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Berkeley, CA
October 8, 2009: Berkeley receives Recovery Act funding for Solar America Cities Special Project.
Through its Solar America Cities partnership, Berkeley’s goal is to increase the market share of solar energy technologies in its municipality. The city plans to develop and pilot a “turn-key” solar installation program, wherein everything needed to provide power to a building is put together by the supplier in a single comprehensive package. Because solar energy installations can involve several parts requiring several areas of expertise, turn-key installations are usually much easier for the end consumer. The city also plans to increase local capacity for solar energy installations by working with local suppliers, installers, trade associations, and financiers.
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This reception and administration building of the Shorebird Park Nature Center in Berkeley is a straw bale building with natural daylighting, solar hot water space heating, and a solar electric system.
Credit:Whole Foods Market
Solar PV installation on the roof of Berkeley Whole Foods Market
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Activities
Berkeley’s pilot turn-key program will install solar electric (photovoltaic or “PV”) and solar hot water and air-heating systems in the residential and small-to-medium commercial/public building sectors. A city-sanctioned third party will represent building owners in specifying, purchasing, and managing solar energy projects. This third party will be independent of solar installation contractors and solar product manufacturers. Berkeley will develop the turn-key program in the first phase of its Solar America Cities partnership, and the city will pilot the program in its second phase. Ultimately, Berkeley hopes to implement the solar turn-key program throughout the East San Francisco Bay Area.
- Develop and implement a pilot turn-key program to install 142 kW of PV systems and 10 solar hot water and solar air-heating systems.
- Enhance existing partnership between local government, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), and the PG&E East Bay Energy Watch to expand the scope and depth of utility services provided in the region. The program goals include annually installing:
- 800 kW of PV, through approximately 75 residential installations and 25 commercial installations
- 24,000 therms of solar thermal projects through about 80 solar hot water and solar air-heating installations.
Partners
- Build it Green
- City of Berkeley Office of Energy and Sustainable Development (Project Lead)
- City of Oakland
- Community Energy Services Corporation
- East Bay Energy Watch
- PG&E
- Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley
Smart Solar Regional Expansion and Solar Map EnhancementsThe City will expand its Smart Solar outreach program to provide customized assistance, including site assessments, to property owners throughout the region. The City will integrate an economic calculator into its Solar Map, providing a user-friendly way for potential customers to estimate the cost of installing PV and the savings that will be realized from lower electricity bills.
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