As part of its long-term renewable energy portfolio, California requires that San Diego utilities derive 33% of their power from green energy sources by 2020.
It’s an ambitious but very achievable goal.
In fact, on Thursday, September 26, 2013, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) successfully generated nearly 33% of its peak power from a range of renewable energy sources.
That’s an impressive 1,000 megawatts of clean San Diego solar and wind power to help offset 2,924 megawatts of peak, daytime consumption.
This is the first time San Diego County has come this close to meeting its 2020 sustainability goals. And it’s only 2013 – 7 years ahead of schedule.
Ambitious. But very achievable.
Where Is San Diego’s Solar Power Coming From?
Although some of this green power came from wind, the overwhelming majority of renewable energy capacity came from photovoltaic (PV) panels.
This isn’t surprising given the affordability and scalability of solar. With falling panel prices and rising efficiency rates, solar power has emerged as the preferred clean energy generation technology in San Diego.
Roughly 750 megawatts of this solar came from Imperial County projects directly connected to SDG&Es transmission lines. Smaller residential and commercial solar installations accounted for nearly 200 megawatts.
These numbers are significant – and they prove that every panel makes a difference. A 5kW solar installation here and a 3kW installation there may seem like drops in a bucket. But when you add up all of this distributed solar capacity, the cumulative effects benefit everyone:
- SDG&E relies less and less on fossil fuel
- San Diego County becomes less polluted
- new installations help to create green jobs
- electricity bill savings go up for homeowners and businesses
Honestly, the only ones who are worse off are the big oil companies – and they’re doing just fine. So it’s not worth shedding any tears.
Helping San Diego’s Solar Power Industry Pass the 50% Mark
Although it was just a momentary blip on the radar – San Diego’s utilities have already reached 33% renewable energy capacity.
And again, this was 7 years ahead of schedule.
Help us push the County to 50%.
This is an even more ambitious goal. But it’s also very achievable. As solar installations become more commonplace throughout San Diego, the aforementioned benefits will grow in proportion.
Cleaner communities, stronger economic growth, and increased personal savings.
It all begins with a simple phone call or email. Contact us today for a free consultation, and we’ll walk you through your solar installation options.
