CALIF SEEKS SEEDS TO GROW SUN

California Wants to Lead With Solar Initiatives
John Gartner, August 18, 2009 (Matter Network via Reuters)

"California, which has often led the nation in emissions reductions and environmental initiatives, is not the standard bearer in producing renewable energy today…Counting solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal…California isn't at the top in total production, and as a percentage of energy produced, it's not even in the top five.

"Washington, with its longtime investment in hydropower, produced nearly 58 percent more renewable energy from electricity than California, according to 2007 data. In California, 25 percent of all energy produced comes from renewables…lower than Idaho (84 percent), Washington (77 percent), Oregon (65 percent), South Dakota (50 percent, Maine (49 percent) and Montana (34 percent)…[T]his is electricity generated not consumed. Many of the upper Midwest states actually export energy, while California imports the most energy in the country."

click to enlarge

"California's Go Solar program has been wildly successful during the past few years, but the state wants to add a feed-in tariff which would guarantee a price incentive for all renewable power that customers sell back to the grid. The California Public Utilities Commission is developing the FiT and is expected to announce its plan soon.

"…[California] first had the idea for a feed-in tariff for solar back in 1984. When the price of oil receded, the program was canceled…[but] copied with great success in Germany, Spain and elsewhere. The city of Gainesville, Florida was the first municipality in the U.S. with a FiT; California and Vermont are considering statewide programs."

click to enlarge

"The California legislature wants to expand the state's net-metering program…California currently requires utilities to buy solar from customers at its full retail rate for up to 2.5 percent of the utility's peak demand…AB 560…would double the net-metering cap to 5 percent of peak power…

"Expanding renewable power is just one of many major issues in the cash-strapped state [but]…For the Golden State to be the Gold Standard in renewables, it has a lot of work to do."