The OPEN Daily » clean electricity

Mar Vista to Partner with EPA on Clean Energy

editor — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 19:10:54 +0000

The Mar Vista Community Council voted this week to partner with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and become an EPA Green Power Community. Pending acceptance into the program, the neighborhood will join Santa Clara and Palo Alto in a short list of California communities who have met EPA green power purchasing guidelines.

The EPA’s Green Power Communities program recognizes cities, towns and villages in which the local government, businesses, and residents collectively buy green power in amounts that meet or exceed EPA’s guidelines for buying clean renewable energy.
Benefits of participating in the EPA program include national recognition, expert resources and media/communications support.

All green power purchasing is completely voluntary under the program, and the EPA recognizes three kinds of green power purchases: onsite generation, utility-provided green power and renewable energy credits. Visit www.marvistagreenpower.org to learn about green power purchasing options and take the Green Power Pledge!

Mark your calendar for the Wise Power Use Expo on September 28th from 6 to 9 pm. at the solar-powered Windward School in Mar Vista to learn more about the EPA program and how you can switch to 100% clean electricity through energy conservation and clean, renewable power.

Mar Vista Celebrates Earth Day With Launch of Green Power Community

editor — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:55:33 +0000

In recognition of this week’s 40th anniversary of Earth Day, Mar Vista has launched the Mar Vista Green Power Community to recognize local residents and businesses that are purchasing green power.

With the launch of a new website, MarVistaGreenPower.org, the Mar Vista Green Power Community is an effort to promote certified and affordable green power options to the neighborhood, recognize local businesses and residents who are switching to green power, and measure the community’s progress toward a goal of 100% clean electricity by 2018.

Sponsored by Open Neighborhoods, the Mar Vista Green Power Community website promotes green power choices ranging from on-site renewable energy generation to certified green power purchasing programs. The website features a map illustrating green power participants in the neighborhood. Local residents and businesses can submit information about their green power participation and represent their block on a neighborhood green power map.

Website Powered by 100% WIND ENERGY

editor — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 04:57:39 +0000

TheOPENdaily.com has just received certification as a 100% clean electricity website, powered by wind energy! Visit our home page and click the Hosted by 100% Wind Energy button to see our certification.

Our hosting partner is an EPA Green Power Partner and is offsetting all electricity use with wind-generated Renewable Energy Certificates, preventing the release of a combined 2,660 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere each year — the equivalent of driving 6.1 million miles.

New California Law Lets Homeowners Sell Solar Energy

sarah — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:01:04 +0000

A new bill signed by Gov. Schwarzennegger lets solar homeowners and other net metering customers sell excess electricity generated from their panels. The bill doubles the amount of electricity that may be sold by customers to 5% of a utility’s peak electricity demand.

Net metering gives solar customers a credit on their monthly bill when they generate more solar electricity than they use. The credits are used to offset higher electricity usage at other times such as during the darker winter months. Leftover credits are zeroed out at the end of the year.

California has required electric utilities to credit customers for renewable power they send to the grid, though once the utilities reach 2.5% of peak demand they are no longer be required to sign new contracts.

Over 50,000 homeowners, businesses, schools, cities and other customers currently participate in net metering, generating enough electricity to power up to 500,000 homes. The bulk of California’s net metering customers are located in northern California, served by PG&E — who has been the first utility to approach the 2.5% net metering limit.

While advocates say raising the cap takes away much of the uncertainty in the solar market, critics have expressed concerns that net metering subsidizes affluent solar customers at the expense of other ratepayers.

City Considers DWP “Carbon Surcharge” of $2.50

editor — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:01:17 +0000

To help speed the transition from coal-powered electricity toward wind, solar and geothermal energy, the City is considering a monthly DWP “carbon surcharge” of $2.50 for those customers who continue to use coal-powered electricity. DWP customers can signup online to switch to clean electricity today for an extra $3.00 on an average $50 per month electricity bill.

A recent poll found that 64% of households would support the $2.50 surcharge. Grassroots organizations such as the Mar Vista Green Committee are advocating for a more rapid transition to clean electricity: in November 2009 Mar Vista’s neighborhood council voted to set a goal of 100% clean electricity for the neighborhood by 2018. The City’s goal is to end the DWP’s reliance on coal by 2020 and ensure that renewable energy sources deliver 40% of the City’s power.