On September 25, Tuesday morning, we hosted a joint kick-off Go SOLAR Rooftop Challenge meeting with Broward County.  And by all measures, the event was a resounding success, attracting over 70 inspectors, solar contractors, fire marshals, Go SOLAR committee members, and Broward County employees, not to mention our own US Solar Institute (USSI) team.  This was the largest Go Solar Broward attended event to date.

The Go SOLAR Rooftop Challenge is part of a Department of Energy funded grant to encourage more PV installations throughout Broward County.  The centerpiece of Tuesday’s event was the official unveiling of a new online permitting system that will allow residents and business owners to cut through much of the red tape traditionally associated with installing new solar PV systems.

USSI continues to play a supportive role in helping to design a uniform, standardized, online application process that promises to make solar more accessible for the people of Broward County.

The online solar permitting system is only the beginning.  Making the application process easier is critical for widespread solar PV adoption.  But ultimately, the decision to install or not install solar systems comes down to economics.  If we can make the technology more affordable, everybody wins.

And thus, we also unveiled a number of strategies to help bring the cost of installing solar technology down even further.

Effective immediately, USSI will begin offering deeply discounted 5kW PV installations to the first 20 applicants who take advantage of the newly unveiled online permitting process.

At $3 a watt, these pre-approved Go SOLAR systems represent significant cost savings for a technology that has already benefited from rapid price reductions thanks to a global surplus in silicon and other solar-related inputs.

Moreover, we shared that Florida Power and Light continues to provide the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) mandated rebate of $2/watt for approved solar PV installations.  When coupled with our own discounted pricing, this brings the total cost of these Go SOLAR systems down to $1 a watt – a new milestone in solar energy.

Imagine paying only $5,000 for a solar PV installation that dramatically reduces both your electricity bill and carbon footprint beginning on Day 1.  And because these systems have been designed to withstand Florida’s notorious hurricane winds, those cost savings will only increase throughout the 30-year lifetime of your installation.

The benefits don’t stop there.

USSI is currently the world’s only VA-approved solar PV school that provides installation training to veterans under the GI Bill.  And as part of our mission to put America’s returning heroes back to work, we’re committed to helping Broward County’s veterans play an instrumental role in installing the first several rounds of PV systems under the Go SOLAR Rooftop Challenge.

So just to recap:

  • Applying for solar installations has become much easier thanks to the online permitting process.
  • If you’re one of the first 20 applicants, you’ll receive deeply discounted solar PV systems for $3 a watt.
  • By applying for the FPL solar rebate, you can bring your system cost down even further to $1 a watt (or $5,000 total).
  • And you also have an opportunity to put an unemployed veteran in the community back to work.

There are no losers in this scenario.  But it gets even better.

USSI has also introduced a special “sign and drive” financing option in which you only pay $500 upfront rather than the full $15,000 for a fully installed system.

This means that you can actually pay for your installation using the extra savings generated from your lower electricity bills.  Imagine spending less money than you do right now to receive a solar installation AND lower monthly electricity bills.

Is the Go SOLAR Rooftop Challenge for Everyone?

Admittedly, only a limited number of those who use the online permitting process will qualify for some of the discounts listed above.  And not everyone is a returning military veteran who can take advantage of GI-bill tuition discounts.

But you can still be a part of Broward County’s Go SOLAR Rooftop Challenge.

A few things to keep in mind:

  • Anyone in Broward County can take advantage of the online permitting process to make solar installations easier.
  • The FPL solar-rebate is available to all.
  • Our sign and drive financing is open to everyone.

Even if you’re not in the market for a new solar PV installation, you can still be a part of the Go SOLAR Rooftop Challenge.

For starters, everyone who attended Tuesday’s event qualifies for discounted solar PV installation training through USSI.  And as always, inspectors and government officials can come to our solar classes for free.

And lastly, all Broward County residents can attend free seminars or take advantage of training discounts by following us on Facebook.

Although the Go SOLAR Rooftop Challenge is a federally funded program, we’re committed to making it an inclusive, community driven initiative that attracts and benefits everyone within Broward County.

Contact us today to learn more.