On October 8, 2009, the Department of Energy announced a grant of $10Mthrough the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for 40 new SolarAmerica Cities Special Projects in 16 cities. This funding will enablethe cities to increase solar energy use in their communities throughinnovative programs and policies that can then be replicated across thenation.
Following are details about how eight of these 16 majorcities are utilizing their portion of the allotted money.
Boston, MA – With some of the highest energy prices in the country, Bostonwill be among the first cities in which solar power achieves equalitywith traditional energy sources. Contrary to the belief that solarenergy alternatives only work in warmer climates, “Solar Boston” plansto speed up its development of its solar energy projects and move aheadwith plans for large-scale solar energy procurement.
Photo from Flickr
Milwaukee, WI – The goals of the new “Milwaukee Shines” program are to reducebarriers to solar energy procurement by leveraging the experienced andexpertise of its strategic project partners in their endeavors. Theywill work to build a strong solar-efficient workforce by increasing thenumber of solar installers via training and certification. By analyzing market segments, they will determine key areas for solar-poweredbusiness opportunities, then support those existing businesses whileencouraging the addition of new ones.
Photo fromunifiedmilwaukee2.wordpress.com
New Orleans, LA – This cityfinds itself with a unique opportunity to encourage solar usage, givenits current rebuilding operations. They plan to encourage acceptance of solar technology by implementing it in the renovation and constructionof new homes and businesses wherever feasible. They also plan toinstall solar systems on city government installations and provideincentives for the use of solar technology in residential communities.
Photo from Climate Surprise
New York City, NY – New York plans to create a competitive andsustainable solar energy market using a 3-part strategy to provide thecity with reliable, affordable – and clean – electricity for itsinhabitants. The strategy includes: support by reducing obstacles andeducating its workforce; using its resources to stimulate the market and force lower prices and put plans in place to monitor future growth. By conducting a feasibility study of real-time pricing and evaluating thebest integration methods, they hope to create new municipal solar energy incentives.
Photo from iaes.org
Portland, OR – The city of Portland plans to transform its solar program forcity operations, residents and businesses in conjunction with itscurrent “Solar Now” program by working with other city divisions tomodernize city directives for homeowners, businesses and contractors.To facilitate this market renovation, Portland officials plan to use its resources to reach a larger regional community. In collaboration withits partners and other jurisdictions, Portland expects to be a leader in solar energy utilization by the end of this year.
Photo from PicMet.org
San Diego, CA – The 8th largest city in the nation, San Diego has seen a substantialincrease in its energy demand due to its rapid population spurt. Itsclimate makes it a perfect candidate for expanded solar energy programs, and officials aim to improve the city’s sustainability by building adiversified, self-contained energy network. By working with state,local and federal representatives, San Diego plans to expedite itslong-term solar energy goals and create a blueprint for the nation viaits “Sustainable Energy 2050 Plan.”
Photo fromsteelberryclones.files.wordpress.com
San Francisco, CA – Aleader in the advancement of solar energy for commercial, residentialand municipal divisions since the early ‘70’s, this city’s votersendorsed a landmark $100 million bond initiative to pay for solarinstallations for public facilities. Their project, “Solar SanFrancisco”, is working to remove obstacles in reaching the city’s goalto reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to below 1990 levels by 2012.Their 3-point plans includes developing programs to group residentialand commercial customers in large purchasing pools, identifying sitesfor large installations and then contacting the land owners anddeveloping a plan to solve the challenges of harnessing solar energy inmulti-tenant buildings.
Photo from KLove.com
Seattle, WA – Though one of the wettest states in the country, the SeattleSolar Initiative is working to break through the obstacles associatedwith the implementation of solar energy programs, and it’s not theweather. They are working to meet the same challenges as the rest ofthe country: economics, planning, infrastructure and awareness. Thecity has joined forces with a results-proven team of partners to assistwith public planning, financial analysis, renewable energy and siteanalysis for its renewable energy project development.
Photo from MSIGlobal.org
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