Friday, February 23, 2007

Selling Homeowners a Solar Dream

Selling Homeowners a Solar Dream
Instead of making you spring for $25,000 or more in gear, Citizenrē says it will loan you a complete rooftop solar power system, install it for free and sell you back the power it generates at a fixed rate below what your utility charges. The company hopes to make back its investment with those monthly payments, augmented by federal tax credits and rebates.

Founded by a solar power veteran and a former tech company executive just 18 months ago, and still officially in a pre-launch phase, Citizenrē says it has $650 million in bank funding behind it. Enviro-actorvist Ed Begley Jr. has cut an eight-minute video for the company website, and more than 7,000 people from Maine to San Diego have already signed up for systems. And why wouldn't they? With no upfront costs -- aside from a modest security deposit -- consumers can save on their electric bill and help roll back global warming at the same time.

If you own a home and saw An Inconvenient Truth, you're already sold.

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