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L.A. Business Council Hails LADWP Vote to Expand Nation’s Largest Urban Rooftop Solar Program

L.A. Business Council Hails LADWP Vote to Expand Nation’s Largest Urban Rooftop Solar Program

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FiT program credited for spurring major private sector investment in clean energy in L.A.

LOS ANGELES : The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s Board of Commissioners yesterday voted to expand the nation’s largest rooftop solar Feed-in Tariff (FiT) program, originally proposed and supported by the Los Angeles Business Council and the CLEAN LA Solar Coalition, to 450 megawatts. The expanded program will allow hundreds of building owners to create solar power plants on their rooftops and then sell the electricity generated into the utility’s power grid.

“For years, the LABC has been at the forefront of advocating for the FiT and promoting the benefits of local solar. The FiT program has delivered on its promise of spurring major private investment in solar power in Los Angeles and creating thousands of high-quality local jobs while removing dangerous greenhouse gas emissions from our communities,” said Los Angeles Business Council President Mary Leslie. “We applaud the LADWP for their leadership in bringing the country’s largest rooftop solar program to scale to meet the demands of the climate crisis while producing the power needed to sustain our way of life.”

The FiT pilot program, launched in 2013, reached capacity earlier this year with all 150MWs originally authorized either installed or active, along with a waitlist of interested participants. A recent in-depth analysis of the FiT found the pilot generated over $500 million in new investments and will reduce 68,500 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually when all projects are interconnected. Most importantly, nearly 40 percent of all in-service installations are in ‘Solar Hot Spots’—disadvantaged communities with high solar potential.

“The FiT program has been enormously well-received, as it provides dependable guidelines and set pricing to give customers and businesses the confidence to invest in renewable energy. This expansion will allow even bigger projects incorporating new, innovative technology to participate throughout the locations we serve,” said LADWP General Manager and Chief Engineer Martin L. Adams. “We are grateful to our partners, including the LA Business Council, for their strong support of the FiT program from the start.”

Anand Gupta Editor - EQ Int'l Media Network

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