Sonoma County Energy Independence Program

Sonoma County Energy Independence Program
FACTSHEET
Prepared by Solar Depot

Overview of Program
•Municipal financing for property owners in the county who want to install solar, or make energy
efficiency or water conservation improvements
– County gives loan to property owners for the cost of the improvement project, which is
repaid through an assessment levied against their property, and paid twice per year with
property taxes
• The loan rate being offered is 7% fixed
• Loan terms can be 5, 10, or 20 years.
• No pre-payment penalty

– $100M of funding is available for projects now
• 50% of funds reserved for residential, 50% for commercial
• Since the program launch, very recently, $750,000 has already been committed to
applied projects

– Cities within County opt-in to program.
• By early May, all 9 cities within Sonoma County are expected to have formally
opted in and be offering the program.
• As of April 9, only Sonoma & Sebastopol and unincorporated parts of the County
have opted-in.

Program Requirements
• Customer Qualifications:

1. Customer is the person with name on title of the property

2. Property owner is current on property taxes and all mortgages

• Qualifying Solar Projects:

– Solar Electric: Grid-tied PV, Off-grid PV, Oversized PV systems for plug-in electric
vehicles,

– Solar Thermal: Solar Water Heating, Solar Pool Heating

– A building permit is required for ALL systems qualifying for financing

• Eligible Costs:

– Eligible costs include: equipment, installation labor, permit fees, engineering, design,
inspection charges, cost of title check.

– Financing amount is installed cost less the rebate (but includes tax credit)

– Minimum loan $2,500, there is no maximum cap.

– Any loan amount greater than $60,000 requires Program Admin approval; projects
costing more than $500,000 requires County Board of Supervisors approval.

– Payment-> Once project is complete, submit final building permit and all invoices, and
County will cut check to property owner at the beginning of the following month (if
submitted within 5 business days of end of the current month).