FOSTER CITY, Calif., July 2, 2008—SolarCity, California’s leading provider of solar power financing, design, installation and service, is helping Fenestra, a local winery in California’s Livermore Valley, harness the sun to power its operations. SolarCity estimates that Fenestra’s 19.2 kilowatt (kW) solar system will provide more than 75 percent of the electricity needed to run the winery.  

“We have abundant sun in Livermore, which makes solar energy an economical option to power our winery operations, and the right thing to do as good stewards of the environment,” said Fenestra co-owner Fran Replogle. “SolarCity has made solar power economical for small businesses like ours. As one of the first wineries in the Livermore Valley to install solar power, we hope that others will soon follow.”
 

SolarCity estimates Fenestra’s system will pay for itself in six years through savings on electricity costs. The system’s 96 solar panels are expected to eliminate more than a million pounds of carbon dioxide and more than 3,000 pounds each of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide over the next 25 years. 

“We believe that as we make solar power more affordable, virtually everyone will adopt it,” said Lyndon Rive, CEO of SolarCity. “We estimate that Fenestra’s installation will generate positive cash flow in year six—a great reminder that solar power can be as economical for small businesses as it is for large corporations.” 

In its design for Fenestra, SolarCity took care to ensure that the solar array would blend in tastefully with the historic winery’s architecture. “The panels look great,” Repogle continued. “They almost look like part of the roof.”

Visitors can check out Fenestra’s solar system for themselves, and sample the property’s award-winning wines, during tasting room hours, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 12 – 5 p.m. Location and directions are available at http://www.fenestrawinery.com/.

 About Fenestra Winery

Fenestra Winery was established by the Replogle family on the historic Ruby Hill property, and in 1980 occupied the century-old George True Winery building on Vallecitos Road. The winery specializes in classically balanced, award-winning wines from primarily Livermore Valley grapes. Livermore Valley's first boutique winery, Fenestra Winery is celebrating 32 years of fine wines.

About SolarCity

SolarCity—a national leader in solar power system design, financing, installation, monitoring and related services—was founded with the mission to help millions of homeowners and businesses adopt solar power, protect themselves from rising electricity costs and protect their environment from polluting power sources. The company’s SolarLease™, PurePower™ and Commercial Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) options can make it possible for homeowners and businesses to switch to clean, solar power for less money than they currently pay for electricity. SolarCity currently serves more than 1,000 communities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon and Texas. Additional information about the company is available on the Web at www.solarcity.com.