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San Diego, CA
October 8, 2009: San Diego receives Recovery Act funding for Solar America Cities Special Projects.
Credit: www.adventureclubsd.com
San Diego is California’s second largest city, and the eighth largest in the nation. The city has experienced rapid growth, which has led to a significant increase in the city’s energy demand. San Diego’s Solar America Cities project aims to improve the sustainability of the region by building an energy infrastructure that is diversified, reliable, and as self-contained as possible. Solar energy offers these attributes, and San Diego’s climate makes it well suited for extensive solar power development.
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Section of Qualcomm’s 248 kilowatt carport photovoltaic system at Building W.
San Diego home with PV panels on the side of the house, virtually unnoticeable from the front.
29 kilowatt rooftop system at Canyonside Recreation Center in San Diego.
16 kilowatt rooftop system at the North Clairemont Branch Library in San Diego
945 kilowatt system atop three water reservoirs at Alvarado Water Treatment Plant in San Diego County
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Activities
San Diego will provide a blueprint for the nation through its “Sustainable Energy 2050 Plan,” which will create an energy infrastructure capable of supporting the region on a sustainable path. Where appropriate, San Diego will work in partnership with local, state, and federal representatives to realize its plan. In this project, San Diego is addressing key issues necessary for a sustainable solar infrastructure, including tariffs, data management, expedited permitting, strengthened private-sector involvement, training and technical expertise, and long-term implementation.
- Update and expand geographic information system (GIS) analysis of solar installations and potential future sites.
- Conduct performance analysis of approximately 12 MW of existing photovoltaic (PV) solar-electric systems.
- Develop three case studies to explain the process for designing, planning, installing, and monitoring solar energy systems and provide energy and financial analyses.
- Establish four focus groups of key stakeholders to clarify the viability of installing solar energy systems.
- Produce outreach materials to stimulate a robust project pipeline in San Diego.
- Develop a citywide solar implementation plan.
- Study the impact of solar energy installations on property resale and value
Partners
- California Center for Sustainable Energy
- The City of San Diego (Project Lead)
- Envision Solar
Solar Financing Options for Multifamily Affordable HousingThe City will work to remove barriers that prevent multifamily affordable housing developments from installing PV systems by generating and providing data to developers that demonstrate the expected benefits of PV systems for both tenants and building owners, as well as conducting the first PV impact studies that incorporate the new state virtual net metering tariff.
Solar-Powered Fire Shelter Integration into Disaster Response PlanningThe City will equip a city-owned facility located near fire-prone areas with secure, solar generation and energy storage systems in order to create a strategic full-service island where officials can attend to impacted residents and assist fire, rescue and health responders without fear of losing critical infrastructure.
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