DJH Construction, Inc. Project Selected to be Showcased in 9th Annual Solar Homes Tour in San Diego.

DJH Construction, Inc., an Orange County based solar installation construction company, announced their project has been selected to take part in the 9th Annual Solar Homes Tour in San Diego. Over 40 homes throughout San Diego County is anticipated to participate in this year’s home tour. This self-guided tour offers real-life, working examples of three residential solar energy technologies: solar electric (photovoltaics), solar water heating and solar pool heating. The tour will take place on Saturday, October 18th between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

DJH Construction, Inc. representatives will be available at the project site (2758 Unicornio Street, Carlsbad, CA 92009) to answer questions relating to the photovoltaic system, the solar industry, and current legislation that may affect residents looking to invest in solar. “We are honored that our project will be used to showcase the benefits of solar energy to California residents. This solar homes tour would not be possible without the leadership shown by the California Center for Sustainable Energy and their continued support of solar energy as a viable resource for California,” said, Don Harris, President of DJH Construction, Inc.

The 8.064kW system was installed in August of 2008 on the residence of Joseph and Kathy Metta. The photovoltaic system spans a total of 7 arrays. The system ties together a total of 36 photovoltaic panels onto over 800 square feet of roof space. The system will annually produce an estimated 11,394kWh with an average monthly utility savings of approximately $233. In addition to the monthly savings, the Mettas will receive a rebate check from their utility for about $14,863 and a Federal Tax Credit of $2,000. The system is expected to save the Mettas $69,776 in utility bills over the system’s expected life of 25+ years. The estimated reduction in green house gas emissions from this system is estimated to be 195 tons of CO2. This reduction in green house gas emissions is equivalent to planting over 7,800 trees or driving 661,356 miles in a small car.

The California Public Utilities Commission, through its California Solar Initiative, provides $2.2 Billion in incentives over the next decade for existing residential homes and existing and new commercial, industrial, and agricultural properties. On July 11, 2008, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Energy Division issued the fourth Progress Report on the California Solar Initiative (CSI) Program, and announced that there have been 59 MW of installations in the CSI program in the first half of 2008, which is the same number of megawatts installed statewide for all of 2006.

"We are pleased to install another residential, environmentally friendly photovoltaic system in the state of California. The state continues to be a leader in renewable energy installations, helping our nation to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. We commend the Mettas for making the capital investment and taking the initiative to become more energy independent," said Harris.