5.1 MW Project Expected to Save School District $600,000 in Energy Costs in First Year Alone

LOUISVILLE, Colo., April 24, 2013 -- RGS Energy, the

commercial and utility division of Real Goods Solar, Inc (Nasdaq:RSOL), and
Smart Energy Capital (SEC), will provide Stockton Unified School District
(SUSD) with 5.1 megawatts (MW) of solar power that will bring clean energy
to 18 SUSD schools and facilities in California. The solar installations are
expected to save the district $600,000 in the first year, which will
directly benefit school programs and services district wide.

The systems will allow the district to pay less for solar electricity over
the course of the 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA), provided by SEC, a
leading solar development and finance company. Moreover, the photovoltaic
solar systems will deliver environmental benefits to the region, eliminating
over 290 million pounds of annual carbon dioxide emissions, which is the
equivalent of taking roughly 1,000 cars off California's roads each year
(according to the EPA calculator).

"Going solar provides an exceptional real-world learning opportunity by
reducing energy costs to free up funds that can be used to improve
educational facilities and launch new learning programs for students,"
said SUSD Superintendent Dr. Steve Lowder. "We are proud to invest in
renewable energy and set an example of environmental leadership."

SUSD, by working with RGS Energy and SEC, is now able to go solar with no
upfront cost and pay less for solar electricity than they currently pay for
utility power. RGS Energy, which has operations centers in numerous states,
including California, will be responsible for construction, maintenance and
monitoring of the systems.

Stockton Unified will join school districts across the state in benefiting
from California's Net Metering policy, which credits solar customers for the
surplus clean energy their systems send to the grid.
The SUSD solar project will provide clean electricity for use by the schools
during the day, and reduce the need for expensive peak power utility
production.

"We have successfully deployed solar energy systems at many schools and
academic institutions and are always impressed by the great value
proposition that solar brings to the educational sector in particular,"
said Real Goods Solar CEO, Kam Mofid. "RGS Energy is delighted to help the
Stockton Unified School District achieve its goals of fiscal responsibility,
educational excellence and environmental stewardship."

The project is comprised of more than 17,000 solar panels that will sit atop
parking lot carports on the campuses, including the district's four
comprehensive high schools. Providing both shade and solar power, these
installations will also afford students with firsthand demonstrations of how
solar technology works, and of solar energy's benefits to the classroom,
where students can view the school's real-time energy production through
online monitoring.

RGS Energy, who has designed and installed nearly 50 MW of solar power on
schools, universities and colleges across the nation, expects to complete
the project - valued at approximately $20 million - in 2013 and 2014.

About Stockton Unified School DistrictStockton Unified School District,
headquartered in Stockton, California, is made up of elementary, high and
specialty schools that service the majority of Stockton students.

About Smart Energy CapitalSmart Energy Capital, LLC (
www.smartenergycapital.com ) is a leader in the financing and development of
solar energy projects for commercial, government and utility customers. The
Company manages the development, financing, installation and operations of
distributed power plants throughout the United States. The Company maintains
extensive relationships with a wide range of lenders and investors.

About Real Goods Solar and RGS EnergyReal Goods Solar, Inc. (RSOL) is one of
the nation's pioneering solar energy companies serving commercial,
residential, and utility customers. Beginning with one of the very first
photovoltaic panels sold in the U.S. in 1978, the company has installed more
than 14,500 solar power systems representing over 100 megawatts of 100%
clean renewable energy. Real Goods Solar makes it very convenient for
customers to save on their energy bill by providing a comprehensive solar
solution, from design, financing, permitting and installation to ongoing
monitoring, maintenance and support. As one of the nation's largest and most
experienced solar power players, the company has 15 offices across the West
and the Northeast. It services the commercial and utility markets through
its RGS Energy division. For more information, visit RealGoodsSolar.com or
RGSEnergy.com, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/realgoodssolar and on
Twitter at http://twitter.com/realgoodssolar.