Solar San Antonio‘s board released a resolution Tuesday that supports the preliminary concepts of a solar leasing program proposed by CPS Energy in September. While Solar San Antonio (SSA) Board approval or support is not required for CPS Energy to move forward on policies, SSA has become a strong voice of the local solar industry including installers, customers, and environmental advocates.

Under this plan, possibly all the cost of the panels and installation would be shifted from the customer to developers contracted by CPS Energy. The developers would install and maintain solar systems on residential and commercial rooftops or in a community solar farm. CPS Energy would buy the output of these new systems through a purchase power agreement (PPA) with a developer, which will be selected through a bidding process. CPS Energy has yet to issue a request for proposals (RFP) as it’s still early in the pilot program development process.

The SSA board accepts CPS Energy’s preliminary outline of how the leasing program would work, but carries with it some further suggestions on how the existing rebate program would continue. The initial plan proposed by CPS Energy would continue its $1.60 per kilowatt (KW) rebate program for solar installations through 2015. The SSA Board resolution requests that “the program maintains the current opportunity for private solar ownership beyond 2015″ and that the current rebate program and pilot leasing program be reviewed by a community/stakeholder working group to decide on program continuance, amendment, or replacement with the PPA.

via With Caveats, Solar San Antonio Board Supports CPS Energy Solar Leasing Plan.