TOOLS TO HELP YOU
Please try this at home. A few resources are provided here.
PUBLICATIONS
Vote Solar commissioned a study to document the value of solar energy's ability to reduce peak demand for electricity, lessen the consumption of natural gas in power plants, avoid environmental damage from power plant emissions, help the electric grid operate more efficiently by reducing line losses and save investment capital by delaying costly upgrades to the electrical transmission and distribution system. The findings of this study indicate that the value of on-peak solar energy in California in 2005 is between 23.1 cents and 35.2 cents per kilowatt hour depending, in large part, on the location of the solar electric systems.
Vote Solar has also developed a document, suitable for distribution, that illustrates the benefits of state investments in solar power and how a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) can build a solar market.
DOCUMENTS
Proposition B
Draft Pro-Forma* and Draft Illustrative Bundle*
Read the text of San Francisco's Proposition B.
Please Note:There have been some changes in electricity prices and interest rates since these documents were prepared, so the actual figures after the bond issuance will differ slightly from this model.
*Requires Adobe Acrobat.Budget Analyst's Report
San Francisco's Board of Supervisors' Budget Analysis of Proposition B.SAMPLE RFPs
The Local Government Commission has posted some sample Request for Proposals for solar installations. San Francisco recently issued a RFP for a 250 kW system on the South East Water Pollution Control Plant.
Another strategy is to select the most qualified photovoltaic installer through a Request for Qualifications procedure, then utilize their expertise to jointly develop the best projects.
CASE STUDIES
By bundling solar with energy efficiency, the Moscone Convention Center Project is a revenue-positive way of preventing emissions and creating jobs.
The California Construction Authority is putting solar energy systems on state fairgrounds throughout California. By buying in bulk and cutting out middlemen at every step, the CCA is acheiving tremendous savings: installed costs between $4.00 and $4.50 a watt, pre-rebate. See a case study of the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico, CA.
Oroville, a city of 12,000 in Northern California, recently installed a 520 kW dual-tilt solar system on its wastewater treatment plant. By taking advantage of time-of-use utility rates and net metering, electricity costs were cut by up to 80%.
Marin County recently put a 89 kW system on their General Services building. The system was almost entirely financed by a 3.85%, 15-year loan from the California Energy Commission.
After putting solar on their own buildings and leading by example, Marin County built on that momentum with an innovative program for identifying local business owners with solar-friendly roof-space, and educating them about the benefits of solar.
Instead of buying solar systems, why not buy solar electricity? Staples found the benefits of buying solar by the kWh compelling, and recently signed contracts to buy the output of two 280 kW systems on their distribution center roofs at rates below utility rates. This method also allows municipalities, which don't have tax burdens, to utilize the 30% federal tax credit. The City of San Diego recently signed a 5 MW deal also below utility rates. RFP and related documents are here, here, and here.
ARGUMENTS
Ammunition to help you argue the case with people who may be sympathetic to the idea, but need to persuade other decision-makers and constituencies, such as taxpayer groups, labor, and environmentalists.
MORE INFORMATION
Please contact Adam Browning for more information.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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A set of solar panels spanning an area 100 x 100 miles square could power the whole country.
