San Diego is America’s Solar City

So says Michelle Kinman clean energy advocate for Environment California Research & Policy Center. The group has a new report called “California’s Solar Cities 2012: Leaders in the Race Toward a Clean Energy Future” that ranks California cities according to the number of solar rooftop systems installed.

There are more than 4,500 rooftop solar systems installed on residential, commercial and educational homes and facilities throughout San Diego.  The beautiful city by the sea generates almost 37 megawatts of solar electricity installed, more than any other Golden State city.

“San Diego’s #1 solar status is the result of innovative state and local policies aimed at growing the solar industry, such as the California Solar Initiative, which has provided clear, well-designed support for solar,” said Andrew McAllister, director of policy and strategy at the California Center for Sustainable Energy, administrators of the initiative in San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) territory. “The collaboration, entrepreneurship and vision that underpin San Diego’s solar success are fundamental for scaling up solar adoption statewide in the next few years. We still have many more rooftops to reach.”

Other California cities rounding out the top solar ten include:

- Los Angeles
- San Jose
- San Francisco
- Fresno
- Bakersfield
- Santa Rosa
- Roseville
- Clovis
- Sacramento

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that California has the capacity to reach more than 80,000 megawatts of rooftop solar. That would be more than a third as much electricity as California uses in one year.

Michelle Kinman commented ” With the right leadership, San Diego can continue to lead the nation in transitioning to a clean energy future.”

San Diego is the birthplace of California, it’s first city and now America’s Solar City. 

Two thumbs up for California’s top solar cities! Let’s see if America’s other top cities will be motivated to challenge the Golden State’s rooftop solar success.

Check out the report California’s Solar Cities 2012.

San Diego is America’s Solar City

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