Santa Monica’s city council ordered staff to study the steps necessary to implement a feed-in tariff on December 2, 2008.
The city, a part of the Los Angeles conurbation, joins a rapidly growing list of cities in California discussing renewable energy feed-in tariffs, including Palm Desert and Santa Monica’s neighbor, the City of Los Angeles.
Solar Santa Monica’s advisory board includes Terry Tamminen, formerly a senior member of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s administration and an advisor to Florida Governor Charles Crist.
The resolution emphasizes that the feed-in tariff could be part of the city’s Solar Santa Monica program.
“Request of Mayor Pro Tem Bloom and Councilmember O’Connor that the City Council direct staff to investigate and report back regarding appropriate steps to develop implementation strategies for a “feed-in tariff” for solar energy incentives.
A feed-in tariff will allow any property owner and third party investor to earn a reasonable return for solar electric investments in settings that have, thus far, lagged behind in the Solar Santa Monica program and throughout the State of California. It will promote reaching the energy and climate protection goals of the California Solar Cities program, support California utilities in achieving renewable energy mandates and will catalyze the solar industry, creating sustainable green collar jobs that foster climate protection goals. Finally, a feed-in tariff will assist local governments in extending the benefits of low-cost solar renewable energy to moderate and low income individuals and families.”
