









Obama launches measures to support solar energy in US

by Staff Writers

Washington (AFP) April 17, 2014





U.S. backs community-level solar power projects

Washington (UPI) Apr 18, 2013 - The U.S. government said it was solidifying the country's position as a renewable energy leader by offering $15 million for community solar plans. Washington (UPI) Apr 18, 2013 - The U.S. government said it was solidifying the country's position as a renewable energy leader by offering $15 million for community solar plans. As part of the so-called SunShot initiative, the Energy Department said it made $15 million available to help U.S. communities develop solar-energy plans to use at homes and area businesses. The Energy Department said the average price for solar photovoltaic power was 11 cents per kilowatt-hour at the end of 2013, comparable to conventional power. With costs declining, the Energy Department said states and local communities are starting to deploy more solar energy project to meet their electricity needs. As of last year, 13 gigawatts of solar power projects have been linked to the U.S. electrical grid. "The Energy Department is committed to further driving down the cost of solar energy and supporting innovative community-based programs -- creating more jobs, reducing carbon pollution and boosting economic growth," Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz said in a statement Thursday. In December, the Energy Department said 930 megawatts of solar power was added to the U.S. grid during the second quarter of 2013, up 20 percent from the previous quarter. The White House Thursday announced a series of measures aimed at increasing solar energy production in the United States, particularly by encouraging the installation of solar panels in public spaces. President Barack Obama and his Democratic allies in Congress want laws to fight climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but Republicans, who hold the majority in the House of Representatives, have blocked all legislative efforts since 2011. In response, the president has switched tactics, using his regulatory and administrative powers to enact his climate change policies. Thursday, the White House launched a program to encourage federal agencies, military installations, and publicly-subsidized buildings in the Washington area to install more solar panels on roofs, covered parking garages and open land. And, earlier in the week, the Energy Department guaranteed at least $2.5 billion in loans for "innovative" solar projects. The Environmental Protection Agency also pledged Thursday to double the use of renewable energy at its network of 1,500 partners organizations -- including schools, public buildings, and businesses -- within the next 10 years. Another $15 million will be dedicated to local initiatives to boost solar capacity. According to the White House, the United States today can generate up to 13 gigawatts of energy from solar power, or enough to power 2.2 million homes, up from just 1.2 gigawatts in 2008. The federal government is working on granting permits which by 2020 would generate enough power to support six million households, it added. The average cost of solar panels has dropped more than 60 percent since the beginning of 2010, the White House said. The president also has significant leverage to influence on carbon emission levels through limiting the federal government's energy consumption, especially within the Defense Department, which is the biggest energy consumer in the country. .

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