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State Rebates Help Make Home Solar Technology a Realistic Option

A new study by Roper found nearly 90 percent of Americans think solar electricity should be an option for all new home construction. California offers rebates that can make solar a good long term inve

State Rebates Help Make Home Solar Technology a Realistic Option

A new study by Roper found nearly 90 percent of Americans think solar electricity should be an option for all new home construction. California offers rebates that can make solar a good long term investment. KPBS Reporter Ed Joyce has details.

Solar energy is one of California's most abundant renewable resources. The California Energy Commission says that state rebates, combined with federal tax incentives, can cover nearly half of the cost of installing a solar system.

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The CEC's Adam Gottlieb : We're reducing the need for costly new power plants, we're cutting greenhouse gas, and we're preserving the vital energy resources that we have.

Solar Depot is a Northern California company that works with contractors to install solar systems. The company says the cost of installing an average residential system for a 2,500 square-foot house after rebates would be about $24,000. And, if your system is tied into the grid, you can send extra electricity back to the utility company to earn credits.

Ed Joyce, KPBS News.