The Local Energy Subcommittee of the City of Solana Beach will be hosting Solar Saturday on July 19 at the La Colonia de Eden Gardens Community Center from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. This vendor free, no cost, informational event features a panel of non-profit professionals dedicated to educating the public about how to make the transition to solar power now while tax credits are still available, according to a news release.
The topics covered will be Implementing Solar: Incentives for Commercial Buildings, Landlords, Homeowners, presented by Lane Sharman; Existing Implementation Support Services from the Non-Profit Sector presented by Tara Hammond; and Current Policy Concerning Net Metering and Batteries presented by Bill Powers.
The workshop is designed to serve everyone, from commercial property owners to homeowners, landlords to tenants, and will cover basic information like finding a vendor, getting quotes, and obtaining a bank loan, all before the end of 2025 in order to qualify for existing tax credits. Sessions will also cover support services from the non-profit sector and the current state of Net Metering and how that affects your utility rates.The timing of this workshop is critical. Once guaranteed through 2032, the tax credits may now only be available through the end of 2025, pending the outcome of current legislation, the news release stated.
La Colonia de Eden Gardens Community Center is located at 715 Valley Ave, Solana Beach.
Sharman is the president of Open Doors Management, a company dedicated to accelerating large renewable energy, co-founded the San Diego Energy District, was a key figure in the formation of the Solana Energy Alliance, and volunteers with several non-profits.
Hammond has had a long history in advocating for consumers and solar energy. She has been chair of the California Solar + Storage Association’s San Diego chapter since 2013, board president of Grid Alternatives since 2018, and is the founder and executive director of Hammond Climate Solutions.
Powers also co-founded the San Diego Energy District. An engineer with extensive knowledge and experience in the fields of energy and environmental engineering, air emissions control, and regional energy planning, he provided key oral argument before the California Supreme Court in June 2025 on Net Metering, advocating for solar customers rights. He is the owner and principal of Powers Engineering.