20% of Los Angeles power supplied via renewable energy in 2010

[Fledermaus]

The City of Los Angeles had 20 percent of its power supplied via renewable energy resources in 2010, according to a release Thursday from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and representatives from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

Hitting the mark fulfilled a promise made by Villaraigosa in 2005 to quadruple the amount of power coming from renewable sources.

The biggest contributor has been the Pine Tree Wind Power Plant in the Tehachapi Mountains, which contributed half of the energy in the renewable segment. Other renewable sources included small hydro-electric, geothermal/biofuels and solar.

“We went from worst to first and quadrupled our renewable energy portfolio in a few short years while also keeping our rates lower than other major utilities. Today’s announcement illustrates that the DWP is a national leader in cost-effective, environmentally responsible and reliable energy," Villaraigosa said in the statement.


http://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2011/01/13/ladwp-leaned-on-renewable-energy-in-2010.html

[KansDem]

1. Coming from LA, this means a lot!

20% is quite impressive!

If LA can do it, we all can!

Keep up the good work! :woohoo:

Sign me,
KansDem, who lives in a state that is the third windiest in the nation, but only recently approved another coal-fired power plant...

[jemsan]

2. Wow! That's impressive! Coming from a southern Californian I am happy!

[madokie]

3. We'll get there

If LA can do it so can many other places. NE OK isn't a good wind resource but we do have a lot of hydro and most if not all our hydro has been or is being upgraded to more efficient turbines and generators.

rec

[Nihil]

4. Well done!

Here's hoping that not only will they grow that portion but also,
by setting the example, encourage other cities/regions to do the
same a.s.a.p.!

:toast:

[GliderGuider]

5. Pretty cool! My partner (an ex-valley girl) is very happy about this.

Apparently they made it very easy to opt into a renewable energy surcharge by just checking a box on your electricity bill. I wonder if that simplicity made the difference. It looks like they did actually invest the surcharge in renewables. I'm generally very cynical about utility companies, this was very nice to see.

[OnlinePoker]

6. I'm reading this as the power to run city operations, not all citizens

I could be wrong, but I don't believe there is enough renewable energy available for 20% of Los Angeles residents, especially given the fact that many jurisdictions have green energy options for power purchases.

[GliderGuider]

7. Given the size of the wind farm, it looks like 20% of the entire city. nt

[Fledermaus]

8. The Los Angeles Department of Water & Power is the nations largest municipal utility.

serving the water and electricity needs of the City of Los Angeles...
http://www.ladwpnews.com/go/site/1475

LADWP Quadruples Use of Renewable Energy in Six Years

LA's Increase to 20% Renewable Power is Most Dramatic Improvement in State of California Among Major Utilities

In conjunction with increasing renewables and energy efficiency, a key factor in reducing greenhouse gases and promoting a cleaner environment is ending reliance on coal-generated power. LADWP is currently making this transition away from coal and in 2010, only 39% of its power portfolio came from coal. LADWP is in the process of divesting of the Navajo Generating Station in Arizona by 2014, which will reduce carbon emissions by an additional 26%.

[joshcryer]

9. Most states are doing this, Colorado is even allowing smaller energy producers to get...

...paid by the people who check the mark.

So if you have a bit of land with some experimental CSP solar or wind or whatever, the people checking off the box will pay you for your electricity even if of course they're getting coal or natural gas (which they will be getting).