SunRun and PV Solar Report Announce California's Top Solar Cities

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- SunRun, the nation's leading home solar company, and PV Solar Report, an authority on California solar market data, today announced the top solar cities in California for the first eight months of 2011.  With San Jose in the number-one slot and Bakersfield, San Francisco and Fresno in the top five, the list indicates that families in northern and central California are setting the precedent for taking control of their electricity costs by switching to solar.

The top solar cities list is based on the California Solar Initiative's (CSI) database of residential rebate reservations through August 31, 2011.*  In seven of these ten cities the majority of homeowners chose a lease or similar options over a cash purchase.  Rankings are as follows:

1. San Jose
2. San Diego
3. Bakersfield
4. San Francisco
5. Fresno
6. Corona
7. Simi Valley
8. Santa Rosa
9. Murrieta
10. Lancaster

"Families in Fresno and Bakersfield have some of the highest electric bills in the state, so it's not surprising that more homeowners in those areas are looking for ways to save money on electricity by switching to solar," said SunRun president and co-founder Lynn Jurich.  "Because SunRun lets homeowners switch to solar without buying the panels, customers come to us with that financial pain in mind and save tens of thousands of dollars over time."

SunRun is growing at over 200% each year by letting American families switch to solar without spending $30,000 or more to buy panels.  SunRun owns, insures and maintains the solar panels and installs them on a homeowner's roof.  Families pay a low monthly rate for clean energy, fixing their energy costs for 20 years.

"PV Solar Report provides a daily snapshot of the industry for solar professionals, and as the solar market grows we see increasing interest from consumers in the reach and affordability of solar," said Stephen Torres, founder and managing director of PV Solar Report.  "This top cities list was designed to inform the industry, as well as demonstrate to California families that solar is affordable today.  For example, over the past twelve months the cost of a solar installation has dropped significantly and more homeowners are now using leases or power-purchase agreements to go solar than at anytime in the past."

PV Solar Report's analyses also indicate that going solar without buying the panels – known as 3rd-party-owned solar or solar power service – is becoming the preferred option in California.  For example, June of 2011 was the first month ever in which more Californians opted for 3rd-party-owned solar over cash purchases, and the trend continues.  SunRun invented this model for residential solar in 2007 and remains the market leader in California.  In August, the company had three times the market share of the next largest provider.

For more information on SunRun visit www.sunrunhome.com.  For an executive brief and comprehensive list of the top 25 cities in California from PV Solar Report click here.

*The CSI database includes data from the California utilities SDG&E, PG&E and SCE.

About SunRun

SunRun is the nation's leading residential solar company and its mission is to become the nation's largest energy provider. The company's Total Solar product is the smart and affordable choice for homeowners who want a clean alternative to their utility. SunRun offers solar power service, similar to a lease, allowing homeowners to upgrade their home to solar for as little as $0 upfront and simply pay monthly for solar electricity. More than 14,000 homeowners have chosen SunRun across Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. SunRun partners with over 25 leading local solar installers, who together employ more than 3,000 green-collar workers. SunRun has raised financing for more than $750 million in solar systems from investors including U.S. Bancorp, and $85 million in venture capital from Accel Partners, Foundation Capital and Sequoia Capital. For more information, please visit: www.sunrunhome.com.

About PV Solar Report

PV Solar Report is the leading authority on California solar market data with the mission of providing relevant, timely and succinct information to busy solar professionals. PV Solar Report publishes a daily digest for busy solar professionals, in-depth quarterly reports of the California residential solar market, and custom reports for solar company clients. PV Solar Report makes it easy for industry professionals to stay on top of the dynamic solar industry. For more information visit: www.pvsolarreport.com

SOURCE SunRun