City of Santa Monica, USA

Keywords: renewable energy region, 100% renewable energy self sufficiency region, Santa Monica, renewable energy in Santa Monica.

Santa Monica is a city in western Los Angeles County, California, USA (Figure 1). This town is located in Santa Monica Bay. This city is surrounded by:^[1]

• Northwest: Los Angeles City - Pacific Palisades
  
• North: Brentwood
  
• Northeast: West Lost Angeles
  
• East: Mar Vista
  
• Southeast: Venice

Figure 1. Santa Monica City in Los Angeles County, California^[1]

Desire and Target of Renewable Energy Utilization

Santa Monica City aims to increase the use of Renewable and clean distributed generation sources, and thus reduce the city's total amount of green house emissions and consumption of fossil fuels. Target utilization of renewable energy is 25% citywide electricity by 2010. In addition, 1% of all electricity should come from clean distributed generation by 2010. Main goal is renewable energy self sufficient in 2020.^[2]

Performance of Renewable Energy
Renewable energy comes from three sources:^[2]

• first and the largest proportion: Southern California Edision (SCE) renewable power mix, mainly geothermal and wind energy.
• Commerce Energy
  
• Solar Santa Monica
  

The combination of renewable energy from SCE and Commerce Energy was 531 GJ by 2006 or 18% of total electricity usage (Figure 1). SCE contributes 16% and Commerce Energy 2% of total electricity usage (Figure 2). Clean distributed energy currently is 10% of all electricity usage.^[2]

Figure 1. Renewable Composition and Percentage of Total Electricity Usage^[2]

Figure 2. Renewable Energy as a Percent of Total Electricity Usage 2006^[2]

Solar Santa Monica
This program was launched in 2006 as the first step of Community Energy Independence Initiative. It provides ways for residents to be energy efficient of utilizing energy in home and business, and ways how to produce energy by installing solar panels on individual buildings and community sites throughout the city. In 2007, nearly 20 solar projects was implemented.^[2]

Santa Monica Sustainable City Plan

This plan was initiated in 1992 by the City's Task Force on the environment to ensure that Santa Monica Community think, act, and plan sustainable. The program includes four goal areas, which are classified into resource conservation, transportation, pollution prevention and public health protection, community economic development. This program has achieved much success. Many initial targets have been met and this city is recognized as worldwide role model for sustainability.^[3]

Update Process
In reviewing the progress made since1994 adoption of the program, the Task Force on the Environment recognized the need to update and expand the sustainability city goals and indicators and to develop new indicators target for 2010. Goals correlated to renewable energy is in the area of resource conservation found in Sustainable City Plan - Adopted plan 2006 are:^[3]

• Significantly decrease overall community consumption, specifically the consumption of non-local, non-renewable, non-recyclable, and non-recycled materials, water, energy, and fuels. The city should take a leadership role in encouraging sustainable procurement, extended producer responsibility, and should explore innovative strategies to become a zero waste city.
• Within renewable limits, encourage the use of local, non polluting, renewable, and recycled resources (water, energy - wind, solar, and geothermal - and material resources).

Next Plan to be Improved^[2]

• Become energy independent with Solar Santa Monica.
• Purchase renewable energy credits to supplement the portion of utility provided power which is not renewable.
  

Information Related

• Official site of Solar Santa Monica. http://www.solarsantamonica.com/. Accessed April 3, 2010.
• Large Purchasers of Green Power: City of Santa Monica. http://apps3.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/buying/customers.shtml?page=1&companyid=27. Accessed April 3, 2010.
• Solar Santa Monica. http://www.cleanfleetreport.com/cities/solar-santa-monica/. Accessed April 3, 2010.
• Santa Monica plans to buy all 'green' power, aims to set example for nation. http://www.feinstein.org/ap/santamonicagreenenergy.html. Accessed April 3, 2010.
• Santa Monica - Green Power Purchasing. http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=CA13R&re=1&ee=1. Accessed April 3, 2010.
• Cycle Santa Monica! Renewable Energy Fair. http://cyclesantamonica.blogspot.com/2006/08/renewable-energy-fair.html. Accessed April 3, 2010.

List of References

1. Santa Monica, California. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Monica,_California. Accessed April 3, 2010.
   
2. Resource Conservation: Renewable Energy. http://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/Categories/Sustainability/Sustainable_City_Progress_Report/Resource_Conservation/Renewable_Energy.aspx. Accessed April 2, 2010.
   
3. Santa Monica Sustainable City Plan. http://www.smgov.net/uploadedFiles/Departments/OSE/Categories/Sustainability/SCP_2006_Adopted_Plan.pdf. Accessed April 2, 2010.