PALMDALE – Sunible, a company started by solar market data resource PV Solar Report, has just released a new report detailing which California cities are installing the most solar power, and the City of Palmdale ranked 16th.
“Many of the leading Solar Cities in California are median-income communities like Fresno, Clovis, El Cajon, and Chico,” said Rosana Francescato of Sunible. “According to the most recent census data, Fresno’s median annual income was just over $41,000. Yet, Fresno is near the top of the Solar Cities list, at #3 in installs for Q1 2013.”
“Palmdale is well on its way to become a leader in energy production in the State of California,” said Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford. “In addition to the growth in solar installations on homes, there are several solar projects up and running or under construction or planning within city limits, not to mention the various solar facilities located at our schools and soon on City properties. Sam’s Club and the Palmdale Water District have been utilizing wind energy for a while now as well. Augmenting all this these renewables will be the Palmdale Power Plant which will provide a reliable source of clean energy, not to mention have a huge positive impact on our economy.”
According to Sunible, here’s the Top 25 California Solar Cities list for Q1 2013:
- San Diego
- Bakersfield
- Fresno
- Los Angeles
- San Jose
- Murrieta
- Clovis
- Corona
- Escondido
- Temecula
- Palm Springs
- El Cajon
- Santa Clarita
- Apple Valley
- Chico
- Palmdale
- Rancho Mirage
- Northridge
- Palm Desert
- Visalia
- Ramona
- Pleasanton
- Lancaster
- Riverside
- Rancho Cucamonga
This list is based on the number of installations completed between Q1 2012 and Q1 2013.
For more information on PV Solar Report and Sunible, visit www.pvsolarreport.com and www.sunible.com.
(Information via press release from the city of Palmdale.)
Larry says
What wonderful news, too bad solar is still inefficient cost wise and needs taxpayer support for most installations, but maybe it will get to be a sure source of power for some, at least where the sun shines most days. We just can hope the solar cells last as long as the manufacturers estimate. Sorry if I cloud up a happy story with questioning if Solar will actually prove to be a cost efficient and reliable source of power.
Bill R says
For every subsidy dollar spent on solar, 72 dollars goes to oil companies. Yet people only complain about solar subsidies. I wonder who has the $ to push that agenda.
Doc Rivers says
I just knew Palmdale was leading the valley in this area of Green energy, that city just quietly goes about taking care of business without all the phony hype!
William says
I know. I’ve seen several arrays of solar panels on a couple schools nearby my house and the windmills at Sam’s Club which look pretty cool, surprisingly.
But, because I haven’t heard “…all the phony hype!” as you mentioned, this article did surprise me.
Similarly, Palmdale unveiling plans for a Japanese rail car company to assemble them here came as surprise. But, we had to hear about BYD since before any of us were born, it seems.
Dick’s Sporting Goods was ‘sprung’ on us while Parris brags forever if a hot dog stand opens anywhere near his BLVD.
I think I like the way Palmdale always gives us pleasant surprises with more to come….and without the phony hype. Actually, Mayor Ledford keeps things quiet until it’s time to make the announcements. He is missing the BS gene in his DNA.
Unbelievably, Parris has gotten nuttier and nuttier. Maybe that’s why he has Crist do the dirty work of lying about the power plant.
William says
WHAT???? This can’t be true. Palmdale has been sneakily installing solar power while Parris has been bragging for how many years now about the ‘Solar Capital of the World’?
Shocking!!!!
Gregory says
That list only includes installations in 2012 and 2013. It says nothing about total solar systems in operation. Lancaster was already strong in solar when this little start up company opened it’s doors.
Fern Street Fanatic says
Yes yes as Marvie said on tee vee Palmdale is catching up. Yes yes Rexies dream is alive. Yes yes solar capital of the world. We will rule the day and hope Palmdale will get us electricity at night.
dumbandblind says
….yet residents are ranked 1st in electric bills – especially summer time when temperatures reach boiling point!
MakesSense says
Air conditioning can do that. Especially when trying to reduce from 110+ to 70. The small home I rented before has a swamp cooler. Average summer bill in Lancaster $50-60. Now I own a larger home in Palmdale with A/C and my bill is about $100 if I choose to run the A/C. I plan on adding a swamp cooler to lower the bill.
If homes had thick soil walls and were properly designed the cost would be minimal.
realitycheck says
LOL!!
Bruno says
I thought Lancaster was all up there the way Rex Paris talks about it… Guess NOT
dumbandblind says
They were referring to residential installations. To qualify for photovoltaic technology installed on the roof with zero down one must have a credit score of 700 or higher. You can call solarcity or sungevity for details then figure why the City of Lancaster didn’t make the list.
Frank Rizzo says
Those solar installers want allot of money for their equipment and they want you to pay them every month, not worth it. Solar was origionally intended for people to get off the grid. Why get solar if you end up staying on the grid.
Willam says
Because the sun doesn’t shine at night when we need it the most.
Oncourse says
Night is when electricity is cheapest. It’s when SCE uses this advantage to pump water from Castaic Lake, back up to Pyramid Lake, so it is available for the needed power surge in the afternoons. And is the reason for the “Give your appliances the afternoon off” campaign.
Resident Cynic says
Lancaster is on the list. With all the dust and dirtstorms that exposed us to Valley Fever as they destroy the West Valley with their solar farms, they had to be on the list.
Nikolas Malechikos says
Ahhh.. Resident Cynic back again..
Hmm, however, those “West Valley” solar farms are not within Lancaster city limits. That is L.A. County land. ;-)
I know, I know… Facts are simply too difficult and don’t jive with your position. ;-)
Resident Cynic says
You are correct Nikolas. Most of those solar farms that are destroying the West Valley are not in Lancaster. Rex just takes credit for being the solar capital of the world. So I cannot blame Rex for exposing us to Valley Fever and destroying the West Valley. I can only blame him for the ones in Lancaster.
Nikolas Malechikos says
Now, I must say, that even though I find myself supporting the majority of Rex’s positions/decisions, I do chuckle when I hear him call Lancaster the Solar Capital of the World.
There would need to be CONSIDERABLY more effort being made by the City/County/State here in Lancaster for that to be even remotely accurate.
We’re talking multiple CSP sites like eSolar’s, solar PV manufacturing facilities employing 100s-1000’s of workers POWERED by the very solar power plants located within City limits, pro-solar building codes that are more progressive than what has already been proposed/approved for 2014 onward..
While Rex and his fellow politicians like to toot their horns about the roll out of residential solar, that has VERY little to do with any of their decisions as politicians. Resident are installing solar because it increasingly makes more financial sense as the price of PV solar panels/installs continues to decrease. Residents will install PV REGARDLESS of what Rex says.
He needs to back up his big talk, with some big action with regard to solar manufacturing here in the City/Valley.