SPIRE Update

The number of local government renewable energy installations is growing fast, as cities and counties recognize the benefits of self-generation and energy independence. Municipal solar PV systems are popping up all over the state, from small roof-mounted systems to expansive ground arrays. Here is a look at just a few.

Oroville
The City of Oroville and Sewerage Commission-Oroville Region have installed a 520 kW ground-mounted solar photovoltaic array that will power 80% of the water treatment plant. It is the world’s largest dual-tilt solar array and eighth largest solar system in the US. The solar system remains connected to the utility power grid, which continues to supply electricity at night and on dark winter days.

Oroville also plans on installing PV arrays on the rooftops of many city facilities, including the police and fire departments, city hall and the City’s corporation yard. Once completed, these projects will provide another 150 kW of clean energy to power the City.

Oroville, once called the "City of Gold" because of its location in California's historic Mother Lode, is now calling itself "Oroville - The Solar City!"

Vallejo
Vallejo’s Police Department is now benefiting from a new 31 kW PV system. The solar array provides backup power for the Police Department’s computer network in case of a blackout, and a large proportion of the power needed every day by the city’s Police Dispatch Center. Sun Power designed the solar photovoltaic array and installed it on the roof of the City Vehicle Maintenance building behind the Vallejo Police headquarters.

Palm Desert
The City of Palm Desert started a Solar Assistance Program in June 2001 with the procurement of 600 solar panels, which were sold to residents and business owners. By aggregating the purchase of solar panels, the City bought the panels at a considerable savings and passed on the savings to residents and business owners within city limits. Three hundred seventy panels have been sold and the remaining 230 will be used on a parking canopy for city employees.

Others
Roseville, Sebastopol, Marin County, and Chico also anticipate solar PV installations in 2003.

With these projects, local governments are helping to improve the reliability of California’s power supply by reducing peak load demand, addressing environmental and political concerns associated with nonrenewable sources of energy, and stabilizing local power supply and energy costs within their own jurisdictions.

Updated Resources and Web Site Overhaul

Since August 2001, the Local Government Commission has provided assistance to over 90 California cities, counties, special districts, and schools through the Stimulating Public Sector Implementation of Renewable Energy (SPIRE) program. SPIRE has focused on helping governments overcome regulatory, financial, and technical roadblocks that impede the implementation of municipal renewable energy projects through the development of several resources. Many of these resources have been recently updated or will be updated shortly.

The Renewable Energy Assistance Packet: A Compendium of Resources for Local Governments has once again been updated to provide the most recent information about rebate incentives, financing and procurement opportunities.

A new fact sheet, available in March, will focus on local policies, codes, ordinances, and programs that support renewable energy systems. The Renewable Energy Policies and Programs fact sheet will profile cities that have initiated solar programs to support home- and business-owners going solar. It will also reference local policies that support renewable energy generation. Links to renewable programs and referenced policy documents will be available on LGC’s web site.

The SPIRE web site also offers a variety of solar RFPs that provide approaches on how to solicit proposals for municipal renewable energy projects. RFPs range from single page solicitations for solar panels to detailed RFPs for full-scale design/build projects.

All of the aforementioned documents now are, or soon will be, available at the SPIRE page.

SPIRE Survey Results

In January, LGC conducted a survey to solicit feedback about SPIRE services and to learn about cities’ and counties’ plans for renewable energy installations over the next several years. Of the 69 participants who responded to the survey, more local governments (43%) have installed photovoltaic systems than have installed no renewable energy system (42%) In addition, nearly 14% have installed microturbine /combined heat and power (CHP) technologies.

The number of renewable kilowatts on-line will soon climb higher; the overwhelming majority of survey respondents indicated that their jurisdictions plan to install a renewable energy project in the next five years. In fact, 73% of respondents said their local government plans to install a PV system in the next five years, 23% plan to install microturbine/CHP technologies, 19% plan to install fuel cells, 8% plan to install solar thermal, and 2% plan to install wind systems. Eighteen percent of respondents anticipate the renewable energy system will generate 31-100 kW and another 18% anticipate systems sized at 101-500 kW (32% weren’t sure what the system size will be).

While there are many municipal renewable energy success stories, the barriers faced are still significant. In fact, 42% of survey respondents were in agreement that the provision of additional technical assistance (site visits, feasibility studies, energy modeling, RFP development, etc.) would be helpful in furthering energy projects. (Please note: The National Renewable Energy Laboratory may be able to provide feasibility studies. Free on-line software resources —described in the Renewable Energy Assistance Packet— can start to address energy modeling needs, and sample solar RFPs are available on the SPIRE web site)

Other survey findings* include:

• 77% felt the SPIRE program was helpful or exceptionally helpful with addressing renewable energy issues.
• 40% of respondents felt program assistance furthered a specific renewable energy project.
• 47.5% of respondents said SPIRE helped gain local officials’ support for renewable energy projects.
• 81% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that SPIRE identified financial incentives or financing for a renewable energy project.

While funding for the program ends April 1, 2003, the SPIRE web site will be maintained.

*Based on percentage of applicable responses

| Back | Next |