August 1st Deadline Approaches for Prop 39 Grants to Schools

Proposition 39, which was approved by California voters in November 2012, contained two important policy provisions. The first one closed a corporate tax loophole that will cause the state to lose billions in extra revenue. The second provision mandates that money raised by the closing of the loopholes would be invested in other public projects, specifically energy efficiency improvements in educational institutions. The goal was to promote clean technology job creation while also helping local education agencies (LEA) upgrade buildings.

Half of the money raised by the bill was earmarked for the Clean Energy Job Creation Fund, which would be used to pay for upgrades to electrical systems and insulation for aging education facilities. The original legislative language also allowed for agencies to spend grant money on clean energy installations, including Los Angeles and Orange County solar projects. Although some have called into question whether the California Energy Commission (CEC) will still fund solar installations due to ambiguity in the language of later versions of the law, the CEC has never officially ruled out solar energy projects for monetary awards.

The deadline to apply for grants is August 1, so institutions that are hoping to improve energy efficiency at their facilities or invest in solar technology should submit applications as soon as possible.

AMECO Solar can help you plan, budget and install a solar energy system that will help your organization or educational agency save money on utility bills and reduce your carbon footprint. For more information, contact AMECO by calling (888) 595-9570 or emailing gosolar@th2.e81.myftpupload.com.