Posted by Cedric de La Beaujardiere, a resident of the Barron Park neighborhood, on Aug 21, 2012 at 9:37 am
Cedric de La Beaujardiere is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online

This was a great article, exploring many possible options and tradeoffs in creating a system to get businesses to install solar power for local generation. The city council and staff deserve praise for trying to find a way to get more local renewable energy installed, driven by the market, and without raising rates. It makes sense that additional tweaking of the parameters are needed for this innovative program. Offering up city-owned rooftops is a good idea. Another option could be better incentives paid for by the higher rates paid by those in the Palo Alto Green program, who would likely be jazzed to be getting green energy locally instead of just somewhere.

Posted by Bob, a resident of the Community Center neighborhood, on Aug 21, 2012 at 11:28 am

Ah,yes, Cedric......but spell out what you really mean by "jazzed to be getting green energy locally" You were one of the leaders, pushers, and shakers of Measure M to undedicate Bayland Area parkland - and build an anerobic digester out there...... But what is really the estimated cost, Cedric???? Someplace about 50-100 million? Add that to the unfunded pension liabiity, and we'll be joining Stockton, Vallejo, San Bernadino, and other cities. Going 'green" could burn us "red'.

Posted by Cedric de La Beaujardiere, a resident of the Barron Park neighborhood, on Aug 22, 2012 at 12:56 am
Cedric de La Beaujardiere is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online

Bob, "what I really mean" is that the PA Green program pays for Renewable Energy Credits, not necessarily locally generated renewable energy, so participants would likely be jazzed to be funding projects in their own city.

You're referring to Measure E (not M) which rezoned 10 acres of the recently closed dump, immediately adjacent to the sewage treatment plant, from Byxbee Park to allow the site to be used for converting our organic wastes (sewage, food, and yard wastes) into energy and/or compost.

As for its cost, it's really a savings. The independent financial feasibility study (Web Link) indicated that local handling of organic wastes could save Palo Alto $40 million over 20 years, compared to the city's default plan of sending food and yard waste 53 miles away to southern Gilroy.

Yet another case where being green can save us green.