State Cash for Clean Energy
The biggest buzz generated at the forum was the California Power
Authority’s (CPA) broad array of fresh funding and technical
assistance opportunities for local governments.
According to the CPA’s “Clean Growth: Clean Energy For
California’s Economic Future” report, some 8,000 MW of
new renewable resources could come online in California by 2006
to meet load growth and provide strategic reserves to avoid the
rolling blackouts that occurred last year. To meet what would represent
the most ambitious renewable energy development program in the country,
the CPA hopes to leverage its $5 billion in revenue bond authority
with substantial private and other public sector financing.
If sustained over 20 years, the economic and environmental benefits
of this large-scale renewable energy program are phenomenal: between
$8 and $16 billion in economic development within the state’s
borders; reductions in global warming gases, such as carbon dioxide,
that equate to removing 1-2 million cars off our congested freeways
and roads.
The two-pronged strategy couples tax-exempt financing available
to local agencies with technology price discounts achieved through
large-scale bulk purchasing. The goals outlined in the CPA plan
include:
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Investments totaling $1.56 billion in a greening public buildings
program which includes a target of installing 200 to 500 MW
of solar PV and other clean distributed generation sources on
federal, state and local government buildings.
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The CPA has already put out a solicitation for installing 160
MW of decentralized solar equipment over the next five years.
Bids were due on January 31st and the winning bidders will be
announced this coming March.
The CPA is in the process of determining the total demand for solar
PV for California cities, counties, schools and special districts.
Those local governments interested to committing to a solar PV purchaser
for their own facilities over the next two to five years should
email Pat Stoner of the Local Government Commission at pstoner@lgc.org.
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