Environment California Research & Policy Center has published a new report ranking San Diego at the city with the most solar PV capacity at the end of 2016. The report, Shining Cities: How Smart Local Policies Are Expanding Solar Power in America, puts San Diego ahead of cities like Los Angeles, Honolulu and San Jose for the amount of installed solar energy. Solar power increased 60% in San Diego over the course of 2016, putting the city ahead of Los Angeles, which held the top spot for the past three years and, in comparison, experienced 24% growth in 2016. On a solar-per-person basis, San Diego also scored well, ranking second nationwide, only behind Honolulu.
Environment California Research & Policy Center celebrated San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer in front of a solar installation on a local high school. .
“Congratulations, San Diego! The city is setting a blazing example by investing in solar power to create clean air, local green jobs, and a brighter future for all,” said Michelle Kinman, clean energy advocate with Environment California Research & Policy Center. “The sky’s the limit when it comes to putting San Diego’s clean and abundant sunshine to work as long as city leaders continue to embrace forward-thinking solar policies.”
“San Diego is setting the standard for other cities across the country when it comes to protecting our environment and creating a cleaner future,” said San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer. “This new ranking is a testament to the many San Diego residents and businesses harnessing our natural resources as we march toward our goal of using 100% renewable energy throughout the city.”
In addition to San Diego and Los Angeles, San Jose also ranks high in fourth place for total installed solar power and second on a solar-per-person basis. San Francisco earned 11th place for total installed solar power. Sacramento earned 13th place on the total listing and 10th place in the per capita list. Riverside is moving up the ranks for solar-per-person, earning the eight per capita rank nationwide.
“Riverside residents and business owners have embraced solar as a smart way to harness the power of the sun,” Riverside Mayor Rusty Bailey said. “From the individual solar units on homes and businesses to the solar farm on top of a former landfill, Riverside is proud to be a leader in Southern California in developing clean energy. Our locally-owned Riverside Public Utilities and its Green Riverside efforts have played a major role.”
The figures in the report reflect the recent growth of solar across the country. The top 20 cities listed in the report have nearly as much solar today as the entire country had installed in 2010. In 2016, solar was the number one new source of energy installed in America.
News item from Environment California Research & Policy Center