One Block Off the Grid (1BOG) Launches East Coast’s First Solar Group Purchasing Campaign in New Jersey; Partners With Local Installer The Solar Center by jessica

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 25 – One Block Off the Grid (1BOG), the nation’s largest solar consumer advocate, today announced the launch of the company’s first East Coast solar group purchasing campaign. Homeowners throughout the northern part of New Jersey can now sign up for free to join 1BOG’s Northern New Jersey solar campaign and buy residential solar energy at a group discount rate of only $5.45 per watt. This is a 16% reduction over standard rates for solar in the region for 2009(i). After a thorough evaluation of local installation companies, 1BOG selected Rockaway, NJ-based solar installer The Solar Center as campaign partner to service the Northern New Jersey 1BOG community.

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091216/SF26833LOGO)

The Northern New Jersey 1BOG campaign will save homeowners time, energy and money going solar. Now, homeowners who want to go solar but don’t know whom to trust can sign up online to speak with a 1BOG solar advisor, receive impartial advice and the pre-negotiated 1BOG group discount rate for solar from The Solar Center. In addition, homeowners can use 1BOG’s Online Estimate Tool to receive real-time information about the cost and payback of a solar investment for a specific home.

“We are excited to work with The Solar Center to use the power of group purchasing to lower the cost of solar for New Jersey’s homeowners,” said 1BOG Co-Founder and General Manager, Dave Llorens. “New Jersey is one of the most solar-friendly states in the US, so it’s a natural location for 1BOG’s flagship East Coast campaign.”

The state of New Jersey provides rebates of up to $1.75 per watt to incent solar purchases. The utilities serving the community also offer programs that help with solar purchases. PSE&G’s solar loan program can be repaid with solar renewable energy certificates (SRECs) generated by the system, and JCP&L and Rockland Electric utilities offer up to 15 year fixed price contracts on SRECs. Finally, a federal tax credit of 30% enables homeowners to purchase solar at affordable rates competitive with the cost of conventional power.

“As a local company dedicated to advancing solar energy adoption, we are pleased to have been selected to serve 1BOG’s New Jersey community,” said The Solar Center CEO, Ed Steins. “New Jersey is second only to California in installed solar capacity, and this joint campaign will help solidify its place as a leader in the U.S. solar landscape.”

The New Jersey 1BOG program is available now to local homeowners in Sussex, Passaic, Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Morris, Warren, Hunterdon, Somerset, Union and Middlesex counties through April 12, 2010. For more information, details about pricing and products or to sign up, visit the 1BOG Solar New Jersey homepage.

1BOG and The Solar Center will be hosting a free webinar and online information session with details about the New Jersey solar campaign on Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. EST. To sign up, visit: http://solarnorthjersey.1bog.org/webinar.