Currents

An Energy Newsletter for Local Governments

Solar Santa Monica

Solar Santa Monica is a two-year demonstration project of Santa Monica’s Community Energy Independence Initiative. The City Council adopted the CEII concept in Spring 2006 and authorized funds to develop a market-based model for maximizing energy efficiency, local renewable energy development, and “clean” distributed generation. The goal is to greatly improve Santa Monica’s energy self-sufficiency and greatly reduce the negative environmental impacts from energy use. The project will also provide significant local economic development benefits for both residents and businesses. If fully implemented by 2020, Santa Monica will become a “net zero electricity importer” and will be making a tremendous positive contribution to meeting California’s clean energy needs.

Solar Santa Monica’s short-term goal is to demonstrate the CEII principles on up to 50 buildings in the next two years. Of these demonstration sites, 35 will be residential, 10 will be commercial, and 5 will be municipal facilities. At each site, the Solar Santa Monica team will maximize energy efficiency and solar power generation, while demonstrating sound economic and environmental investments. The City will not subsidize the projects. Instead, the City of Santa Monica will facilitate a process whereby residents, businesses, and the City itself, become fully aware of the multiple benefits of smart energy management, and are willing to make intelligent investments to make the overall goal a reality. Strategies include local outreach, user-friendly program design, and attractive third party financing.

To date, the Solar Santa Monica team — both internal staff and our consultant EcoMotion — has developed bundled approaches that package efficiency and solar. The team has also lined up “preferred providers,” solar contractors who will offer: a) fixed pricing; b) attractive equipment and installation guarantees; and c) who will serve as prime contractors and be responsible for both energy efficiency upgrades and solar installations. Momentum is building! Recently, Solar Santa Monica held a kick-off and 182 key stakeholders — including existing “solar champions,” City leaders, solar contractors, and interested citizens — came together to celebrate the start of the visionary process. Nearly 200 homeowners have already expressed interest in participating, as have leading businesses from the entertainment industry and prominent hotels and retail establishments.

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