There has been some good coverage of our efforts in the press lately! Now Alexander's office is saying the SREC bill will be marked up in May. That is progress-- but the date keeps slipping! DC Sun is working to get the Council to move and stop sitting on the bill.
City Paper
Cheh sounds like she isn't strongly supportive of the bill! What gives? Has Cheh backed away from being our solar champion?
WAMU
Also: signatures on city-wide petition to push the DC Council to act now has more than 1,673 people! To see the petition click here
We are hoping to get to 2,000 signatures by Monday!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Growing list of 1,000+ DC Residents Urging DC Council to Pass Solar Bill
We have seen a HUGE display of support behind efforts to solarize DC. People understand that the Distributed Generation Amendment Act is the key step in keeping the momentum going for solar in DC. It is puzzling that after a huge crowd of supporters took the day off work to speak in support at the committee hearing (during which there was little opposition to the Bill), that Council is sitting on their hands.
Click here to send the Council a wake up call
http://signon.org/sign/build-dc-solar-dont-let?source=c.fwd&r_by=58010
Click here to send the Council a wake up call
http://signon.org/sign/build-dc-solar-dont-let?source=c.fwd&r_by=58010
Monday, April 11, 2011
Will DC Council Flush the Whole Solar Industry down the Drain?
Down to the Wire. DC Council sits on Distributed Generation Bill. DC SUN asks its members and all residents of DC to wake up the DC Council and protect our interests!
The Distributed Generation Act (Bill 19-10) builds the foundation necessary for the sustained growth of the industry and the solar market in the District. Folks this is much bigger than a small rebate program. This is ten years of growth for the sector! It means solar opportunities across every Ward in the City. The bill increases the amount of solar energy the District of Columbia is required to use from 0.4% to 2.5% by 2020, which aligns the District’s goals with those in Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and elsewhere. Most Significantly-- the bill would fix the loop that current allows the District to meet it's solar targets with installations from out of STATE! The bill requires utility companies to purchase solar energy solar systems located within the District to ensure the District receives the benefits of solar energy
* The Council hearing on the Bill 19-10, the Distributed Generation Amendment Act of 2011 was held over a month ago. At that time, an over-flowing crowd of over 50 people representing local solar installers, DC Solar United Neighborhoods (DC SUN), homeowners, community leaders, and environmental organizations showed up and testified in support of the bill. Council Member Alexander ended the hearing by stating, “We will pass this bill.”
* Since that time, whatever limited concerns raised at the hearing have been fully addressed.
* This bill is a Green Jobs-- No BRAINER for the DC Council. This bill is projected to create up to 2,000 green jobs in the District over the next nine years and will generate approximately $50 Million in sales tax revenue and more than $100 Million in income tax revenue over the next nine years. The bill is TIME SENSITIVE, and without quick action, we will lose an industry our city has worked so hard to create.
Why Hasn't the Council ACTED to pass the bill?
Post here if you take action to support the bill. If you call your council member post responses, if you email post their responses for others to share.
Call, Write, Visit in Person and ask your Council member and Kwame Brown to Please Pass this the Distributed Generation Amendment Act of 2011 immediately! Tell them to Act now before it is too late!!!!
dccouncil@dccouncil.us
The Distributed Generation Act (Bill 19-10) builds the foundation necessary for the sustained growth of the industry and the solar market in the District. Folks this is much bigger than a small rebate program. This is ten years of growth for the sector! It means solar opportunities across every Ward in the City. The bill increases the amount of solar energy the District of Columbia is required to use from 0.4% to 2.5% by 2020, which aligns the District’s goals with those in Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and elsewhere. Most Significantly-- the bill would fix the loop that current allows the District to meet it's solar targets with installations from out of STATE! The bill requires utility companies to purchase solar energy solar systems located within the District to ensure the District receives the benefits of solar energy
* The Council hearing on the Bill 19-10, the Distributed Generation Amendment Act of 2011 was held over a month ago. At that time, an over-flowing crowd of over 50 people representing local solar installers, DC Solar United Neighborhoods (DC SUN), homeowners, community leaders, and environmental organizations showed up and testified in support of the bill. Council Member Alexander ended the hearing by stating, “We will pass this bill.”
* Since that time, whatever limited concerns raised at the hearing have been fully addressed.
* This bill is a Green Jobs-- No BRAINER for the DC Council. This bill is projected to create up to 2,000 green jobs in the District over the next nine years and will generate approximately $50 Million in sales tax revenue and more than $100 Million in income tax revenue over the next nine years. The bill is TIME SENSITIVE, and without quick action, we will lose an industry our city has worked so hard to create.
Why Hasn't the Council ACTED to pass the bill?
Post here if you take action to support the bill. If you call your council member post responses, if you email post their responses for others to share.
Call, Write, Visit in Person and ask your Council member and Kwame Brown to Please Pass this the Distributed Generation Amendment Act of 2011 immediately! Tell them to Act now before it is too late!!!!
dccouncil@dccouncil.us
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Public Service Commission seeks comments on utility billing statements
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Friday, April 1, 2011
DC Selects Vendor to lead Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU)
DC's selection of a vendor to run the SEU (read announcement here) has been long awaited by the DC solar community. Why? Because the SEU is supposed to be the organization charting a path forward for solar. As you know, the current Renewable Energy Incentive Program (solar rebates) expires next year. DC has never charted a path forward for solar in DC beyond 2012. We have high hopes that a rebate program can be extended beyond 2012, that the renewable energy credit market will be stabilized, and that the SEU will set and work toward goals for reaching solar milestones to make DC the #1 solar city in the US. We urge the new SEU to work with DC SUN and our member cooperatives to creatively bring solar to a wider range of citizens (for example, promoting community solar projects for renters, for those that don't have the correct building orientation, and for those that don't have the financial means to purchase a complete system). We welcome Vermont Energy Investment Corporation and its partners. Let's get started!
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