Thursday, October 15, 2009 at 3:18:22 AM - by Jeanne Roberts

The rock bank Cake, famous for their 1996 single called The Distance, installed a solar energy system at their Sacramento, California recording facility in 2008 that allows the group to practice and record completely off the grid (video here).

The 100-percent solar-powered facility was installed by Borrego Solar, a design-build solar firm with headquarters in San Diego.

According to lead singer/songwriter John McCrea, the solar array was more expensive than a similar installation would be at today’s prices, but the band doesn’t regret the “green initiative”. Local utility Sacramento Municipal Utility District, fondly known as SMUD, “not being as evil as Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)”, actually pays them for a lot of the power generated, since the band doesn’t use the renovated house 100 percent of the time.

The solar installation will power the band’s equipment and recording facility as they make ready to record a sixth album – a process during which the band will release snippets of songs via a set of free ring tones (but you have to be on their mailing list to get them). In 2009, Cake received Billboard Magazine’s award as one of the greenest bands on the planet, placing number three after John Legend and Radiohead.

The ring-tone launch is set for Oct. 13, with the first release based on their newest single, Long Time. Overall, six tones will be offered, one every six weeks. The new album is expected in the spring of 2010.

The solar installation, announced almost one year ago today by Borrego Solar in a news release, which did not disclose the details of the sale or the size of the system. On March 1 of this year, Borrego announced it was selling its residential solar system to Glens Falls, New York-based groSolar for an undisclosed amount.

The most disappointing thing about this re-release of Cake’s solar installation is that no one has mentioned the size of the system, which appears to cover one entire side of the roof of an average-sized home. Even Borrego Solar doesn’t feature it on its installation pages – a serious lapse in good PR for both the company and the band.

The best thing? If Cake can’t make it back onto the popular music scene, new legislation in California (SB32), which requires utilities to pay solar owners above-wholesale prices for energy generated, may make the solar installation a financial cushion until Cake makes another winning single.