PG&E will contribute over $1.5 million toward the Solar Schools and Solar Habitat Programs this year.
Monica Krauth - Democrat staff Writer - June 10, 2006
Jeff Christian in one of the Habitat for Humanity near-zero-energy solar homes in Lenoir City, Tennessee.
The Habitat for Humanity homes are not just any low-income housing project, they are solar habitats. PG&E provided Habitat For Humanity with a "solar habitat" to cover the installation costs of solar generation systems on the homes being built for very low-income families.
In addition to lowering energy bills for these families, the program seeks to promote energy literacy to underserved communities and increase enrollment in PG&E's free energy assistance programs for low-income families.
The three families that will own the homes will invest 50 hundred hours of "sweat equity" in the construction of the homes.
According to the solar habitat Web site of PG&E, the utility will contribute over $1.5 million toward the Solar Schools and Solar Habitat Programs this year.
PG&E's Solar Habitat Program is a partnership between PG&E and local Habitat for Humanity chapters to fund solar electric systems on Habitat homes in northern and central California. The program brings solar energy to families with limited incomes and provides training funds to expand Habitat for Humanity's expertise with solar installations. In 2006, PG&E will contribute over $1.5 million toward the Solar Schools and Solar Habitat Programs. These programs are funded entirely by PG&E's shareholders.
The system provides power to run the factory while excess power is sent back to the PG&E electric grid. PG&E's Net Energy Metering program allows customers to earn a credit for excess power that is then applied toward their own future energy usage.
Yolo Habitat will break ground at 10 a.m. today in the Spring Lake Development off Pole Line Road and Farmers Central Road.
Volunteers from throughout Yolo County are expected to join the family members in various phases of the construction, which will be supervised by Bert Bangert, a licensed general contractor.
The two-story houses will range from 1,400- to 1,600-square feet and feature three bedrooms and an attached garage. The architectural firm for the project is McCandless and Associates of Woodland.
The sites in Spring Lake were acquired by Yolo Habitat through a requirement that the developer set aside a portion of the 1,000 acres for affordable housing.
The Habitat homes will be in the Woodshire Artistry section of the development.
Other "low-income" homes are scheduled for the Spring Lake Development as part of the Monley-Cronin Construction project. The homes will be custom, single-family homes.
The development area for the plan was approved by the Woodland City Council under an arduous process that included at least 57 public meetings and was finally concluded in March of 1996. Despite the extensive amount of public input, the plan was subjected to a referendum later that year. The plan prevailed, winning approval from Woodland residents with nearly two-thirds of the total vote.
Reach Monica Krauth at 406-6231 or at dailydemocrat.com.
Linear Mode
