Gainesville, Florida utility GRU announced that 55 solar projects totaling approximately 2.7 megawatts (MW) have been selected to participate in its nation-leading solar feed-in tariff (FIT) program in 2011.
The utility received 136 applications for the program, which allows participants to sell the energy generated by their photovoltaic (PV) system directly to the utility at a fixed price under a contract for 20 years.
Selected projects were randomly chosen by a third party, the Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the University of Florida. GRU will mailed notification letters to all applicants this week.
In 2011, 200 kilowatts of capacity was reserved for residential systems of 10 kilowatts or less. Thirty of the selected projects fell into this category. The remaining 2.5 MW of capacity has been assigned to 25 projects, ranging in size from 5 kilowatts to just under 300 kilowatts.
GRU accepted applications for the 2011 Solar FIT program between January 18 and 21. The next application period is scheduled to be open in January 2012.
GRU’s other solar incentives include rebates for solar water heaters and residential solar PV installations, and a net metering program.
Concord, Mass. Sets Ambitious Renewables Target
The city of Concord, Massachusetts has set one of the most ambitious renewable energy targets in the country.
They aim to supply 20% of their power from renewables by 2015 and 30% by 2020.
Currently they are at about 10% with a mix of hydroelectric, photovoltaic solar, and landfill gas. The plan, developed by the Concord Muncipal Light Board, calls for adding greater amounts of solar power and introducing wind power to the portfolio–perhaps through investment in wind farms in the werstern part of the state or off shore.
San Diego Launches "Smart City" Collaboration
San Diego launched a new public-private collaboration that aims to increase the city’s energy independence, while encouraging the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs).
Smart City San Diego brings together the City of San Diego, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), GE, UC San Diego and CleanTECH San Diego. It includes five EV initiatives:
- Utilize smart technology to enable rapid electric vehicle growth. UC San Diego, SDG&E and GE will demonstrate smart technologies to identify when and where charging will occur, as well as work with electric vehicle owners to better manage charging loads.
- Streamline home and public charging deployment processes. SDG&E and the City of San Diego will work toward developing an efficient electric vehicle permitting process to ensure easy and rapid deployment of electric vehicle chargers for home and public-access locations.
- Research and demonstrate systems to power electric vehicles through clean, renewable energy sources, such as solar. UC San Diego, GE and SDG&E will test the technical and economic feasibility of achieving zero tailpipe emissions, leveraging UC San Diego’s extensive solar and fuel cell renewable energy generation infrastructure. CleanTECH San Diego will serve as connective tissue between anticipated technology needs in the electric vehicle sector and the San Diego region’s innovators.
- Deliver economic growth for San Diego. CleanTECH San Diego and the City of San Diego will help quantify the economic impacts of the electric vehicle initiatives, including cluster growth, incremental job growth and training needs, to ensure the city continues to prosper and benefit from this new industry.
- Study consumer behavior to better understand their decisions and identify additional electric vehicle initiatives. The collaborators plan to enlist a consumer focus group comprised of 50 UC San Diego students, faculty, and staff who will be offered commercial leases on electric vehicles, charging their vehicles through UC San Diego’s planned electric vehicle infrastructure.
In addition to developing electric vehicle infrastructure, Smart City San Diego also has identified efficiency and renewable energy objectives, such as minimizing the need for additional infrastructure by optimizing and automating the electric grid with two-way communications and monitoring technologies; and educating the public on the advantages of smart grid projects.
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