By Debra DeHaney-Howard
April 30, 2012

Conference President Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on April 12 signed a city ordinance that gives the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) – one of the largest municipal owned utilities in the nation – the authority to move forward on establishing a solar energy pilot feed-in-tariff program. If approved by the LADWP Board of Directors, Los Angeles residents and businesses will be able to sell solar energy power back to the city’s LADWP making Los Angeles the largest city in the nation with this type of solar energy program.

"It’s time we start using one of Los Angeles’ most abundant resource – sunshine," said Villaraigosa during the signing ceremony. "This ordinance will allow Los Angeles to become the largest in the nation to implement a feed-in-tariff system. We are starting small, testing the market, and making sure we have the best, most cost-effective system for the future," he added. Joining Villaraigosa for the signing ceremony were city officials from the LADWP and members from the Los Angeles business and environmental community.

Through the feed-in-tariff program also known as FITs, the LADWP will purchase solar power produced by residents, businesses and other organizations that have installed solar panels on their rooftops. Under this new program, up to 75 megawatts of solar power generation will be available for the Los Angeles community. Additionally, this program will support Los Angeles’ Solar Incentive Program, which is a incentive-based, net-meter program that gives energy customers a credit on their energy bill for solar energy that exceeds the amount energy they consume.

"Clearly, solar is our best option or increasing local renewable energy, while meeting state renewable mandates, and channeling economic benefits and job creation to the citizens of Los Angeles," LADWP General Manager Ronald Nichols said.