7/11/2010

Being Green is Blue today

Green energy just got a kick in the pants from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The PACE program, or property assessed clean energy program is not going to allowed by the Federal Housing Authority.


I looked into putting a solar system on my home. The cost was approximately, $ 26,900. Which would save my monthly utility bill of $ 500. Instead of paying for this in cash the city allows a program which puts it on my tax bill, just like mosquito abatement or other bond measures which are paid over time. It would allow financing the solar system or energy efficient retrofits which would be paid back over twenty years. If I sell my home the benefit goes to the new owner and so does the bill.

It appears that moving away from our dependency on oil is only rhetoric. With the rising costs of oil and utilities a program which made sense has been squashed.