Maryland and Pennsylvania residents have a limited time to take advantage of rebate and grant programs that can significantly reduce the cost of going solar:

The Pennsylvania Sunshine Program, which provides rebates to Pennsylvanians installing solar electric systems, has begun placing customers on a waiting list. The Pennsylvania Sunshine Program does not guarantee that those on the waiting will receive the rebate.  However, for a limited time, Standard Solar will guarantee the rebate for customers who sign a contract for a photovoltaic system.

The Sunshine rebate is a major financial accelerator for people investing in solar. For example, if you choose an 8kW system from Standard Solar, the guarantee will save you $6,000 off the cost the system in addition to the federal tax credit of 30% of total system cost.

The guarantee on the PA Sunshine Rebate is contingent on funds being paid from the state program.  Standard Solar is in contact with the state program’s representative and will discontinue this offer once funds are depleted.

Maryland residents have a bit more time to take advantage of special savings. The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) solar grant currently offers a $1,000 incentive for installing a solar electric system on your home. To further sweeten the deal, Standard Solar will match the MEA solar grant toward the purchase of a qualifying system.

The Standard Solar End of Year Grant Match Program will give you an additional $1,000 cash back on a photovoltaic system, but only until midnight on December 31st, 2011 when the program expires.

Contact a Standard Solar expert at 888-474-3843 or send an email to info@standardsolar.com for offer details.

Solar home tours are a great way to get acquainted with the process of adding solar power to your home, whether you are just beginning to plan for your array or days away from its installation. Every home offers something to learn from and lessons to take away. We encourage all of you in the Western Pennsylvania area to head out this Saturday to one of the fantastic, inspiring solar homes on this year’s roster. Standard Solar has four homes featured on the tour, with locations near Pittsburgh, Erie, and Johnstown.

In addition, we are proud to announce that one of our employees, Ian Smith, will participate in the tour this year having just had his 3.5kW system installed today! Ian lives at 419 Barnes St, Pittsburgh, PA 15221, and has hinted that he will have some tasty snacks & beverages for tour-goers as well.

The homeowners will be at their respective properties to greet visitors between 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 29.  Use the map and online PDF guide at www.pghsolartour.org to plan your tour.

We hope to see you there!

Here’s the Governor’s pitch via his Op-Ed in today’s Philadelphia Inquirer:

Let sunshine into Pa. power goals

By Edward G. Rendell

The solar-energy industry is growing rapidly and creating thousands of jobs nationwide. But Pennsylvania is falling farther behind in the race for these green jobs. When it comes to producing clean electricity from the sun, other states are leaping ahead of the commonwealth.

Pennsylvania requires that only 0.5 percent of the electricity we use will come from the sun as of 2021. By comparison, New Jersey will require that 4 percent of its electricity come from solar generation by 2021, Delaware has set a target of 3.5 percent by 2025, and Maryland’s standard is 2 percent by 2022. Even Illinois, a ranking coal producer, has a goal of 1.5 percent by 2025.

What does that mean for the Keystone State? It means we are less likely to attract a major solar-related economic-development project – or to keep the more than 600 solar businesses we already have, which offer jobs in research, manufacturing, installation, and maintenance.

If we want to keep those businesses and the jobs they support, we must create a business environment that helps them expand and attracts companies that are looking to relocate.

That’s why we must increase solar energy’s share in the state’s alternative-energy portfolio standards. Passed by the legislature in 2004, the standards jump-started a green revolution that has made Pennsylvania one of the leading states in renewable-energy development. Twenty-five thousand Pennsylvanians are working in renewable-energy jobs, while the state’s consumers and businesses have invested at least $600 million in solar-energy projects.

Read the rest.