I just read about a project that Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, City Council President Eric Garcetti, Councilmember Jan Perry and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power are sponsoring called Solar LA. Los Angeles is going green by sponsoring the installation of a 1.3 gigawatts of solar power. That’s a lot.
From what I read about Solar LA, it is the largest solar project undertaken by any single city in the world. Solar LA will cut Los Angeles’ carbon emissions and give the City a steady supply of clean, renewable energy to power its future. The whole project will be done by 2020 with installation being done in increments through the years with the final phase installed by 2020.
Solar LA also includes Expand Residential Program, using $313 million in State funds for solar projects that offer rebates programs to encourage residents to install solar panels on their roofs. I want to tap into this program, big time. Plus, there will be low interest loans while low income communities will be provide with free systems. All walks of life will benefit from LA’s solar power plan.
The program also includes solar systems on rooftops, reservoirs and parking lots on City-owned property. A total of 400 MW solar systems will be installed by 2014. That is more than the total solar systems operating in California now.
The plan includes research and development, manufacturing and warehouse operations. I am sure new jobs will be created in the field of green-tech.
The neighboring Mojave Desert will be a solar resource for utility-scale solar power projects developed by third-party solar companies, which LA plans to purchase after 8 years of operation.
As a consumer I am very excited because this will set a green-trend for other cities to follow. If you think about it, having solar power in a city like LA, solves the energy and public health problems facing cities throughout the country. As a resident I’d like to know more about this program. How I can tap into using solar power?