BERKELEY EXPANDS ITS PLAN

Berkeley Solar Mapping Portal from CH2M HILL Estimates Solar Potential of Residential, Commercial and Government Rooftops City-wide; Map Enables Residents and Business Owners to Easily Assess and Maximize Cost Savings of Potential Solar Installations
April 28, 2009 (Business Wire via MarketWatch)

"CH2M HILL has completed Berkeley's Solar Mapping Portal, enabling residents and business owners to estimate the solar potential of their rooftops and view existing solar installations. CH2M HILL worked with Berkeley's Office of Energy and Sustainable Development (ESD) to identify all of the solar installations in the city and utilized its S.A.F.E.(TM) technology to map Berkeley rooftops for their solar energy potential…

"Residents and business owners in Berkeley can now log on, view their rooftops, calculate the available square footage for panels, get a photovoltaic (PV) system size to fit their rooftop, obtain detailed information on tax rebates and choose from a listing of available installers. The CH2M HILL solar map accurately reflects elements such as rooftop structures, the slant of the roof, shading from obstructions and takes into account the azimuth of the sun for PV panel placement…"

The Berkeley map. (click to enlarge)

"Berkeley's ESD seeks to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in both city operations and throughout Berkeley in order to promote a healthy and sustainable community...[and develop/promote/innovate] … energy efficiency and renewable energy…"

click to enlarge

"The Berkeley FIRST program, a solar finance program that assists Berkeley residents in tackling the financial hurdles of installing solar panels, is the city's flagship solar energy program. It provides property owners an opportunity to borrow money from the City's Sustainable Energy Financing District to install solar photovoltaic electric systems and repay the financing through property tax bills.

"In addition to its solar solutions, CH2M HILL Enterprise Management Solutions is the leader in carbon management systems integration….Headquartered near Denver, Colo., employee-owned CH2M HILL is a global leader in… the areas of energy, water, transportation, environmental, nuclear and industrial facilities…"