L.A.’s New Solar Plan
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa used the week of Thanksgiving to unveil his new solar plan for the city: a municipal renewable energy standard that aims to meet 10 percent of L.A.’s electricity needs via solar power by 2020.
Villaraigosa’s plan to produce 1,280 megawatts (MW) of solar power has three parts, according to an LA Times article:
- 500 MW would come from private solar power plants in the Mojave Desert to the East.
- 380 MW would be born of smaller programs such as making solar systems affordable to low-income residents and allowing customers of the L.A. Department of Water and Power (DWP) to purchase shares of city-owned solar plants.
- The remaining 400 MW would come by way of DWP-owned and operated solar installations, which would be completed by 2014. This portion of the plan, however, must be approved by voters on March 3.
The plan is certainly ambitious. Critics are apparently focusing on the fact that the plan is not friendly enough to the private sector. The LA Times article alludes to the political timing for Villagairosa, who could be up for reelection in 2010, should he choose to run.
Another source of fear regarding the plan is a utility rate increase. The actual effects of the plan on customer rates is still unclear. The DWP will reportedly spend the next three months analyzing that portion of the plan.
Posted on December 15th in Solar News by Dan.