Supervisors approve first reading of solar incentive ordinance, reject priority ordinance; amended program sent back for public comment

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on June 3 adopted on first reading an ordinance establishing a solar energy incentive program (agenda item 15) and took a series of follow-up steps after extensive debate over who should receive public funding from the city's sustainable energy account.

Supervisor Duffy (Dufty in parts of the transcript) introduced the ordinance as the product of a yearlong task force and a coalition of environmental and workforce groups. The ordinance establishes a rebate program for solar installations, with proposed rebates described on the record as ranging from $3,000 to $6,000 for residential owners, up to $10,000 for nonprofits, and higher amounts (up to $30,000) for nonprofit affordable residences or businesses that hire graduates of the city's workforce programs. Assistant General Manager Barbara Hale of the Public Utilities Commission explained the…