Placer County kicks off mPOWER, hopes to jump start local housing, businesses By Brad Smith The Press Tribune

Called mPOWER Placer (Money for Property Owner Water & Energy Efficiency Retrofitting Program), the program and its $33 million dollar funding was approved by the board of supervisors in January.

The money comes from treasurer's investment portfolio funds that are usually invested in Wall Street.

Windeshausen said she and other Placer officials had learned of Sonoma County's own "green loan" program - the first such program in the nation - and felt that Placer could do the same thing.

Held at the Roseville Home Depot with several county officials, local government representatives, real estate agents, business owners, private contractors and the media in attendance, Windeshausen explained how mPOWER works.

The mPOWER program gives eligible Placer property owners a no-money-down way to finance energy and water conservation improvements.

"It'll allow property owners to apply for loans to fully pay for allowed improvements," she said. "And then pay the loans back with an attractive interest rate in twice yearly payments through their property tax payments."

Windeshausen noted that the Sonoma program generated more than 900 local jobs.

"Hearing that, I believe that MPOWER Placer is a win-win situation for us," she said.

"We'd be investing that money locally. The money would go to Placer residents, who wanted energy efficient homes," she said. "Local contractors and companies who focus on solar/photovoltaic systems will benefit as well."

Both the Placer and Sonoma projects are a response to AB 811, authored by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine and signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger during the summer 2008. According to the AB 811 Web site, the bill authorizes all Californian cities and counties to allow eligible property owners to enter to finance installation of distributed renewable energy generation, as well as energy efficiency improvements, that are permanently fixed to the property owner's residential, commercial, industrial, or other real property.

You can soon take advantage of Sacramento County's PACE program, a new Energy Efficiency financing package. This program allows Sacramento County business owners to add solar energy as an integral component to their business with no out-of-pocket expense. Business owners who choose to claim their share of these funds will find their energy bills to be substantially reduced, while contributing positively to the benefit of the greater environment as well.

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You can soon take advantage of Yolo County's PACE program, a new Energy Efficiency financing package. This program allows Yolo County business owners to add solar energy as an integral component to their business with no out-of-pocket expense. Business owners who choose to claim their share of these funds will find their energy bills to be substantially reduced, while contributing positively to the benefit of the greater environment as well.

There are tax incentives and utility rebates in addition to energy savings to be realized with these programs.

Your business is unique, here's how it's customized to your needs:

1. The first thing you will need is a comprehensive analysis of the program's costs, rebates, tax benefits and savings that your business would realize immediately, as well as those continuous benefits projected into the future. We can do that for your business at no cost.
2. Call us at MEC. Because of our expertise developed over 20 years with energy-saving lighting equipment, we are uniquely qualified to integrate both your new Solar Equipment and your lighting environment within your current electrical grid system, resulting in a "makes sense," professionally integrated power system that translates into even greater savings.
3. Act NOW. Call me now to schedule a cost-free analysis tailored to your specific business.