Sonoma County hosts workshop on energy loans

SONOMA COUNTY – The Sonoma County Economic Development Board along with the Sonoma County Water Agency, the county of Sonoma, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., the Redwood Empire Remodelers Association and the North Coast Builders Exchange are hosting a workshop on the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program for Sonoma County businesses, contractors and service providers.

The program, which was approved by the Board of Supervisors March 25, allows for the creation of a financing district to make loans to property owners for installation of energy-efficient and green-power systems via payments on property-tax bills. This is part of the California Assembly Bill 811, which was passed in September with the aim of increasing funding for energy efficiency.

Ben Stone, the executive director of the development board, said the workshop is designed to explain to businesses that want to participate in the program how to do so. Additionally, he said, it is for contractors to learn how they can participate in the program.

“We want to make sure both parties in the agreement are getting the same information,” he said.

Supervisor Shirlee Zane, Auditor-Controller Treasurer-Tax Collector Rod Dole, Mr. Stone, Director of General Services of Sonoma County Jose Obregon, , the water agency’s Public Information Officer Amy Bolten, Randy DeCaminada of PG&E and John Haig with general services will detail the program.

“We really want to be able to assist the businesses in terms of looking at who is eligible for the program,” Ms. Zane said.

“We want to help the businesses to be able to finance their projects and to create jobs, and we want the program to be viable so it continues to renew and grow year after year.”

There will be detailed instructions on how to fill out applications and project eligibility.

On March 25, the energy program opened its storefront at 404 Aviation Blvd.

Ms. Bolten, who has headed up the marketing for the program, said they have been busy processing requests for funding and have committed more $500,000 already. There are other projects she mentioned that are simply waiting for the cities to opt in, organic-food-maker Amy’s Kitchen and Nissan of Petaluma being two of them.

“The Amy’s Kitchen project should be another half-million dollars,” she said.

Ms. Bolten will speak on water efficiency and how the program can help with this issue. As far as water goes, she said there are relatively few improvements available, but the ones that are available are important.

Dual-flush or high-efficiency toilets and irrigation control are inexpensive and easy to install.

“Half of water use is in irrigation,” she said. And there are 1.28-gallon toilets now, which are almost two-thirds more efficient than the old three-gallon tanks, which were standard up to recent years.

Going forward with this program will help the county meet its stated goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 20 percent below 1990 levels, Mr. Stone said.

“Getting businesses on board will prove to be important,” he said. “It is a great program for homeowners in terms of reducing their energy bill, but the commercial buildings will be the key to greenhouse gas reduction.”

Sonoma County is the first county to put a plan like this into action.

“I am hoping we are a role model for not just the state but the whole country,” Ms. Zane said.

The event will take place at the Doubletree Hotel in Rohnert Park at 7 a.m. on April 9. For more information, contact the Economic Development Board at 707-565-7170.

The Web site for the energy independence program is www.sonomacountyenergy.org.