Roseville Celebrates Solar Power

While you might think of Southern California as the home for solar power installations in the United States, the fact is that solar-powered homes are beginning to take root across the rest of California and around the country. New home developers are looking for additional features to lure existing and first-time home buyers in a tough economy and elements that are both environmentally-friendly and cost effective are very attractive.

New home construction in Los Angeles has seen a sharp rise in the installation of energy-saving features like solar energy panels, but this idea has spread elsewhere. One place is in Northern California and the Sacramento suburb of Roseville. The Sacramento Bee reports that the city recently celebrated its third annual “All Things Solar Day” to promote solar energy within the city.

The push for solar energy was kicked off in 2006 when the city adopted the BEST (Blueprint for Efficiency and Solar Technology) Homes program that gave developers and general construction contractors rebates of up to $8,500 for homes featuring rooftop photovoltaic solar systems, efficient air conditioning and Energy Star-certified appliances. Since 2007, about 30 percent of new homes in Roseville have been solar powered.