SMUD and Woodside Homes Agree to Build Almost 1,500 Solar Homes

April 4, 2008 – Vol.13 No.2

SMUD and Woodside Homes Agree to Build Almost 1,500 Solar Homes.

The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (California) will buy down the cost of solar and energy efficiency equipment in the homes to be completed by 2012. The deal is the largest to date between any utility and homebuilder in the United States.

Residents of the 1487 SolarSmart homes may save as much as 60 percent annually on their electric bills through the energy-efficient features and the solar roof tiles that generate electricity. The energy efficiency measures include efficient HVAC systems, radiant barriers in attics, added insulation, duct sealing and energy-efficient compact fluorescent lighting.

SMUD provides incentives of about $6,000 per home to buy down the cost of the solar electric systems and provides rebates for energy efficiency upgrades.

The SMUD customer community also benefits from solar home developments in terms of lower power costs for all customers. SolarSmart homes save and produce the most energy on hot summer days, so less electricity will be needed to serve these homes. That is the same time when power is most expensive for a utility to buy. These new SolarSmart homes are expected to shave about two megawatts off the peak demand.

The Woodside Homes deal is the tenth agreement SMUD has signed with builders since last year to construct SolarSmart homes. So far, SMUD has agreements in place to build more than 4,000 SolarSmart homes. Next year, more than 30 percent of new homes in SMUD service territory will be SolarSmart.

SMUD is the sixth largest publicly owned utility in the country in terms of customers served.

Woodside Homes has built over 25,000 new homes and is currently building in Arizona, Northern, Central and Southern California, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, Texas, Utah and Virginia. (4/3/08)

Links:

Woodside Homes
http://woodside-homes.com

Sacramento Municipal Utility District
http://www.smud.org

SMUD, D.R. Horton Sign Deal For 187 Solar Homes.

Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) Signs Deals for 462 More Solar Homes.

Disclaimer, Forward-Looking or Safe Harbor Statement on original press release: No