Happily sharing an outdoor stage with the High Desert sun, city officials and alternative-power executives on Monday announced an effort to make Lancaster a green-energy trailblazer by offering what they call affordable solar energy to Antelope Valley homeowners and businesses.

The "Solar Lancaster" program, an agreement between Lancaster and Foster City-based SolarCity, is described as one of the nation's first public-private alternative-energy partnerships.

An expert on environmental policy, regulation and economics, DeShazo said Lancaster's effort to push solar power could entice customers because of rising electricity rates and communities' interest in reducing reliance on unrenewable resources.

"I think anytime a local government is trying to make businesses aware of innovative energy technologies that can lower their cost and also lower local utilites' peak-period demand, that's a good thing," he continued.

To read the full story by Kevin Modesti click here.
 

 

Published: Tuesday, July 13, 2010

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