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January 2014 Edition
Check back often for the latest news and updates related to the Solar Roadmap and American Solar Transformation Initiative (ASTI). Below is the current edition of our monthly newsletter with the latest program updates and other exciting highlights.
Innovations in solar policy aid Washington, D.C. on its path to sustainability
Washington, D.C. has taken bold steps to make the District a leader in clean energy and sustainability. Through the passage of the Sustainable D.C. Act, Mayor Vincent Gray and the D.C. Council have laid out a path to establish the District as the healthiest, greenest, most livable city in the nation over the next 20 years. As the new D.C. Solar Map shows, solar energy is at the forefront of the City’s efforts to transform itself into a model city for the 21st century.
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Courtesy of Vote Solar
Producing your own energy with a community solar garden
Though there is no shortage of interest in adopting solar electricity, the majority of homes and businesses cannot install a renewable energy system on their own property. For a host of reasons—including being a renter, rooftop shading, financial barriers, and local policy restrictions—onsite solar PV is not an option for most people in urban areas. Community shared solar resolves these issues by allowing developers to install small to mid-sized solar PV systems on available rooftops or land, and sell portions of the locally produced power to individual subscribers within the same utility service territory.
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Image courtesy of MIT Sustainable Design Lab/MoDe Studio
Take Action: incorporating solar priorities into comprehensive and energy action plans
From decreasing air pollution and energy bills to generating local jobs and investment opportunities, policy makers and planners in American municipalities have taken serious notice of solar energy’s benefits. With the help of the Solar Roadmap, ASTI participants have taken steps to include solar accessibility and readiness standards in their long-term general plans. Developed from national best practices, the Solar Roadmap’s Planning and Zoning goals highlight the simple policy changes that communities can adopt to sustain solar market growth and its positive impacts.
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Image courtesy of Strategic Energy Innovations Inc.
Optony partners with Strategic Energy Innovations to support ASTI in California and Nevada
Optony has partnered with Strategic Energy Innovations (SEI) to help recruit new counties and cities throughout California and Nevada to the American Solar Transformation Initiative (ASTI). SEI is no stranger to Optony’s mission, having collaborated with the team to implement various solar projects throughout California and the Western United States over the past few years.
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Solar Roadmap Highlight: resources for businesses and residents
Falling prices and technological advancements have made solar photovoltaic systems more accessible to residents and businesses than ever before. From evaluating your building’s solar production potential to exploring affordable financing options, the Solar Roadmap’s resource library offers up-to-date evaluation tools and educational resources to guide residents and businesses through every step of the decision-making process.
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