Community Solar (Don't be Fooled!), Nice LA Times Solar Article

Dear friends-

Finally, there was a quite favorable article in the LA TImes this past weekend about solar! Basically, it states the same message that I have been trying to spread as much as possible of late: with the dramatic drop in solar panel prices this year, solar is no longer just a great idea, but financially smart. Interestingly, the article doesn’t mention anything about the LADWP rebate, which is significantly higher than the rest of the state. Take a look at the article here

And for businesses, the incentives are even better. Almost hard to believe.

Community Solar:

Some of you may have heard of a new company called One Block Off the Grid or 1BOG, that is doing a great job aggregating interest in solar in various cities, choosing a single installer, and providing a group discount. More than anything Mimeos is passionate about solar so we love the fact that this company is doing a great job to spread the word and make it happen for more people.
The model that 1BOG is using is exactly like the Community Program Mimeos led last year, albeit much more robust. I really like their technology to get the word out, too. They just require significantly MORE participation than Mimeos did in order to get any discounts. (20x more!)

But don’t be fooled! Although their pricing with large groups is good (they have gotten in the low $6/Watt range) they are a lead generation company that gets paid handsomely for their efforts. But the also have a laundry list of “Add-ons” that increase the price for your system, sometimes dramatically. You also have no say in materials or the installer used. Got a flat roof? That’s an extra $.30/Watt. Wood shake roof? Extra $.30/Watt. Roof pitch greater than 30 degrees? Extra $.30/Watt. Got limited roof space and need high efficiency Sanyo panels? Extra $1.10-$1.45/Watt! You get the picture.

So why choose Mimeos?

Pricing: Our pricing is already in the $6/Watt range WITHOUT group discount (and dropping!) because we pass all of the material cost reductions right along to our customers, and have direct relationships with some of the best panel manufacturers in the world. And the drop in panel prices has been HUGE this year. As we have always said, we want to make solar happen for as many people as possible. We have the pricing flexibility to be able to do that. We found first hand last year that working with the large solar Installers in the state does not translate to better pricing.

Size: We keep a streamlined structure. When we partnered with one of the largest Installers in the state last year for the Griffith Park/Silver Lake/Los Feliz Community Solar Initiative, there were times when 4 people spent a full day trying to fill out a rebate form that takes less than 10 minutes for a single person to complete. That Installer has recently been awarded a 1BOG project up in San Francisco. They have a tremendous amount of overhead to cover, something that does not translate to savings for the customer. If you happen to have a challenging roof, its likely they will not even consider you as a customer. Mimeos, on the other hand, has excelled at finding solutions to make it happen for even the most difficult roof. In spite of our smaller size, no commercial installation we have been involved with has been too big!

Installation Efficiency: Mimeos has local preferred installers that have the highest possible state contractor and energy practitioner licenses. They are as passionate about solar as we are, and rarely, if ever, add on extra fees for slope, roof material, etc. When we receive your rebate reservation, you installation usually starts within a week, and free electricity is on the way. With 1BOG or other larger installers, it may take over 3 months before they can start your project!

Thanks for reading, and please spread the word about solar! And just a reminder, should you refer Mimeos a residential customer for which we complete an installation, $500 is yours. If you refer us a commercial project we commission you based on the size of the project, which is substantial!

We welcome the opportunity to work with you, and look forward to continuing to build a better energy future.

Regards,
Matt