It's a lofty goal, but one that may actually work. Under the plan, businesses would be eligible for rebates of up to $10,000 and residents could receive up to $5,000 off the costs of installing solar panels.

There's just no getting around it – solar is expensive. However, it does pay off in the long run. With the city's rebate, a similar state refund and a federal tax credit, the city predicts homeowners could recoup the resulting $11,000 costs in less than a decade with lowered energy bills. With cost cuts like this, legislative incentives like this will definitely encourage more people to delve into solar power.

The city would foot the cost of the loans, but commercial and residential property owners would pay back via annual tax assessments on their properties. Voters would need to agree to the loan part of the deal, while the Board of Supervisors could approve the rest of the plan, which Mayor Gavin Newsom hopes to have in place by summer.