BERKELEY – Getting energy-saving solar panels onyour house or business without going broke is setto get a lot easier in Berkeley.Lawmakers unanimously approved a first-of-itskind program Tuesday night to help propertyowners install solar energy systems by tackingthe cost on to their property tax bills over a 20-year period.

“This program has the potential to once again bea leader in the nation,” said Stephen CompagniPortis, director of special projects at theUniversity of California, Berkeley’s Renewableand Appropriate Energy Laboratory, which doesanalysis and research in renewable energy. “It’sa model that is simple and yet really powerful interms of allowing cities across the country to build a base of solar power.”

There are still details to work out, but the newplan is a giant step forward in meeting thecity’s lofty goal of reducing greenhouse gasemissions by 80 percent by 2050, said CiscoDeVries, Mayor Tom Bates’ chief of staff.

DeVries developed the idea and crafted the planafter more than 80 percent of voters lastNovember approved Measure G, making Berkeley thefirst city in the nation to ask every man, womanand child who lives or works in Berkeley to dotheir part to reduce their carbon footprint.

The city later this month will release theClimate Action Plan giving residents and businesspeople other ideas on how to reduce emissions.The solar plan is a significant part of that plan.

“(The solar plan) provides the financing tools tohelp people meet their obligations. Everyone islooking for new ways to get property owners toget to work on reducing their emissions and thisprovides an incentive,” DeVries said.

With a unanimous vote Tuesday, the city approvedthe concept and framework of the Solar FinancingInitiative, giving preliminary approval to the project.

Technical, financial and legal details areexpected to be worked out for the Council’s finalapproval by early summer, DeVries said.

“With the enactment of this initiative, Berkeleyis not only providing residents and businesseswith greater access to clean, emissions-freesolar power, they are also providing a tremendousboon to local and regional solar installers andcontractors, helping grow the local economy andtax base,” said Ron Kenedi, vice president ofSharp Solar, a California-based solar panel production company.

Berkeley would pay all the up-front costs ofinstalling solar systems by borrowing a lump sumof money from banks or other financial institutions.

It is currently considering the advantages anddisadvantages of five financing plans, DeVriessaid. When a home or business is sold, theproperty tax assessment is passed on to the new owner.

If all goes as planned, a property owner’s yearlytax payment would be about equal to what a personwould otherwise pay annually in electric bills -but with no up-front money down, city leaders said.

A solar energy system on a 1,500-square-foot homeusing roughly $140 worth of electricity monthlywould cost about $20,000. However, people aresometimes reluctant to take such a loan forsomething that isn’t absolutely necessary, city leaders and experts said.

“This is a loan that is much more accessible,”said Dan Kammen, director of UC Berkeley’sRenewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory.

“I think the mayor’s assessment is right, that ifthe up-front cost goes away, we’re going to see ahuge wave of solar energy and efficiency projects.”

Property owners will be charged interest, butDeVries said the rates will likely be lower than what a bank would charge.

There are about 400 solar systems homes andbusinesses in Berkeley now, according to cityrecords. But that number could climb into thethousands over the next decade under the program,said Bates. If the flood of calls and e-mails tocity leaders is an indication, interest is widespread.

“This proposal has generated more interest fromaround the country and world than any otherpolicy that the city has worked on since I’vebeen here (in five years),” DeVries said.

City leaders have had queries about the frameworkof the program from Hawaii to Massachusetts as well as from Europe and Asia.

“I am not longer able to respond to the e-mailsand calls I am receiving and I feel bad aboutthat,” DeVries said. “Our energy program officercame to me saying he has dozens of e-mails andphone calls he can’t respond to either. There is a lot of interest.”

MediaNews staff writer Doug Oakley contributed to this report.