In early June 2016 we had the pleasure of helping Mendocino Solar Service customers make history, by designing and installing the first-ever residential solar system in the historic Mendocino village.
Mendocino’s first solar home (pictured here) has an on-grid, roof-mounted solar array. The array was designed to be unobtrusive, hugging the line of the roof, with south facing solar panels to capture sunlight throughout the day. The energy produced by the panels during the daytime is used to power the home, and then excess surplus energy is fed in to the electrical grid. With net metering, excess solar energy is carried by PG&E power lines to homes and businesses nearby.
This on-grid solar energy system highlights one of the exciting ways that solar is making a difference, now:
Solar energy systems are making it possible for home and business owners to greatly increase their personal energy independence.
Rather than just paying endlessly increasing PG&E bills, with electricity rates that can rise up to 6 or 7% a year, homeowners and businesses can invest in time-tested solar energy systems, securing a reliable source of cost-effective energy for years to come.
Solar energy installations are not “one size fits all.” Each installation is individually designed to cover the consumer’s specific energy needs, including electric car charging.
On-grid solar energy systems allow consumers to monitor their home’s energy production and energy consumption online, even when away from home.
And keep in mind, solar increases personal energy independence whether the system is in town and on-grid like this example (using net metering) or is located farther out of town and off-grid (using battery backup).
Join us in celebrating the arrival of personal energy independence to the village of Mendocino!
–Bruce Erickson & Maggie Watson, Co-Owners, Mendocino Solar Service
Note: In June 2014, Harvest Market at Mendosa’s became the first Mendocino village business approved for a commercial solar installation, after receiving the OK from Mendocino’s Historical Review Board. Despite that promising development, it was almost two years before the first residential solar installation was approved in May 2016, when MHRB endorsed an application converting a charming Village home to solar energy.
