August 1, 2013

SUBJECT: Solarize Plano Project Participants Decision Point 2 Response Needed by August 5th

To help prioritize solar installations and refine the estimate of what will ultimately be the project’s total installed capacity, we need to ask the current enrollees for their answer to Decision Point 2. (See Participant Decision Points ) We are needing this information earlier than anticipated due to feedback from solar companies’ reasonable concerns about being able to complete installations in time for the Oncor November 15 deadline.  Also, we will likely close enrollment by August 5th as well due to these same concerns.

What is your response to Decision Point 2 (DP2) ?

For those who respond "yes" to DP2, we also now need the following information:

1. Based on your analysis of annual electricity usage, the amount you want to cover with solar electricity generation, and the cost examples described in the Information Meetings,

1. provide your best estimate for the size in kW that you anticipate having installed
2. re-provide your approximate annual energy usage in kWh

2. Is your home’s orientation and shading suited for best solar production? (i.e. a generally south, or south southeast, or south southwest orientation)
3. Please provide the age of your home’s main electrical panel.  This will either be the age of your home, or less if you have had the panel replaced since the home was built.
4. Do you already know how you plan to pay for the system installation (e.g. cash, Smart Energy Loan, installer financing, other....)? Please specify your current intent.
5. If you plan to use the Smart Energy Loan Program,

1. Those ready to install now, and have qualified and have the basic weatherization complete
2. Those ready to install now, and have qualified,, but don’t have their audit and basic weatherization complete

6. If you have an HOA, have you already informed them of your plans?

This information together with the information you have already provided will be used to help prioritize the installer’s site assessment and contracting process with each enrollee. This will help ensure that all installations can be accomplished during the compressed time window.

For those of you who have separately contacted us regarding availability during the month of August, and have indicated an earlier desire to move forward with a system installation, we will record your DP2 response as a yes and proceed forward unless we hear otherwise from you.

If your DP2 response is “maybe”, then your information will be treated with a lower priority than those that answer "yes". If there is no response to this email, and then you later respond with "yes" or "maybe", you will likely miss the Oncor 2013 window for incentives.  

If your DP2 response is “no”, then we would appreciate your reply to this email indicating that is your decision.

If some enrollees are not able to respond to this email due to availability problems between now and August 5th, but would be responding yes to DP2, we will work with you when you become available to prioritize your next steps.

Shine On!

Larry Howe and Bob Litwins

volunteers with Plano Solar Advocates,

a 100% grassroots volunteer group