.
Llorens said the company cuts out much of the confusion and risk that consumers face in choosing a solar system by selecting a qualified solar contractor through a competitive process.
He said top installation companies in a particular region are invited to submit proposals, which are judged on factors such as warranties, product quality and customer service, in addition to price.
“A big part of our business is transparency pricing so that everybody is getting the same deal,” Llorens said.
The company also helps prospective customers determine whether, in their individual cases, the projected savings in utility bills would justify the expense of the installation, he said.
Since One Block Off the Grid was founded in late 2008, it has put solar panels on about 800 homes, about half in California and the rest in cities including San Antonio, Phoenix and Denver, said Llorens.
Company spokeswoman Rebecca Geller said while some Inland residents were sold solar systems in past Los Angeles campaigns, this is the first separate Inland marketing campaign.
Gary Gonnella, 60, a computer programmer, said he and his wife had a solar system installed on their Rancho Cucamonga home three weeks ago through One Block Off the Grid. Gonnella said he signed up earlier this year when the company pitched its program in Los Angeles.
He said One Block Off the Grid gave him the best price, 5 to 15 percent less than competitors offered. His projected utility bill savings of about $200 a month and a 14 to 15 percent return on his investment clinched the deal, he said.
Llorens said Inland Southern California is a strong solar market because there is plenty of sunshine, utility rates are high and substantial rebates still are available through Southern California Edison Co.
Scott Gordon, vice president of residential sales for HelioPower, said when he worked with One Block off the Grid in San Diego and the Coachella Valley, the partnership boosted quality control.
“I have an extra pair of eyes watching my sales teams and my installers making sure they do a good job,” he said.
Those Inland residents who sign up, he said, typically will buy a 5 kilowatt solar system, serving about 80 percent of their annual electricity needs, for $27,200 to $35,500, depending on the caliber of the system selected. Such a system would yield a savings of between $3,550 and $5,500.
In addition, he said, a Southern California Edison customer could get a rebate of up to $6,900 and a federal income tax credit of 30 percent of the solar system’s purchase price.
Gordon said in return for One Block Off the Grid’s services, including customer referrals, the company receives 25 cents a watt for the solar systems that are ordered.
Consumer advocates said although they welcome discounts on solar systems, they do not recommend that homeowners give up responsibility for choosing a contractor.
Amy Morgan, spokeswoman for the California Energy Commission, recommended that before deciding whether to go with One Block Off the Grid, a consumer should comparison shop to make sure they are getting a good price and to check that the installer has a proper state contractor’s license.
