CLEAN Program Update: Strong demand for local solar in L.A. and Fort Collins
High demand for local solar in both areas signals a significant opportunity to expand both programs in the near future.
On March 17, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) officially began accepting applications for the third 20-megawatt (MW) tranche of its CLEAN L.A. Solar Program. All project applications received by March 21 have been entered into a March 28 lottery to determine the LADWP’s priority list for review.
The first two tranches of the program received over 250 combined applications for new projects, indicating strong demand for local solar in Los Angeles. The 121 applications selected to advance by the LADWP cover all fifteen Los Angeles council districts and include multi-family residential buildings, industrial and commercial rooftops, warehouses, government buildings, and parking lots.
Furthermore, a new study by UCLA and the Los Angeles Business Council has concluded that the 100 MW CLEAN L.A. Solar Program is on track to meet its ambitious economic and sustainability goals.
The municipal utility in Fort Collins, Colorado is experiencing similar success. In early March, Fort Collins Utilities announced the first 18 commercial solar projects – varying in size from 10 kW to 1 MW – selected for its 5 MW Solar Power Purchase Program. The utility expects the solar installations to be operational by June 2015.
Such high demand for local solar in Los Angeles and Fort Collins signals a significant opportunity to expand both programs in the near future.
