IID Electricity Rates Are Rising – Here’s How to Protect Yourself
February 17, 2025 Imperial Irrigation District Rate Hikes: What You Need to Know ...
Solar Energy in the Coachella Valley is Cheaper Than Ever in 2024
October 29, 2024 A New Era of Savings As we move through ...
Stop Renting Your Electricity: Why Now is the Time for California Homeowners to Invest in Solar
September 25, 2024 Do you own a home in California but you pay ...
The Future of Solar is PV + Storage
July 8, 2024 Why? Because when it comes to energizing your home ...
The Wild Wild West of California Solar in 2024
March 13, 2024 The Wild Wild West of California Solar in 2024! ...
Happy Earth Day 2022
April 22, 2022 Happy Earth Day! Every year on April 22, people around ...
IID Electricity Rates Are Rising – Here’s How to Protect Yourself
February 17, 2025
Imperial Irrigation District Rate Hikes: What You Need to Know
If you live in the Imperial Irrigation District (IID), prepare for your electricity bills to increase. The IID board of directors voted unanimously to raise rates three times from now through 2027 to fund up to $1.3 billion in overdue grid upgrades. If your average monthly bill is around $240, expect it to rise by about $30 per month in 2025.
Here is a link to their proposed rate hikes: IID Rate Update.
How Much Will IID’s New Rates Cost You?
According to IID’s website, the ‘base rate’ for residential customers will increase from 11.69 cents per kWh to 19.76 cents per kWh. While this may seem like a 69% rate hike, it’s not quite that simple. The adjusted base rate will now include the “Energy Cost Adjustment” (ECA)—a fee that has caused bill spikes in recent summers.
Over the last 12 months, ECA charges have averaged around 7.5 cents per kWh, and while they will no longer appear on your bill, the base rate will still increase significantly.
Here’s the timeline for IID’s rate hikes:
- 2025: 19.76 cents per kWh
- 2026: +12.85% → 22.3 cents per kWh
- 2027: +9.3% → 24.38 cents per kWh
Aging Infrastructure & Power Reliability Concerns
According to the Calexico Chronicle, IID Board Vice Chair JD Hamby is alarmed about the age of the district’s infrastructure and potential reliability issues. Many of IID’s transformers date back to the 1930s-1960s, raising serious concerns about grid stability and power outages.
Read the full article here: Calexico Chronicle – Rate Hike & IID Grid Issues.
Why Paying Your IID Bill Is a Losing Investment
Every dollar you spend on your utility bill evaporates the moment the check is cashed—you get zero return on that investment. Worse yet, as the grid continues to age, you may not even be able to rely on your electricity when you need it.
The Smart Alternative: Go Solar with Battery Storage
By switching to solar + battery storage, you will not only secure your family’s energy supply, but you’ll also see a 100% return on your investment—usually in less than 8 years!
Once your solar system is paid off, you’ll enjoy years of virtually free electricity. It’s truly a no-brainer.
And if you finance your system, you can match your monthly payment to what you currently spend on electricity—meaning you don’t have to increase your household budget.
Take Control of Your Energy Future—Call Today!
Don’t get stuck paying IID’s skyrocketing rates. Call today and take control of your energy costs!
(760) 641-7179
Solar Energy in the Coachella Valley is Cheaper Than Ever in 2024
October 29, 2024
A New Era of Savings
As we move through 2024, the landscape of solar energy has evolved, bringing unprecedented affordability and accessibility. One of the key drivers behind this shift is the recent change in net metering rules across many states, including ours. These updates have significantly lowered the compensation rates for energy that homeowners generate and send back to the grid, but don’t let that discourage you—it’s actually making solar energy more appealing than ever before.
What Are Net Metering Changes?
Net metering allows solar energy system owners to send excess electricity they generate back to the utility grid in exchange for credits on their electric bills. In 2024, new regulations have decreased the amount utilities pay homeowners for this excess energy. While this might sound like a downside at first glance, the impact is not what many expected.
Why Is Solar Energy Now More Affordable?
Lower net metering compensation has nudged solar companies and customers to rethink how they maximize savings. Here’s how:
1. Lower Installation Costs: With technology advancements and greater demand for solar systems, the overall cost of installing solar panels has decreased significantly in 2024. The reduction in hardware costs, coupled with improved energy storage options, means that homeowners can now enjoy greater independence from the grid without breaking the bank.
2. Battery Storage Innovations: Solar energy storage has made leaps and bounds in recent years. New battery technologies allow homeowners to store their excess solar power for use when the sun isn’t shining. This mitigates the impact of lower net metering rates, as people can now use more of the energy they generate themselves rather than sending it back to the grid.
3. Smarter System Design: The focus is shifting toward systems designed to meet your home’s energy needs efficiently. Instead of overproducing power to sell back at reduced rates, homeowners are encouraged to consume their solar power as much as possible. This shift leads to more thoughtful energy consumption patterns, resulting in increased savings.
The Benefits of Going Solar in 2024
Even with the new net metering rules, solar energy remains a smart and cost-effective option for homeowners in 2024. In fact, the benefits are stacking up:
- Energy Independence: With improved battery storage, you can store excess solar power for nighttime or cloudy days, reducing reliance on the grid.
- Long-Term Savings: By using more of the energy you generate, you can cut your utility bills dramatically, often paying off the cost of your solar system in just a few years.
- Environmental Impact: Solar power is one of the cleanest energy sources available. Switching to solar reduces your carbon footprint and helps combat climate change.
The Future of Solar Is Bright
The changes in net metering compensation may seem like a hurdle, but they’re actually part of a larger shift toward energy independence. Solar energy is now cheaper and more accessible than ever in 2024, making it a prime opportunity to make the switch. With installation costs falling, incentives rising, and battery storage advancing, there’s never been a better time to invest in solar energy for your home.
If you are interested in learning more, let us have a conversation. There is absolutely no obligation and even if you do not decide to go solar, I can share multiple energy saving tips with you that will save you money immediately off your electric bills.
Call us today and we can discuss by phone or set up an in-person consultation.
(760) 641-7179
Stop Renting Your Electricity: Why Now is the Time for California Homeowners to Invest in Solar
September 25, 2024
Do you own a home in California but you pay monthly RENT for your electricity?
Over the past five years, electricity prices have soared across the U.S., particularly in California, as extreme weather fueled by climate change has increased energy demand. Record-high temperatures have kept us indoors cranking up our air conditioners which adds to the burden. According to Yahoo finance, California has seen a 47.8% increase in electricity prices during this period. Aging utility grid infrastructure is the main cause of wildfires in our state and the utilities lean on the ratepayers to update the grid. The cost of energy continues and will continue to escalate. Many people are seeing monthly electric bills that exceed their house payment.
Why Owning Your Energy with Solar is a Smart Investment for Homeowners
If you own a home, it will always make sense to own your energy generation, stop renting power! Even with the changes to the investor-owned utilities net metering policies, going solar is still a very wise investment. In fact, every penny that home-owners spend on their electric bill will see a ZERO return on investment. However, if you invest in a solar PV system plus batteries to power your home, you will get a 100% return on that investment in less than a decade.
If you are interested in learning more, let us have a conversation. There is absolutely no obligation and even if you do not decide to go solar, I can share multiple energy saving tips with you that will save you money immediately off your electric bills.
Call us today and we can discuss by phone or set up an in-person consultation.
(760) 641-7179
The Future of Solar is PV + Storage
July 8, 2024
Why?
Because when it comes to energizing your home or business, affordable energy is important. Generating electricity with solar PV modules (solar panels) is not only good for the environment but can literally save you tens of thousands of dollars over the decades. Today’s solar panels have a 40-year useful life, the warranty is only 25 years but at that point most top tier panels are still producing 90% of what they made during the first year they were installed.
With NEM 3.0 or the Solar Billing Plan/NBT (Net Billing Tariff) as the investor-owned utilities call it, solar net generators are given peanuts for their net generated solar kilowatt hours that they import back to the energy grid. Depending on the time of day and other factors that rate will be anywhere between 3 to 7 cents per kWh. Find more info for SCE’s export pricing at these links.
Energy Storage System
Instead of spinning the meter backwards and giving YOUR solar kilowatt hours to SCE for minimal credit, you would be far better off storing your excess solar energy. Then you can use it when the sun goes down and the energy rates from the utility skyrocket. Investing in an energy storage system (ESS) more commonly known as a battery will greatly enhance the benefits of going solar, increase your system’s efficiency, and SAVE you more money. Plus, you can get the 30% Federal investment tax credit on the solar and the battery!
Another plus from adding an ESS is that you can ensure that you have uninterrupted power on certain critical loads during power outages. You can secure your energy impudence from the utility and break free from future rates hikes. You can also monitor the system in real time, tracking your power generation and consumption. All this and you will be doing your part to stave off climate change by reducing your carbon footprint.
Call us today and we can discuss by phone or set up an in-person consultation.
(760) 641-7179
The Wild Wild West of California Solar in 2024
March 13, 2024
The Wild Wild West of California Solar in 2024!
The state of California’s solar industry and how it relates to solar consumers moving forward.
As the ashes settle from last years transition from NEM 2.0 to the current tariff which is called NEM 3.0 or the NBT tariff. Let’s see where we stand, where we came from and where we are headed.
The CPUC all but pulled the plug on rooftop solar growth in California when it approved the NBT Tariff on December 15, 2022 which was ultimately put in place on April 14, 2023.
NEM 3.0 cut the compensation rate for net-generated solar kilowatt hours (kWh) by more than 75%. Under NEM 2.0 ratepayers would receive retail credit for their ‘net generated’ kWh but under NEM 3.0, now they receive a wholesale rate that’s between 3 to 7 cents per kWh. (NEM 2.0 customers are grandfathered for 20 years.)
Since the new tariff took effect in April of 2023, the California solar industry has seen an 80% drop in solar installations and a loss of more than 20,000 jobs.
The CA Public Utilities Commission is mandated to serve the public by securing electricity reliability and affordability but it feels like the CPUC is dead set on blocking the growth of solar at the expense of consumers and the state’s clean energy goals. And who benefits? The investor-owned utilities (PG&E, SDG&E and SCE) NEM 3.0 feels like it was designed to protect their profits on the backs of the ratepayers.
Remember SB100? It was signed by governor Jerry Brown into law in 2018. The bill set the goal of powering all retail electricity sold in California with renewable and zero-carbon resources by 2045. It also updated the state’s Renewables Portfolio Standard to ensure that by 2030 at least 60% of CA’s electricity is renewable. This includes renewable resources such as solar and wind energy that do not emit climate-altering greenhouse gases. The truth is, we cannot even come close to meeting these clean energy goals without distributed generation.
Meanwhile, energy prices continue to inflate at an alarming rate. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics energy prices are currently rising at double the rate of inflation. SCE’s average ratepayers are seeing annual rate increases between 12 and 20% year over year since 2020. This is not based off finding information online but of my personally downloading the maximum available 3 years of SCE statements from dozens of solar prospects over the last few years. The average increase for SCE ratepayers is over 15% and at that rate their electricity bills will double in 5 years.
If you are an SCE customer, look at your January 2024 statement. On the last 2 pages, SCE’s legal notices include their General Rate Case for 2025 which requests a 1.9 billion dollar increase for that year alone or a 22.6% increase over 2024’s rates. Those increases are followed by 6% increases year after year until 2028. Okay enough of the bad news.
Fortunately, going solar still makes sense for California homeowner’s who are trying to take control of their energy costs and gain their energy independence from the utility. Solar also significantly increases the value of your home. By going solar not only you will freeze your costs for electricity but you will protect yourself from the ever-increasing energy rates moving forward. The systems we are installing today have a 40-year useful life so once you have achieved a 100% return on your solar investment, typically in 6 to 9 years, your savings will compound. No exaggeration here, you will save tens of thousands of dollars in the years moving forward.
You can also maximize the return on investment for solar by installing an advanced energy storage system or home-based batteries. Here in the desert, our energy consumption in the summer months is 3 to 5 times higher than the spring and winter months. Solar customers with batteries could be compensated more during evening hours when the demand for electricity is highest. With home-based battery storage, you can store your solar generated kWh during the daytime or off-peak hours and use those kilowatt hours during the evening when energy costs escalate.
There is still a federal solar tax credit available for homeowners who choose to install solar PV and home-based batteries. It is currently at 30% until 2033 when it will drop to 26%. The credit will further decrease to 22% in 2034 and expire in 2035.
Call us today and we can discuss by phone or set up an in-person consultation.
(760) 641-7179
Happy Earth Day 2022
April 22, 2022
Happy Earth Day!
Every year on April 22, people around the globe celebrate Earth Day. Our planet is our home and we need to be cognizant of its ever-changing climate particularly as it relates to our ability to positively impact it. This year’s message on www.earthday.org is “Invest in Our Planet.” Let’s all do our part, pick up a piece of trash and dispose of it properly. Use a paper straw instead of a plastic one, use a glass for that drink of water instead of a plastic bottle. Let’s take action on climate change. Conserve, reuse and restore our resources whenever possible.
Consider investing in a clean solution for your home’s energy by installing a solar photovoltaic system. Not only will you save a lot of money and receive a quick return on your investment but you’ll take another step in reducing global carbon emissions.
(760) 641-7179
Call us today and we’ll show you how!
Imperial Irrigation District’s Impending 16% Rate Increase
August 30, 2021
California’s limited power supply will cause electricity bills of Imperial Irrigation District power customers to greatly increase starting in the month of August. IID serves electricity to more than 150,000 rate payers in parts of Riverside and San Diego County and all of Imperial County.
It’s time for IID’s rate payers to take their power back into their own hands by switching to solar energy, save your money, save your planet, call us today and we’ll show you how.
Call Mike Cordero at
(760) 641-7179
Summer Solstice 2021
June 20, 2021
Happy Summer Solstice.
Summer is Here!! Welcome to summer 2021 with its’ record-breaking temperatures and the highest energy costs of the year. Do what you can to conserve energy especially between the peak hours of 4 PM to 9 PM. This not only helps our local electricity grid but it will lower the amount of energy that you consume and save you money. If your home isn’t powered by clean natural sunlight, now is the perfect time to consider “Going Solar”. Not only will you lower your family’s carbon footprint and do your part to curb climate change plus help our planet but also you will save thousands of dollars on your future energy costs by owning your power generation. Call Desert Renewable at 760-641-7179 today and we’ll help you get started. Below I’ve listed 10 ways you can save energy and by extension save the planet!
1. Change your lightbulbs to LEDs from the Incandescent, halogen or CFL variety.
2. Do your laundry early in the morning or after 9:00 PM.
3. Wash your clothes using cold water.
4. Run your dishwasher first thing in the AM or late at night.
5. Change you’re a/c filter and other filters in your home.
6. Use your ceiling fans to decrease the room’s temperature by up to 5 degrees.
7. Set your pool’s variable speed pump to run on the slower variable speed.
8. Air seal your home to ensure it’s not “leaking energy”.
9. Use your microwave instead of your stove when cooking.
10. Charge your electrical vehicle during the overnight hours.
(760) 641-7179
Give us a call today & put the sun to work for you!
Roof Integrity for Solar
March 15, 2021
Considering going solar? STOP! First things first. Have you considered your roof’s age and integrity before adding a solar system?
Most of today’s premium solar modules will adorn the rooftops they are installed on for a minimum of 3 decades which is why it’s crucial for each and every roof to be inspected by a qualified roof inspector PRIOR to considering going solar.
The most common solar module installation methods involve some form of roof penetration. Make sure you find out that the person who is performing the work has experience in this arena BEFORE you make the move to go solar. If these penetrations are not flashed or sealed properly your roof’s integrity may be compromised and the last thing you want is a roof leak to sully your experience of going solar.
First, let’s take a look at the roof! Out here in the Coachella Valley there are many different types of roofing systems and each of them require differing installation methods. Some of the types of roofing are Concrete Tile, Clay Tile, Rock, Asphalt Shingle, Wood Shingle, Slate Shingle, Standing Seam Metal roofs, Torch down roofing, TPO (Thermoplastic Polyolefin) and EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Terpolymer) Also known as rubber or vinyl roofs, TPO & EPDM roofs are typically used in commercial applications but some homes have these types of roofing systems as well.
Here are some important points of consideration:
1. The load (weight) capacity of most solar PV systems is usually anywhere from 3 to 5 pounds per square foot.
2. Proper drainage of the rooftop is crucial as standing or pooling water can damage your roof.
3. Is your roof under warranty? Most reputable solar companies will work with your roofer and have them seal the penetrations so they can extend your current roof warranty.
Solar installations are safe for your roof and will greatly enhance your home ownership experience if you take these items into consideration and ASK SOME OF THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ADDRESSED ABOVE TO YOUR PROSPECTIVE SOLAR INSTALLERS. If you have any questions regarding this topic or any other solar or energy related questions, please give Desert Renewable Energy Solutions a call.
(760) 641-7179
Give us a call today & put the sun to work for you!
Solar Tax Credit 2021
December 31, 2020
Happy New Year Coachella Valley!!
Good news, On Monday December 21, 2020 the U.S. Congress passed a massive spending bill that includes a two-year extension of the Investment Tax Credit for solar power! The two-year extension of the Federal Investment Tax Credit for solar means that solar projects that begin construction now through the end of 2022 will retain the current 26% rather than expiring at the end of 2020 as they would have under the existing law. The ITC will fall to a 22% rate for projects that begin construction by the end of 2023 and then fall to 10% in 2024.
Let’s start out 2021 with a bang! Kick your utility to the curb and generate your own power moving forward!
(760) 641-7179
Give us a call today & put the sun to work for you!
Switch to Solar Energy
December 14, 2020
Happy December! As we begin to happily close out 2020 (good riddance! 😊) it has never been more important to judiciously consider each and every dollar we spend. If you and your household hasn’t made the switch to solar energy, it is the PERFECT time to consider doing so. Summer 2021 is right around the corner & with it comes the high summer bills that non-solar users dread. For homeowners making an investment in solar PV is a very intelligent decision. In most cases, they’ll realize a 100% return on their investment in less than 6 years.
Smart Money Investment. A solar P.V. investment nets a better return than most financial products. Folks who make the switch will generate an annual return of their money anywhere from 10 to more than 25% after which their system will produce “FREE ELECTRICITY” for them for the next few decades.
Protect yourself from utility inflation and begin the journey to owning your power generation.
(760) 641-7179
Give us a call today & put the sun to work for you!
Hello Coachella Valley
November 13, 2020
Hello Coachella Valley!!! We are VERY excited to launch Desert Renewable Energy Solutions.
Our business model is different than a typical solar company in that we represent the Home & Business owner. We make solar and advanced energy storage simple! We will consult with you to understand your motivation for going solar and obtain multiple quotes from qualified local installers for review.
We have been in the solar industry since 2007 and will bring that experience to bear in your unique situation. We’ll help you navigate through the different financial options available from straight cash purchase to loans, leases, PPA’s and PACE financing. We will always discuss energy efficiency improvements before considering a solar solution.
We are very familiar with the product & equipment offerings available in today’s solar market and will be able to assist you in making the best decision for your energy production & storage needs moving forward.