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Renewable Energy Policies and Programs

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Local Policies and Ordinances Encourage Efficiency and Renewable Generation

• The City of Pleasanton's Energy Plan addresses green building, energy efficiency, and renewable energy through policy recommendations that integrate education; demand reduction; policies, programs, ordinances and legislation; financing; alliance building; and improved energy supply — including distributed renewables.

• The San Diego Regional Energy Office has been tasked by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) to update and implement the current Regional Energy Strategy (RES). The goal of the RES is to support the future prosperity of the San Diego region through measures that ensure an adequate energy supply at a reasonable cost that is consistent with a high degree of environmental quality.

• For a list of local governments with adopted Energy Elements go to the California Planners' Book of Lists archives

• The City of Oakland's Self-Certification for Renewable Energy Production Facilities effectively streamlines the permit process by exempting qualifying facilities from design review.

• Santa Cruz County has codified development standards for wind energy systems, and institutionalized a process for registering solar energy systems to protect solar access rights.

• Marin County's Single Family Dwelling Energy Efficiency Ordinance requires new homes larger than 3,500 square feet to meet the Title 24 standard of the equivalent home designed at 3,500 square feet. This can be achieved with energy efficiency measures and/or by supplementing energy use with renewable energy.

Local Programs Incentivize Renewable Energy

• Marin County's Building Energy Efficient Structures Today (BEST) is a Board of Supervisors-sponsored program that encourages energy efficient buildings and renewable energy projects through fee rebates, technical assistance, and expedited permit processing.

• The City of Palm Desert's Solar Assistance Program utilized bulk procurement to reduce the per-unit cost of 600 solar panels that were resold, at a considerable savings, to businesses and homeowners.

• The Solar Sebastopol Program was initiated by city officials following the Solar Sebastopol Feasibility Study. The program aims to install up to 1,000 kW of PV in the community.

• The City of Arcata and the Humboldt Energy Task Force are encouraging Humboldt County residents to go solar. A Solar Guidebook, developed by the Renewable Energy Development Institute under contract with the City, helps potential solar energy owners evaluate system size and cost.

• In November 2001 San Francisco voters overwhelmingly approved a $100 million bond initiative that pays for solar panels, energy efficiency and wind turbines for public facilities. The money that would have gone to buy electricity from power plants instead goes to pay down the bond.

• Other communities that have reduced or eliminated permit fees for residential and/or business PV systems include the cities of Oakland, San Jose, Santa Cruz and Santa Monica, as well as Alameda, Marin and San Diego counties.

• San Francisco, Bay Area Consortium, San Diego, Alameda County, Marin County, and Santa Monica are encouraging solar energy in their communities through their partnerships with the national Million Solar Roofs program.

• The City of Santa Monica has adopted a set of requirements and recommendations to encourage the development of "green" buildings without forcing excessive costs or other burdens upon developers, building owners or occupants. The City has also developed Green Building Guidelines to explain possible ways of achieving green building goals.

• San Jose's Green Building Policies, adopted in 2001, incorporate green building principles and practices into the planning, design, construction, management, renovation, operations, and demolition of all City facilities that are constructed, owned, managed or financed by the City. They also call for San Jose to provide leadership and guidance to encourage the application of green building practices in private sector planning, design, construction, management, renovation, operations, and demolition.

Renewable Resources

• The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE)
  DSIRE is a comprehensive source of informa-tion on state, local, utility, and selected federal incentives that promote renewable energy.


• Emerging Renewables Rebate Program
  This California Energy Commission program provides rebates to consumers who install qualifying renewable energy systems.


• Renewable Energy Development Institute
  REDI provides a broad range of services in support of the renewables technology industry including technical assistance, financial analysis, project development, and education and training in technology and financing.


• Small Wind Information Center
  The information on this web page is designed to aid local government authorities that are making decisions on applications for small wind turbines or planning for the future devel-opment of small wind turbines in their area.


• U.S. Green Building Council
  The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environ-mental Design) Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings.


• Vote Solar Initiative
  The Vote Solar Initiative's mission is to promote a national transition to clean energy by em-powering city governments to implement large-scale, cost-effective solar projects.

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